Short Shifter - how do you live without one?

[nova_rally]

Right I've been driving my nova for 2 weeks now and the really horible gear change is starting to annoy me. How do I fit one of these short shifter thingies? does it mean having the car up on ramps so I can get underneath? oh and waht is that random thing on the steering column that keeps hitting me in the foot if I try and change gear when turning the steering?

Alan

[Dicko]

short shift involves removing the gear linkage so yes up on ramps.

the thing touching your foot is not related to the gear change, only to moving the steering wheel. you are sitting with your feet too high up the pedals!!

[Ste_Nova]

you don't need one.... just learn to change faster, i've dented the bulkhead on my 1.4 due to slaming the clutch down to hard :lol:

[nova_rally]

Hmmm, ramps... Think That will have to wait a while then! I can change gear pretty quick but I hate the overly long travel on the gear stick - and the few thousand turns lock to lock steering but thats another matter!

how much are short shifters anyway?

That must have been one hell of a gearchange Ste!

[Jack]

i ended up with a shorter gear change by cutting my gear stick in half :o

...couldn't get the damn original gear knob off so out with the hacksaw :lol:

[m.d.]

i never had to get the car on ramps to fit my quick shift. you can just get to it by reaching into the area on top of the gearbox. try not to braek the plastic ball joint clips when you are removing the linkage as you will have no gears at all if u do. and vauxhall dont sell them seperately.

[2litreturbo]

vaux do sell them seperately. I have the part number at home if anyone is interested.

[CP]

Short shifters can be done 3 ways:
1. Cut gear lever down by 25mm
2. fit or home mod the bottom part of the linkage that sits behind the gear box and engine.
3. Buy a griffiths kit

Cutting down the lever is the easiest way and works well.

Doing a home mod is fiddly and short shift kits which are just the bottom part of the linkage are not very good and in many cases just dont fit at all.

Griffiths kits are ok but have got more expensive and many of us have found that they either break or the rose joints wear badly.

Having messed about a lot with different sorts I would shorten the lever and get brass bushes made up to fit the linkage hinge where it is attched to the rear engine mount bracket. These bushes remove the slop and make gear changes more positive

[Mark]

Griffiths kits are ok but have got more expensive and many of us have found that they either break or the rose joints wear badly.


Yeah! - The one on the rally car has split AGAIN!

[nova_rally]

I was looking at Quickshift's ones? are they any good? I know of a local cars with them on, and I know one of them takes some serious punishment with no probles. Pacesetter are supposed to be good - but I havent been able to find them in the UK.

Mines mainly staying on tarmac mostly so it shouldnt be taking too much of a battering underneath!

I don't want to cut down the lever coz I find the short lever uncomfortable, the parents' Primera is short and I can never find it when I want to change gear! (got in it once and found the handbrake instead :oops: !)

[XZiBiT]

i love my short shift linkage with my group n clutch gear changes faster than johnny herbert!! :lol: