RennShift Shifter Installation

[lightbulb8817]

I just received the RennShift shifter. It came with a nice user manual, but the user manual didn't get into details about the new coupler I also purchased. So far, I'm very impressed with the build quality. From reading other threads, the shift coupler is tricky to get right.

What tips/advice to you have for me before I get too far along? Do I want to adjsut the spring gates or leave it as it came? Should I install the automatic or the manual reverse lock out? I've removed the factory shifter so far, but left the shift coupler in.

This is for a 1975 911 s. See attached pictures.

thanks for the help!

What do I want to mark on the shift coupler before I remove it?


Here is the culprit to my shifting problems:


Nice new shift coupler, pricey. Hopefully it's worth it.




Baggy full of hardware. Still trying to figure out where it all goes. It came with couple long zip ties. What are the zip ties for?

[vick]

I'm deliberating between this and the Wevo kit - how did you decide?

[acme911]

Hi, I put one in 2 months ago. But, my original shifter set up was in great working order.
I would suggest that you don't change any settings on the Rennshifter until after you have sorted out the coupler and installed the shifter. i think this would give you a good base to start with.

I left mine as it came from Jwest and have been really satisfied with the feel of it. Very solid.

[lightbulb8817]

Originally Posted by vick

I'm deliberating between this and the Wevo kit - how did you decide?

Cost and lots of good reviews. I read somewhere the Wevo kit basically re-uses some of your factory pieces shifter parts. I like the idea of going with a brand new unit more at a lower cost.

[lightbulb8817]

Originally Posted by acme911

Hi, I put one in 2 months ago. But, my original shifter set up was in great working order.
I would suggest that you don't change any settings on the Rennshifter until after you have sorted out the coupler and installed the shifter. i think this would give you a good base to start with.

I left mine as it came from Jwest and have been really satisfied with the feel of it. Very solid.

Good advice. It looks great too

[lightbulb8817]

Found a great video on installing the new shift coupler:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZIvrS-pZQw&feature=youtu.be

[vick]

Originally Posted by lightbulb8817

Cost and lots of good reviews. I read somewhere the Wevo kit basically re-uses some of your factory pieces shifter parts. I like the idea of going with a brand new unit more at a lower cost.

Thanks, I'll be watching your install and look forward to your initial impressions

[Reiver]

I'd suggest installing the coupler first and getting that sorted/shifting properly and then put the shifter in place.
There are some adjustments to be made on the shifter (for/aft throw detents) and you don't need two competing items out of adjustment.

[lightbulb8817]

After watching the video, I've already gone too far. I disconnected the shift rod from the existing shift coupler without marking it.

The shift alignment was already off to begin with. Trying to get into reverse actually put me in a forward gear (probably 4th gear), so it's not a total upset that I didn't mark and save that alignment... however, it would have been a good starting point to tweak from.

I'll mess with it tonight and report back after I make some progress. i like the idea of installing the coupler first with the old shifter. we'll see what works.

[Reiver]

I had a good rebuilt coupler in place, and solid bushings everywhere, when I dropped my Rennshift in. I never had to touch my coupler at all (you shouldn't either if it is already properly aligned).
The only thing I had to adjust was the for/aft detents....you can go/shift too deeply into gear where it will take too much of a pull to exit a gear or want to lock in place...that's what the detents keep from happening. It took a bit of messing but is easy to adjust.
The spring load adjusting is really a nice feature and the throw is short...I'd go with the longest throw available (the way it was sent to you)...any shorter would be awkward I think and be hard to tell if you were/were not in gear.
It is also a good looking unit. 'Looks the business' as our Brit friends would say.

[Zaz]

Originally Posted by lightbulb8817

Found a great video on installing the new shift coupler:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZIvrS-pZQw&feature=youtu.be

I've found this video helpful for adjusting the coupler:

http://youtu.be/b3nPONBAaZM

Our host also has a related technical article here on the site

[lightbulb8817]

I finished my install.

few things:

Getting the new shift rod bushing in was harder than I thought. It was a tight fit and I had to pry it in with a screw driver as a last resort and thought I was going to break it.

It's all back together now and it does feel a lot more precise all around. I still need to adjust the coupler to make it even better. It goes into reverse now.

Here is another good description on realigning the coupler from the manufacturer's website:

"A note about “adjustment.” The RennShift does not have any adjustments for the shift pattern - it uses the same shifter-to-transmission alignment needed with any 901 or 915. Fortunately, the RennShift’s self-aligning spring gates allow a much easier time of creating the alignment position than the factory shifter. Tight bushings and coupler are essential for a quality alignment. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To access the rear coupler for adjustment, remove the cover plate on the tunnel just in front of the rear seats. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To perform alignment at the coupler, make sure 3rd gear (915) or 2nd gear (901) is still selected. Under the rear cover plate, you will find the shift coupler attached to the transmission and the shift rod. Loosen the nut and bolt that clamp the rear of the shift rod onto the splines of the coupler. These are not really splines, but axial (sometimes radial for replacement couplers) knurls to afford clamping grip. With the clamp slightly loosened, the shifter can be moved without changing the position of the coupler (and therefore the transmission). Note: this alignment is quite a bit easier with our shift coupler clamp that features a single clamp bolt rather than the factory nut and bolt combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bolt the shifter down, noting that the shifter springs self-align to the transmission with the coupler loose. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now the shifter can move fore and aft along the center plane while sliding the shift rod in and out of the coupler. Position the knob (or knob location if it is not yet installed on the shifter) in the approximate position of 3rd gear (915) or 2nd gear (901) – about 2-1/2 inches forward of center (this distance is not exact and will vary depending on shift throw and stick length). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tighten the shift coupler clamp and shift rearward into neutral. If the side-to-side alignment (radial in shift rod terms) has been maintained, the shift lever will enter neutral and back into 3rd gear (915) or 2nd gear (901) with no change in lateral position of the knob. That is, the spring gates in the shifter are aligned with the shift gates in the transmission for the center gears. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In neutral, the upper portion of the shifter stick inside the housing (where the reverse lockout makes contact) should stand straight up when viewed from the side. If not, engage the forward gear again, and repeat the alignment at the coupler until the fore-aft position is correct (straight up in neutral). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After checking that all gears can be selected, again check that the center plane gears can be selected from neutral with no lateral motion of the stick. This is the key to the shifter alignment. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: Do not attempt to perform an alignment by holding the shifter all the way to one side or the other. There is nothing in the shifter that relates the limits of the side travel to the transmission.
"

[toddu]

Originally Posted by lightbulb8817

Cost and lots of good reviews. I read somewhere the Wevo kit basically re-uses some of your factory pieces shifter parts. I like the idea of going with a brand new unit more at a lower cost.

The WEVO reuses the shift housing. Everything else gets replaced. I'm in the process of installing. Waiting on powder coater now.

Todd

[lightbulb8817]

Got my coupler aligned much better now. The directions from the manufacturer worked much better than the youtube video (put it into 3rd, then release coupler and retighten). It doesn't grind into 4th now. Doing it this way basically lines up the shifter to be exactly between the 3rd and 4th gear position, rather than the convoluted "push it left all the way and turn it clockwise" method from the youtube video.

It's like night and day how it compares to the factory shifter. I'm sure lots of it had to do with the worn shift rod bushing, but the springyness of the new shifter definitely makes it much more precise. The springys basically reset the shifter to the exact same neutral position every time you are in neutral, allowing you to know exactly where to push the shifter to get into the gear you want. Before it was much more of a guess than a precise movement... hopefully that makes sense.

I installed my stops to prevent excessive movement in the push/pull plane. I have two more set screws that I believe are stops to limit the left/right plane. I don't see holes on the shifter for this. Can someone chime in on this? Do I need to take the shifter out again to find where those left/right stops go?

[Geronimo]

Just got mine in the mail, the instructions might be the worst I have ever seen. A shifter and a bag full of hardware.... Good luck! lol

Honestly at the price point would proper instructions really be a big stretch.... heck I'd do the illustrations for them for FREE.