I'm about to do a swap and I bought this brand new off someone who decided not to use it. We (my friends and I) just did the swap on my frineds max about 2 weeks ago and after driving his car I like how the stock shifter feels. Just wanted to know the comparision of this shifter to stock besides the fact that I will be able to get in and out of gears quicker. I'm a beginning 5 speed driver and still have a little learning to do so I just need to know if I should wait on this. Please answer the follwoing questions if you can.

Is it hard to find the gears?
How does this compare to the B&M and Stillen?
Will it be as smooth to change gears as with the stock shifter?
Should I basically just hold off on installing this?

Thanks.
Mike

 

You do nto really need to hold off......i mean it makes it alittle tougher but it was alittle differant for me when i went to the CM STS from my stock. Just slap it in there and get use to it.

Compared to the b&M the CM STS is more knotchy. It takes some getting use to. It makes it alittle harder to shift if you are just doing it easily but if you are trying to haul and are ripping on the gears, it is much easier. I love mine....I can shift fast as ****, and the knotchyness does not bother me anymore.

 

if you still learnin I'd hold off a couple weeks untill your used to shiftin in to the right gears at the right time.

personally 3rd is the hardest for me, I've let the clutch out before the shifter was in gear on that one a couple times.

Any STS will be harder to shift than stock, but the shifts are faster and more direct, so there's no room for error.

give yourself some time to get shifting down pat so your not messin up your syncos

 

I heard that the CE STS can break the trim on the 3-4 shift. I decided to spend the extra $30 and get the B&M.

 

I can't compare the CE STS to any other brand but I do know that my shifts are much more crisp, I can find the gears easier because its less sloppy and I'm actually less lazy with the clutch as I know when the shifter engages the gear much more definitively than stock. I have mine set pretty low, probably about 3/4 the way down the threads so its a very tough shift. I'm accustomed to it now and wouldn't prefer it any other way.

Its completely up to you whether or not you want to wait. Its not that much of a difference that as a beginner you'll have too many problems. Its definitely not as smooth as the stock shifter as each gear is a defined knotch.

 

I got everyone. I did want the B&M to begin with but I got this brand new with a bunch of 5 speed parts I bought. Also, I did not know that it was adjustable. Would it make a difference if I had it adjusted to the highest point? I think I will try that and see how it works. Don't get me wrong, I can drive 5 speed 75%. I can find the gears and I know how to work the clutch pretty good. I just want to get it 110% if you know what I mean. I will also have this paired up with an Exedy Stage 1 clutch and a fidanza flywheel. i heard the Exedy is not as harsh as ACT and Spec clutches. My friend has a Clutchmaster Stage 1 that I fell in love with when I drove his car. Hopefully the Exedy is not that harsh. Anyone care to comment on this as well. Thanks for all your opinions guys. Keep them comong.

 

I did a little review on it not too long ago,
http://www.vqpower.com/v2/modules.ph...article&sid=86

 

although you have already gotten this one i would probably upgrade to the b&m. this one feels nice and all but yes it rubs the trim in first third and fifth especially the shorter the shifter is adjusted. it's annoying as **** really. i dont like slamming a piece of metal into my trim evertime i shift hard.

 

I saw it. Good review. Since you did the review does it do all those things that Vqmax says it does? Like I said, I am going to keep it adjusted as high as possible. I wasn't really looking for a STS but since I got it with all the other parts I took it. And I noticed what you said about banging in the CAT a little so that it won't hit. As long as i don't run into these problems with it adjusted at the highest level, i will use it. Let me know.

Mike

 

if your smart you just cut your stock stick. i didnt do it to mine i bought it like that, its probably shorter than anyone with an aftermarket short through. when you drive it now though, dont drive crazy for awhile, especially when your going to third, you have to under "exaggerate" the gate distance

 

if you cut your stock stick it does not make much of a differance in throw at all.....unless you cut it to a stupid level. I do not hit the trim with my CM STS...it does come awful close though.

 

no mine doesnt, its good, if i can ill get pictures tonight and pm them to you or something

 

the good thing about how mine is is that i dont have to worry with linkage probs. cus its the stock one

 

I have a '99 and it DOES hit my trim. 3rd gear = cracked trim. It might not do that with you being gentle with it because it does come very close to the trim with normal shifting. But the metal its made out of bends and during track or heavy use say goodbye trim. For me, even at normal use it was hitting my trim.

Like i said i have a '99 and dont know about other peoples. I havent noticed the year models of people that have had the same problem. Good thing that piece is cheap to replace. (whenever i get around to it..)

btw: I have mine set at almost all the way up. i had it set at the lowest setting when i did the instal and redid it after i felt it because it was waaaay to knotchy.

 

Interesting. I may need to get rid of this. I don't have a stock shifter though. Any of you guys willing to sell your stock shifter? Let me know. I can't afford o crack my trim seeing thats its from an I30. It cost $140 brand new and the Infinity dealer doesn't even sell it anymore. Please let me know if anyone wants to sell there shifter. Thanks. Mike.

 

So do you think that it won't hit if I set it all the way to the top? I ahve no problem doing that. Let me know. Thanks.

Mike

 

I have a $27 SRE steel shifter and it makes me laugh when someone spends the money on a b&m. I don't see a point in it. The SRE sits maybe 2 inches lower than stock, doesn't hit any trim pieces, it's very easy to shift after getting used to it. There is no single drawback to the shifter.

 

used to have a CE short shifter, but sold that and now reverted back to a cut stock shifter, even though the throws are longer than the short shifter, its smoother and looks hell of a lot better, the CE short shifter sits forward too much and looks very awkward.

 

I'm just wondering, is there any advantages to having a shorter shift shaft

 

i would have to say at first 3rd gear takes time to get used too. the custom maxima short throw is very notchy. At first it takes time but after its ok. as far as instillation u have to bend the heat shield and give it about an inch clearence or else it will hit it everytime u shift and u will hear somthing like if it was a can slammed on the ground. i still don't have enough clearence and im to lazy to fix it.

 

what exactly is this SRE shifter? it doesn't hit, you say? how much does it reduce the throw?

 

shorter throws...thats about it

 

i like the feel of a shorter shifter...except like i said the feeling of death being dealt to my trim.

 

It's a short shifter, what else can a short shifter be? It doesn't make toast if that's what you wanted to know. It sits where the stock shifter sits. I like it cause 3rd and 5th are almost straight up, no side motion is needed at all. Throw is reduced ~50%.

 

Looks like I will be getting rid of this shifter. Like I said, if anyone has a stock shifter I will buy it. Let me know. Thanks. Mike.

 

wow, thanks. i guess i wasn't clear. but i was wondering if SRE shifter is a certain shifter like people refer to Custom Enterprise as CE. or B&M. i just thought it was a different brand. where did you get a $27 STS that doesn't hit the dash?

 

Hey, I noticed mforrest asked about the Stillen STS which I've also considered. Any comments on how that compares? Anyone have one?

 

Any chance can you get those pictures up? Thanks.

Mike

 

yeah maybe, only thing is that im not really sure how since im new here or w/e, and if anyone wanted advantages, if you can get used to it and shift good you can easily shift almost instantaneously. my friend has the 96 stock shifter, and i have the gimpy short throw, and mine is just a tad quicker, hes really good at stick, and he can shift really fast, but i can shift in less than half the time.

 

Just go on ebay and type in maxima shifter or maxima sre. It doesn't come with a bolt and the stock one won't fit so you'll have to spend another $.34 for that.

 

Does anyone have a stock shifter? Please let me know ASAP. Thanks.

Also, does anyone have or heard anything about the Fidanza short throw shifter???