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Old Feb 4th, 2003, 01:37 PM   #1
Drakken
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Dark Silver Cheap and easy short shift with picture

1)Pull stock shift knob off.
2)Cut shaft - I used a Dremel and took off about 2.5 inches.
3)Install any aftermarket shift knob that uses set screws. I used a Momo Race Air Leather.
Done.

The shift throw is now shorter and feels more possitive.

OPTION: To use the stock knob get about 6 inches of clear vinyl tubing 1/2" OD X 1/4" IO. Twist the tubing on the rod after you cut it. The stock knob will fit nicely.





Pic of the stock knob:

Last edited by Drakken : Apr 16th, 2003 at 04:19 AM.
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Old Apr 9th, 2003, 10:57 AM   #2 (permalink)
flyboy2160
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i agree drakken

added weight on the shift lever? take off the muffler and take apart the shift mechanism? $95?...... bah humbug

this cut down the shift shaft trick has been used on other cars and it works just great on the mcs! (some miata guys do this and i can't figure out why - that thing has a tiny shift throw as it is) there is much less slop, much less motion, and much better feel of the motion and engagement. i don't think it sits down too low at all:


http://www.mini2.com/gallery/persona...shift_knob.jpg


i used a hacksaw and lots of rags to catch the filings because i didn't want the dremel dust thrown all over the interior.
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Old Apr 9th, 2003, 01:52 PM   #3 (permalink)
TonyB
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I like it!

And, I'm going to do it also. It will save money from buying a kit, and the time for its install, and the removal/replacement of the exhaust (again)...

I sort of wonder if I can reuse the current knob. I have a tap and die set so I think, with some set screws, I can make the stock knob work. If and when I see a must have knob, then I suppose I could get a new one...

Thanks for sharing!

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Old Apr 9th, 2003, 03:51 PM   #4 (permalink)
911ETR
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Hope you guys have long arms Or maybe you can just adjust your seat

Not bad but it just feels like cutting your springs to make the car lower.

I want an option that doesnt even touch the shifter but rather changes the throw of the linkage.
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Old Apr 9th, 2003, 09:26 PM   #5 (permalink)
Drakken
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Quote:
Originally posted by 911ETR
Hope you guys have long arms Or maybe you can just adjust your seat

Not bad but it just feels like cutting your springs to make the car lower.

I want an option that doesnt even touch the shifter but rather changes the throw of the linkage.

Well, I'm 6'2" so I guess I have long arms. Personally I hate tall shifters and this mod works great. I'm very happy with the results and would do it again if I get another MINI.

Your analogy of spring cutting makes me cringe! I understand that cutting or hacksawing your car may freak some people out.

Enjoy!
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Old Apr 9th, 2003, 09:41 PM   #6 (permalink)
Drakken
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Quote:
Originally posted by TonyB
I like it!


I sort of wonder if I can reuse the current knob.


You could use the factory knob if you got the plastic adapter piece that the knob attaches to. I thought about doing this and it should work.
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Old Apr 9th, 2003, 10:52 PM   #7 (permalink)
Drakken
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Quote:
Originally posted by obehave
What plastic adapter piece is that?
I've missed something I think.

If you look under the knob you'll see the bottom half of it. Grab the shift knob and pull hard straight up. The knob will pop off and the plastic piece will be showing.
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Old Apr 10th, 2003, 01:33 AM   #8 (permalink)
TonyB
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I think there are some misconceptions about cutting down the stick, and then the need to change the seat position, or grow longer arms .

My drive out of the canyon to work this morning had me intentionally paying careful attention to this concern. In the even gears (down, toward the rear on the MINI), one would tend think this would be less of an issue. But, it is here where the distance would increase, a tad.

In the up gears (R, and the odds), common sense will have many feel that these are the onese where you will have to get out of your seat to reach them, or again, move the seat to a less than desirable driving position. Not so. The repositioned/lowered knob is not dropping straight down, perpendicular to the road, but along the axis of the stick. Thus, further back toward the driver. This is especially more true for the gears nearer the driver, and less for 5th, the furtherst out.

This compensates quite nicely with the arch of the arm/hand. That is, as the extended arm goes downward to grab the lowered knob, it will come inward very much inline with the stick inward path. You can try some visualizaions at your place of work, or even better in your MINI...

I am convinced that shortening the stick will not be problematic, in that regard.

When I was metioning the tap/die possibility, maybe it sounded like I wanted to thread the stick itself and screw the knob on. That was not what I meant. I think someone earlier said that it is a pull-off knob. Maybe that was you obehave, I forgot...

I was simply saying that I was pondering drilling 3 very small holes in the base of the knob - toward the interior where the stick slides up into it. Then I would thread those small holes, and with some corrsponding Allen set screws, lock it down, with adhesive on the stick as well...

If that is what you understood, and still feel to be an issue, then I guess I need to look more at the knob

And I do know what Drakken is referring to with the the plastic sleeves. It sounds very familiar. I think when I bought aftermarket knobs before, I think for my FJ-40 or dune buggy, heck maybe both, I remember there being these choices of plastic "parts" that one could use for the particular auto. There were several, and of different sizes...

So (Drakken), what made you choose to do 2.5"? And did you Dremmel or hacksaw it of - both? I can't tell...

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Old Apr 10th, 2003, 02:34 AM   #9 (permalink)
Drakken
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Quote:
Originally posted by TonyB


And I do know what Drakken is referring to with the the plastic sleeves. It sounds very familiar. I think when I bought aftermarket knobs before, I think for my FJ-40 or dune buggy, heck maybe both, I remember there being these choices of plastic "parts" that one could use for the particular auto. There were several, and of different sizes...

So (Drakken), what made you choose to do 2.5"? And did you Dremmel or hacksaw it of - both? I can't tell...


The plastic piece I'm refering to is the stock part. The Momo and other aftermarket knobs have adapters to fit different size shafts.

Actually I kinda guessed where I wanted the knob to be and marked it (turned out to be about 2.5"). Then I used the Dremel to cut it. I used an old sheet to catch the shavings and keep the interior clean.
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Old Apr 10th, 2003, 06:41 AM   #10 (permalink)
TonyB
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Thanks! I see we have another aquarist here

Looks like I see a Compressicep (Lake Tanganyika)... If memory serves me correctly...

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Old Apr 10th, 2003, 07:31 AM   #11 (permalink)
Drakken
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Quote:
Originally posted by TonyB
Thanks! I see we have another aquarist here

Looks like I see a Compressicep (Lake Tanganyika)... If memory serves me correctly...

You saw that,huh? Yes, 1 is a Alto. Compressicep Sumbu and the other is a White Calvus. I also have some N. Multies, Petricolas and yellow labs in there too.
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Old Apr 10th, 2003, 07:38 AM   #12 (permalink)
TonyB
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I was a "Cichlid Specialist" as my first job, in high school. First South American, then African (Malawi, then Tang). Now have a 135 that I'm about to re-stock. How's this for off-topic?!?! Sorry MINI buddies

I will let you know how my short shift work goes this weekend... Thanks again. You can PM me if you like, so we don't bog this thread down with unrelated material...

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Old Apr 10th, 2003, 08:28 AM   #13 (permalink)
macncheese
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I had a Tanganyika tank too! 5 Frontosas, and a compressiceps. There were a few attempts at Tropheus Moori but i just couldnt keep them alive Those were my babies! I raised them all from F1s but I had to give em away when I moved


--
Cheese
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Old Apr 10th, 2003, 10:19 AM   #14 (permalink)
TonyB
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Frotosa's get quite large, but grow slow, so I'm assuming you had them with haplachromis compressiceps, maybe not though. I recall the Trophs to be somewhat delicate, so don't feel bad. I just got a PM from Drakken on the subject, so we should probably take it offline. Some folks on this thread are getting emails to check it out, and they get to read about damn fish... no good Feel free to PM me!

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Old Apr 10th, 2003, 10:37 AM   #15 (permalink)
flyboy2160
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reusing stock knob on cut off shifter

i don't think the molded plastic piece will come off the shaft. i tried. there isn't any apparent bondline in the cut off 'upper' piece i have; it looks like it's molded right on the shaft.

if you want to use the stock knob on a cut off shifter, i think it could be done, but there's some work involved.

an easy job is filing a notch in the end of the shaft to match the tang that's at the top of the shift ball (this keeps the knob from rotating.)

but then you'll either have to reduce the diameter of the 'lower' plastic area that's left on the shaft from .632" to the diameter of what the 'upper' used to be, .550", OR ream out the plastic molding in the knob to fit the lower plastic diameter (the much easier way.)

finally, filing a groove to accept the snap tabs in the knob would also be easy.

i may do this in the future, but i just wanted to get the short shifting with as little work as possible and didn't care about the aesthetics.

an easy way to see if you can reach a shorter shifter is to just try using the stock shifter while holding the shaft below the stock knob. i did this for many drives before cutting mine down.
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Old Apr 10th, 2003, 10:49 AM   #16 (permalink)
TonyB
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Ok, back on topic!!! Those damn fish guys

Yes, while I was going to use a hacksaw for the cut, I was going to use a Dremel to make that notch to receive that plastic peice that would keep it from rotating...

The reaming does seem like the easier option. Maybe that plastic outer diameter can be cut-down, with a carpenter's knife? I haven't really inspected that much, but isn't just a hard plastic-like coating over the metal shaft?

For some reason, I don't quite know what you are referring to here: filing a groove to accept the snap tabs in the knob would also be easy. But it is easy though

I just don't want to be driving to work on Mon morn grappling with a .632 rod for my shifts

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Old Apr 10th, 2003, 11:04 AM   #17 (permalink)
Garfield
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Hasn't anyone seen the MINI Mania short shift kit? It's cheap AND easy to install.

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Old Apr 10th, 2003, 11:24 AM   #18 (permalink)
Drakken
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Quote:
Originally posted by Garfield
Hasn't anyone seen the MINI Mania short shift kit? It's cheap AND easy to install.

Well, it's still $90 more than I paid!

If you read my original post it's more the height of the shifter I wanted to improve. If I got a short shift kit I'd still cut the shitfer down.

Regarding using the original knob:

I would think getting the orginal plasic adapter piece would be easiest. I'll be going to the MINI dealer next week so I'll ask the parts people if I can get that piece.

Cheers!
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Old Apr 10th, 2003, 11:28 AM   #19 (permalink)
TonyB
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That was the first short shift kit I saw. Heck, I guess I'm really bummed that I didn't get it and do that install when I put on the QS exhaust system...

Plus, I just have the ramps and I'm guessing I will need a little more elevation, correct?

How long did the whole process take you?

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Old Apr 10th, 2003, 12:33 PM   #20 (permalink)
TonyB
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I see that MINI-Madness also has one, as well as MINI Mania, each about the same price, but quite different...

Here they are:

http://www.mini-madness.com/item.jht...1&PRID=1342456

http://new.minimania.com/NewMiniSear...s&ShowIcons=No

While both seem to reduce the throw about 20%, they are quite different in appearance. I can't visualize how the Mania one works though. Any input would be greatly appreciated...

I might also still want to shorten the stick though. Any idea on how much the procedure in this thread reduces the throw? It would seem a little hard to measure that accurately...

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