Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications General Mods Cut down shifter

I did say the angles of the shafts are different from the stocker to the B&M , yes? And as for the length and angle of the lower section, how much lower and how much more of an angle? Is the fulcrum really changed? Or are you justifying the purchase? I remember seeing a picture of the B&M next to the stock shifter sometime early last year, with the fulcrum point not being changed. And be real about it, it's still a SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTER SHAFT. This is how B&M has attained MOST, if not all, of the shortened throw. It's not from the ball joint, but rather from the shortened shaft.

I also remember a thread a few months back in which several people were stating that their B&M's were hitting areas of the shifter box, yes? So maybe you're right in that sense, the cut down shaft isn't the same as a B&M. The stock piece, even when cut down, doesn't hit anything other than the built in limiters. Some other's have stated they've been leaving out the centering spring, shimming this and trimming that. I haven't been to the Focus boards, but I'm wondering if they have had the same problems that the Contour owners have had? If not, great, if so, wow....

If you cut down the stock piece, it will, for intents and purposes, shorten the throw, such like the SHORTER SHAFT B&M. It will produce the same effects, a shorter throw. Even after throwing in the MOMO shift knob (you can find the ones that don't accomodate the lockout for less than forty bucks), you're into a short shifter without a lockout for less than fifty.

It's a nice looking piece, but with what I've heard about it, it may not be worth it.

Thanks for all the input, but there is someone out there who had a cut down shifter and went to B&M shifter. I'd like to hear there opinion too. Thanks much.

Peter

does the shorter throw really give that much of a benefit in everyday driving unless you also have a lightened flywheel aswell?

And what about us pre98 guys? what are we to do? i was considering cutting my shifter but i was told that it would no longer function correctly if i did that....

Do NOT attempt to cut a pre 98 shifter... The shaft is hollow and the reverse lockout is a cable going through the shaft to a box under the car.

I have a cut shifter in my 98 SVT. Re-threaded the shaft & re-glued the reverse lockout so everything looks stock. It's NOT the same feeling as the B&M in Jeff Labelle's car. I can't tell if it's from the angle or anything else but his feels like a true short-throw shifter. Mine just looks like it But that's fine by me, cost=0$

I wish I would have taken a picture of mine side by side.

There is a very noticeble difference between the lengths and angles of the shift rods both above and below the fulcrum point. This changes the speed of which the shifter actually moves the cables. (I.E. faster shifting & less travel - just having a shortened handle makes it a shorter handle - the angle/degree the shifter is moved below the fulcrum has not changed! The throw above the fulcrum is shortened a tiny bit and it also makes it harder to shift - less leverage)

Yes I had to cut away the corner of the reverse lockout tower in order for it to work smoothely.

Is the lockout the only reason? cause if so then i might as weel go ahead. I already knew of this problem but im asking for someone to figure something out....

Haven?t posted in a while but, would like to add my $.02. I fabricated my own short-throw well over a year ago. Basically, I welded in 3/4 of an inch below the pivot point. I then had to shim the whole mechanism up by 3/4?, as there is not enough room below the shift deck to accommodate otherwise. I then cut down the shifter by maybe an inch. Result is very short shifts with ample leverage as the shift lever is not much shorter above the pivot point.
As far as the B&M, I have never driven one but remember seeing someone?s pictures before install, It is definitely much shorter as well as straight which will shorten shifts. The length below the pivot is not much different except the attachment location for the cable has been repositioned to compensate for the fact that the shifter is straight rather than angled back. With a straight shifter, if you did not compensate, you would feel like you were shifting closer to the firewall.
Whatever way you choose to shorten shifts, since our cars are shifted by cable, anything is a vast improvement.

Being that we use cables to connect the tranny to the shifter, could you explain to me the advantage of changing the fulcrum point. In a Tranny that you are directly changing the shifter in, like a mustang...changing the fulcrum will make a big difference! Changing the fulcrum point on a cable shifter is only gonna move the cables and not really change the fulcrum of the actual shifting!