Short Shifter adjustment ~ Now THIS is how a shifter should be!!
12-07-2006, 03:05 PM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Short Shifter adjustment ~ Now THIS is how a shifter should be!!
Now that I have the most current Short Shifter available from <a href="http://toyguydesign.com/">Toy Guy Design</a>, I wanted to be sure it was tweeked to perfection.
For those who don't know, there are four stages of Toy Guy Short Shifters...
<b>TG stage 1</b>: shifter at stock **** height. 30% shift throw reduction, rock solid feel. The way Audi should have done it.
<b>TG stage 2</b>: shifter with lowered **** height, with choice of 1/2", 3/4", or 1" **** height lowered, fixed, with shift throw reduction at the max of 41% at 1" lowered. Many folks like the 1" lowered height which borderlines on "notchy" in my opinion. I like 3/4".
<b>TG stage 3</b>: shifter with variable **** height: with choice from stock height to 1" lowered with adjustable aluminum spindle. Lighter weight and user adjustable from stock **** height (30%) to 1" **** lowered (41%). Variable from stock (stage1) to marginally notchy (stage2 minus 1).
<b>TG stage 4</b>: aluminum shaft for myself and extreme guys. Light enough to flick shifts with the finger. Extreme sensitivity, and fast response. Suited for the very experienced folks who like to match up revs during shifting.
I have the Stage 4 which is just incredible!! The throw is so light, that it can almost be flicked into gear. Combined with a Drive Line Stabilizer, snub mount and good motor and tranny mounts, side to side slop is non-existant and the throws are perfect. I use both a RobKnob II as well as a stock alcatara covered **** and each has it's own personality.
What I have found is that alignment is critically important with the short shift. So is ample lubrication on the pivot points and the ball.
So today, at the suggestion of ToyGuy, I dismantled my shifter mechanism to remove some of the front to back slop. Here's the advice I recv'd and it worked like a charm!!
Remove the shift **** and boot. Then using a pair of circlip pliers remove the large circlip at the base of the shift rod, above the pivot ball. This is tricky as the tip of the pliers keep popping off the clip..I found that inserting a screwdriver behind the clip once it was compressed allowed me to reposition the pliers enough to remove the clip.
Then remove the large washer, and the top rubber ring.
Pull up on the shift lever and the ball assembly will come out.
Apply a narrow zip tie to the barrel of the cage that surrounds the pivot ball tight enough that the shift assembly only moves up and down about 1mm. First try I used large 1/4" zip tie but the head of the tie interfered with the rubber grommet... So I daisy chained two 1/8" zip ties together and that worked perfectly!! Not too tight!!
Apply a generous amount of lithium grease in and around the ball mechanism, and work it in well by shifting to and fro...
Put the rubber grommet back after dropping the assembly back in place, then the metal washer and last the circlip.
I also increased the tension on the top spring so the tension when selecting reverse is slightly greater.
This is absolute shifter perfection!! Front to back play is about 1/8" and although the notorious fore/after on-off throttle movement is largley a function of the motor, tranny and DTS, it is dramatically reduced.
For reference... Instructions and schematic compliments of ToyGuy...
<center><img src="http://images20.fotki.com/v364/photos/4/43687/3812220/balljointmod-vi.jpg"></CENTER>
For those who don't know, there are four stages of Toy Guy Short Shifters...
<b>TG stage 1</b>: shifter at stock **** height. 30% shift throw reduction, rock solid feel. The way Audi should have done it.
<b>TG stage 2</b>: shifter with lowered **** height, with choice of 1/2", 3/4", or 1" **** height lowered, fixed, with shift throw reduction at the max of 41% at 1" lowered. Many folks like the 1" lowered height which borderlines on "notchy" in my opinion. I like 3/4".
<b>TG stage 3</b>: shifter with variable **** height: with choice from stock height to 1" lowered with adjustable aluminum spindle. Lighter weight and user adjustable from stock **** height (30%) to 1" **** lowered (41%). Variable from stock (stage1) to marginally notchy (stage2 minus 1).
<b>TG stage 4</b>: aluminum shaft for myself and extreme guys. Light enough to flick shifts with the finger. Extreme sensitivity, and fast response. Suited for the very experienced folks who like to match up revs during shifting.
I have the Stage 4 which is just incredible!! The throw is so light, that it can almost be flicked into gear. Combined with a Drive Line Stabilizer, snub mount and good motor and tranny mounts, side to side slop is non-existant and the throws are perfect. I use both a RobKnob II as well as a stock alcatara covered **** and each has it's own personality.
What I have found is that alignment is critically important with the short shift. So is ample lubrication on the pivot points and the ball.
So today, at the suggestion of ToyGuy, I dismantled my shifter mechanism to remove some of the front to back slop. Here's the advice I recv'd and it worked like a charm!!
Remove the shift **** and boot. Then using a pair of circlip pliers remove the large circlip at the base of the shift rod, above the pivot ball. This is tricky as the tip of the pliers keep popping off the clip..I found that inserting a screwdriver behind the clip once it was compressed allowed me to reposition the pliers enough to remove the clip.
Then remove the large washer, and the top rubber ring.
Pull up on the shift lever and the ball assembly will come out.
Apply a narrow zip tie to the barrel of the cage that surrounds the pivot ball tight enough that the shift assembly only moves up and down about 1mm. First try I used large 1/4" zip tie but the head of the tie interfered with the rubber grommet... So I daisy chained two 1/8" zip ties together and that worked perfectly!! Not too tight!!
Apply a generous amount of lithium grease in and around the ball mechanism, and work it in well by shifting to and fro...
Put the rubber grommet back after dropping the assembly back in place, then the metal washer and last the circlip.
I also increased the tension on the top spring so the tension when selecting reverse is slightly greater.
This is absolute shifter perfection!! Front to back play is about 1/8" and although the notorious fore/after on-off throttle movement is largley a function of the motor, tranny and DTS, it is dramatically reduced.
For reference... Instructions and schematic compliments of ToyGuy...
<center><img src="http://images20.fotki.com/v364/photos/4/43687/3812220/balljointmod-vi.jpg"></CENTER>
12-07-2006, 03:30 PM
#3
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
I could snap a shot..but visually it appears no different than stock- ->
the Variable Height is another animal... That was a great short shift too (had that prior to Stage 4) and I actually did change the height when going from the stock **** to the Rob ****...
12-07-2006, 03:46 PM
#6
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Ah...I would bet ToyGuy can cut it to any height...but here is a pic of mine..
<img src="http://images16.fotki.com/v29/photos/4/43687/4217218/20061031PowderCoating1-vi.jpg">
