i have a 91 5 spd. can i just cut the shift lever shorter and it have about the same affect as a short shifter without harming anything?

 

first i hear you should bake the shifter and slide the ball closer to the bend, which will actually have a shortening effect.

 

Yep, I've seen that discussed several times but bought a 4th gen B&M. Works fine. If you purchase, don't buy the POS Pacesetter.

 

I did both...cut the shifter down about an inch and moved the ball another inch. It's actually still pretty long, and could be cut an additional 2 inches in my opinion. It's longer than most other modern car's shifters even shortened as much as I have. Shifts like a dream though....lightning quick.

 

I moved the ball on mine. I was going to cut it too, but the stock length lines up perfectly with the arm rest...

 

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....+throw+shifter

lol im in this thread...

 

any idea how long you have to bake it for? anyone? ive had mine in for 30 min on 215 and that thing wont budge

 

maybe you baked it too long. let it cool down some and try it as it cools down. you want just the ball to get bigger, not the metal too, otherwise you still won't be able to move it.

 

I haven't laughed that hard all day.

 

well um, i don't have a shifter (yet) to bake so for future reference, do you know the proper way to do it? helping this guy will help me in the future.

 

well cape i figured it out. set your oven at 180 and let it preheat, set ur shifter in there for 10-15 minutes, but b4 u take it out be ready to run it outside and have a pair of pliers and a hammer ready, and wear gloves. after the 15 minutes take it out set the threaded end or what should be threaded and point it down and rest it on the ground, then get the pliers and put them right behind the ball and tap the pliers with the hammer, this will bust it free from the divits in the metal. then after this you can move it with just your hands and gloves.

 

i bought a pacesetter shifter in teh past.....it did good for shortening, but my throw is so tight now, it's not even funny......i have to fight for third gear 10- 20% of the time with it now. it seems like something about it messes with the synchronizer function (?)

just my feedback on pacesetter.

 

I have the same issue with my pacesetter shifter,3rd gear grinds on nearly every shift.

 

thats whats great about a stock one. if you dont like it u can move it. if u go a half inch its not to tight to where the syncros dont seem to work. im not sure about the pace setter but if u can move the ball down id suggest it

 

the ball DOWN the rod? or the SHIFTER down through the ball, meaning the ball UP the rod?

 

make less bar at the bottom of the ball, so slide the ball down

 

The pacesetter is adjustable without having to bake it in the oven. I have mine set at it's highest point without hitting the cat converter heat shield.(most likely the reason for my shifting into 3rd issue).


You need to be moving the ball UP the shifter shaft for the "short shifter" effect.The higher the fulcrum point,the shorter your throw will be.


Post #13 http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=327015

 

lol i think mine is adjusted "BALL UP" pretty far, now that i think about it wayne. lol, maybe i'll adjust it one day.......like whenever it decides to snap the retainer bolts out of place again will be a good time to do it.

 

i was talking about making your shifting easier, not to get shorter throws.

 

personally I would rather cut mine and rethread, because moving the ball will decrease the angulation of the shifter while in gear, right? because it moves the bottom section more, and the bake method decreases the top-to-bottom much more drastically than cutting the top of the shifter by the same amount. twice as much, actually. I'll just see once I get one, how I like it.

 

I want the shorter throws though, have you driven a 5 speed 3rd gen? Its like an s10s shifter its so long. I almost can hit the radio with my hand, and my elbow sometimes hits the center console, and I have the shorter console.

Thats whats nice about the ball, you can move it a little at a time untill you get it where you want. Kind of a pain to adjust, but you can just put your shift **** no problem. Id rather not screw around with tapping as it could go off center crooked etc. Plus then its reversable and not permanent like chopping it off.

~Alex