hey guys,
i got a ebay STS that is sky high. I was wondering if i could just take a hack saw to it and cut off 2.5 inchs? Then just rethread it since i have a die? This isnt going to cause a problem being so low is it?

 

It will be notchier, but shouldnt cause a problem. I hacked mine close to a year ago and have had no real issues other then it being notchy. Synthetic gear oil helped that out though.

 

How is the reach on the hacked shifter? I have short arms and am afraid to even try an STS...

 

Not too bad, it is shorter so you do have to reach a little.
Im an average height, 5'10 and its no big deal. If I was taller it could be a problem.

 

well im 6'2 and i have no problem reaching it. Notchy is a problem but i plan on ordered Redline MT 90 here soon. Flavor, how much did you hack off yours?

 

I am 5'5" w/ short arms...

 

I didnt measure, I just cut a little at a time,and felt it out. Once I had the height I wanted I put it all back together.
I used a dremel to cut it down.

 

My friend cut his shifter on his VW, he used that tool plumers use to cut pipes . He said it was easier and a much cleaner cut.

 

i cut minewhile still in the car..no prblems.....i am short and i do not have a problem at all. the only thing is i cannot rest my elbow on the console and shift now.

 

how much did you guys cut off your STS? I dont want it to be a stub but i want to get rid of this tree in my console.

 

lol. Did some of you just hack some off the stock shifter? Would it be reasonable to do it to the stock one?

 

what did you cut urs with?

 

I cut nearly 3" off my stock shifter with a hack saw. it was kinda messy but it worked out just fine.

 

When you cut the stock shifter all your doing is shortening its height, it doesnt reduce the throw between gears like the STS does. So basicly, its just a cosmetic mod. But you shouldnt have an issue.
Ive heard some say that going too low could put strees on the synchros and cause premature failure.

 

it does make the throws alittle shorter. I mean no where near to whata short shifter does but it does make them alittel shorter. if the stick is no as long you do not have to push it as far to get into the gears.

 

i cut mine whith justa hack saw, and left it in the car, i put down a sheet so all the shavings and metal doe snot go everywhere. Then i dremeled down the knubs on the shifter so my new **** fits over it.

i stilll have stock shifter.

 

I cut mine with a hack saw before i got the Sillen. It was fine.

 

No it does not. The height is not what makes the throw shorter. Its the pivot point of the ball on the bottom of the shifter.

 

It does a little actually. You're reducing the length of the lever, therefore the throw is shorter. Imagine it 2' long what the throw would be, then reduce it to 6" in comparison.

 

No it doesnt. Compare a sts and an oem side by side, they are both the same legnth but the sts actual pivot area is shorter.
By cutting the oem shifter shortens the height but not its pivot area. It may feel like its a shorter throw but its not. If you compare a sts when its in gear to an oem unit you can see the difference in play from gear to gear.
When going from gear to gear with the STS you just barley bump it and its in gear.
Even when looking at the shifters positon when its in 2nd or even third it looks as if the shifter is in nuetral. Theres very little traverl in between gears.
Thats due to the lowered pivot are, not its height.
If height was the factor here, that would mean people with a hacked sts have even a shorter throw then a non hacked sts.
So that would mean hacked sts are actually super short throw shifters?
SSTS

 

well the actual movement of the pivot ball and the lower half of the shifter that we dont see hasnt changed. by cuting the stalk we reduce how much the shift **** has to be moved to change gears but then we have to move it harderd the lower u cut it. so the row of the shift **** is reduced but the throw of the pivot ball is kept the same.

 

Your argument defies logic.



If you reduce the shifter height, your in turn reduce the amount of throw. It's simple.

I understand what you're saying and you are correct too. The STS does reduce throw by altering the pivot point but by reducing the shifter height you are doing the same thing.

 

When your comparing those two lines as shifters, their exaclty alike, only difference is the height.
Thats not the case with shifters. Their not straight up down They have bends in them, the sts bend is at a different point then OEM to change the leverage.
Also, the distance from the ball to the point where it connects to the linkage is not the same. The STS sits much lower, this is why it hits the heatsheild if the heatsheild is not bent to accept the lowered sts.

 

That's all you got?


j/k

 

hey guys,
today i decided to hack her! i cut off a good 3.5 inchs becuase i had to cut low or the shift **** wouldnt fit over a ring on the shifter. Id say it made it shorter but that might just be imagation. It is considerable 'notchier" so im gonna order some MT 90. I was going to buy some soon anyways. Its going to take a while getting used to it but i love the way it looks. Doesnt make it look so luxuarious, looks more sporty. Ill post some pics as soon as i can take some. Tonight a BOLDER haha j/k large rock decided to jump out of its dumpster home and come into my windsheild. Made a great size spider crack right dead center in the windsheild. Made to claim to insurance, just waitin for them to call so i can get a new windsheild. keep posted pics will be soon!

 

You actually reported a crack in the windshield to your insurance? I think you're the first person I've ever heard admit that. A new windshield is around $200 installed. Your deductible is what, $250-$500? On top of that your premium will increase.

 

not according to my insurance.. ?? I get a free windsheild every year. Windshield and glass is freee replacements not question asked. I have allstate. No1 else has this?

 

IT's like that in FL (windshield)

As for the chopped shifter, it does shorten it...even if it's curved. If you have a pic of a stock shifter, I'll show you how it works. But the drawing that's up here is exactly what cutting a shifter does. Just remember that when you do this, you have less leverage to shift into gears and it will be notchier. I've done this in my Prelude and it caused it to be notchier...