Any experience with the Stillen short throw shifter? Does it put the fun back into 5spd driving? Is it good for day-to-day driving? Does it get rid of that "sticky/notchy" feel?

 

I'll let you know shortly. I should be getting mine installed sometime next week.

 

anything you can do to make the shifting better (stock sucks) is money well spent. I got a Stillen shifter and It is 10 times better than the factory one.

 

How much does the Stillen short shifter run......I can't stand the stock shifter its like driving a bus and the only other option is to cut it down

 

Phuong sells them for $222.00. Send him an e-mail at gr_racing@yahoo.com.

You can buy cheaper shifters. You can even buy shifters that provide an adjustable throw. (The Stillen shifter has a fixed throw. It gives you about a 25% reduction.) But you can't buy a shifter that's better built than the Stillen.

 

I have the short shifter on my Max. Love it. Easy to install and fun.

 

what's up with having to dent the catalytic converter heat shield? i've seen previous threads about having to do this, but couldn't really gather why. i think that most of those were 4th gen's though. is this a prob with 5th gen's?

 

I doubt it as the heat shield is on the underside of the converter on 5th Gens, not on the top.

 

so the heatshield has to be dented...big deal!!!

 

i guess i expect them to manufacture a piece that wouldn't require such "sophisticated" modifications to make it fit.

 

what's the cheapest short throw shifter you can buy, aside from making one from the factory shifter?

 

Do you have to change the boot and **** or can u reuse the originals? I'd hate to lose my ****.

 

you can change either.

 

what about re-using the originals. Is that possible?

 

According to Stillen, you can use the originals. I'll know for sure later this week.

 

Who sells the SMC/PaceSetter shifter for the 2k+ Max? I really hate to subsidize Stealin's ridiculous prices even though they are nice pieces.

Dave

 

Have u put them in yet? Can u do it urself?

 

Can you take pictures of your install so that the mechanically challenged (me) can do it too - at least if it proves to be worth while.

Thx

G

 

PLEEEEAAAAASE do!

I would like to know how to install one with pics if possible. I know taking pics and doing a write-up is a pain in the a$$, but I would definitely base my next purchase on how yours turns out. Thanks.

 

I installed my Stillen Short Throw Shifter today. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Highly recommended.

Here are my initial impressions.

Stillen says that the STS will reduce the throw about 25%. I'd say the throw is reduced about 50%. (My mechanic says my car shifts like a go-cart now! )

The shifts are much more positive and require a little more muscle to negotiate.

The notchy feeling is still there. Some people consider that a plus and some consider it a minus. It really doesn't bother me, particularly as I no longer have to plow a field between each shift.

There's a rubber stopper on the stock shift arm that slides down the arm and rests on a detent. The rubber stopper supports the shift boot. The Stillen shifter doesn't contain the detent, so the stopper just drops all the way to the bottom of the shift arm. Stillen supplies a small O-ring that you can slide down the shaft and use to support the shift boot, but it's not nearly as robust as the stopper. The workaround is to run a zip tie around the the stopper and snug it down to the shift arm. That seems to work just fine . . . at least so far.

The stock shift **** will screw directly onto the STS. Unfortunately, the **** is locked down onto the stock shift arm so tightly that it's nearly impossible to remove it without damaging or destroying it. If you damage your stock shift **** getting it off and you want another one, Dave Burnette at Southpoint Nissan sells them for about $50.00. Otherwise, you can purchase an aftermarket shift ****.

The STS does NOT come in contact with the catalytic converter upper heat shield, so you don't have to worry about pounding out the heat shield to make the STS fit properly.

Hope that helps.

 

Excellent info! I'm thinkin of doin the same upgrade. Sounds like you need to find some sort of O-ring with a set screw on the side. I'm going to look into it. If u have the diameter of the stem that would help and I'll let u know about the O-ring. I hope u took pics, many of us are eager to see what its like to install one. Enjoy!!!

 

you mentioned your mechanic, did he/she do the install or did you do it yourself? about how long did it take from start to finsih? easy/novice/expert?

 

You don't need a separate O-ring to support the shift boot, HaulinMax@$$. You can use the one Stillen provides.

My mechanic performed the install, Adam01GXE. He charged me $120.00 for labor. Unfortunately I wasn't around to take pics. But the install didn't appear to be any big deal. I'd say it took him about 1 hour trying to get the stock shift **** off without damaging it and another 1-1/2 hours to do the actual installation. The advantage my mechanic had was that he could raise my car up on a lift instead of on jack stands.

 

I have had the Stillen Short-Throw Shifter on for several months now, and I like it. It looks good, and you can use the stock boot and **** --no problem. When you install it, ensure you lube the end that attaches to the linkage with some white grease to keep it from squeaking when you shift.

I like the way it shifts. It's much quicker than stock, and I don't miss a shift very often. I've never missed a shift when I'm racing. So far, so good!

Mine doesn't contact the heat shield. An adjustable-length shifter can contact the heat shield if it is adjusted down too far. It is probably better to adjust it up a little, rather than beat the crap out of the car to make a badly adjusted shifter fit.