Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Transaxle short shifter for pre-98 zetec

is there any?? and has anybody even tried cuting them to make them shorter all i could do is drill the hole in my shift knob so it had a lower profile without affecting the whole pulling into reverse action...

no

yes

no

search as this was just covered again


cut it and be happy if you like but it will not be a true short shifter

doesnt matter shorter is better than stock shifter

Well, it is just symantics I guess.

The steed changes the ratio of motion versus the stock shifter and keeps the length relatively the same. This means that the shift knob isn't lower than the B&M and hardly lower than stock.
The ratio of motion has been changed to help shorten the throw distance even though the upper portion above the pivot isn't as short as the B&M
The B&M has a shorter upper arm than stock but approximately the same length lower arm below the pivot. The upper arm being shorter means that the throw is also shorter. Here is a graphical depiction (Sort of)

stock:
--------o-->

B&M
-----o-->

Steeda
------o--->

If you look at the pictures the shifters are pictured on their sides with the circle as the pivot point and the > symbol as where the cable hooks up.
The dashes are the shaft and the number of them corresponds to the length.
Stock is the longest shaft above the pivot.
The B&M shortens the shaft but keeps the shaft below the pivot the same lenth.
The Steeda shortens the upper shaft and lengthens the lower shaft. You have to measure the length of the upper to lower shafts to compare the ratio and see which truly has the shorter throw.
So you see, a shorter throw shift need only trace out a distance that the shift knob moves shorter than stock to be considered a shorter throw, irregardless of the length of the shafts. That is why if all else is equal, cutting the upper shaft of the stock shifter will shorten the throw automatically.

You must remember that the effort required to make the shift will also change. The shorter the shifter throw the less leverage advantage it has the the more stiff it will feel trying to shift.

Just to add more of an example, the ratio for the Steeda TriAx is:
2.31:1 inch ratio
This comes from a 9.25" upper shaft length over a 4" lower shaft length measured from tip to center of the ball pivots.

and the B&M is:

2.36:1 inch ratio
calculated from a 8.25" upper shaft over a 3.5" lower shaft.

This is so close to the same that it hardly seems worth it to distinguish between the two in terms of a "shorter throw".

The visual difference is that the shift knob with the B&M sits much closer to the console or "lower" than the Steeda, which sits almost as high as stock.
In truth, the B&M with almost an identical throw to the Steeda but sitting much lower gives a more "sport car" look than the steeda.
On the other hand if you want a shorter throw but you're a tall person and want the shifter closer to the stock height, then the Steeda is the right shifter for you.

Back to the original question:

Will a cut stock shifter give you a shorter throw? YES!
You can very well make it the same or shorter throw and height than the B&M.

If you guys want I can go outside tomorrow and measure the length of the stock shifter and post it's ratio.

this was hijacked haha