Short shift kit

limble · 03-04-2003, 08:56 AM

Again with the short shift kit.

I checked into the Weltmeister kits and found very different prices:
At Performance Products-

Short Shift Kit By Weltmeister
Shortens the lever travel 25% and eliminates most of the free play in the linkage. Our Price: $279.95

"Everyone knows that during a shift youre not accelerating. Shortening your shift travel is a sure way to lower your lap times. Our kit will shorten the lever travel 25% and eliminate most of the free play in the linkage. It replaces the original shift lever, clevis and lower support rod. The lower support rod has spherical rod ends replacing the troublesome plastic sockets that wear out quickly. Short Shift Kit comes complete with instructions and can be installed in about 1 hours with basic tools".

At Pelican-
Short Shift Kits
"Reduce the shifting throw when you add the Weltmeister Short Shift Kit by 35%. Kit bolts on with no cutting, welding or drilling.
Weltmeister Short Shift Kit, 911/912 (1965-72)
SH-SSK-9000 $99.50 (1970-72)"

I'll accept the difference in reduced throw 25 vs 35 percent but the cost is very different $279.95 vs $99.95. Anybody know if this is apples to apples?
I'm looking at putting it on a 70 911 with 901 tranny.

Hey Wayne, if this is a typo send me one before you match Performance' price.

Targa Dude · Targa Dude's Garage

I have a factory short shift kit in my car and the reduction was definately noticable.. My buddy went the cheap route with the Weltmiester and it does shorten the shift pattern BUT! it's baulky as heck.. I would stay with the factory shift kit if I was you.. JMO

Jorge (Targa Dude)

limble · 03-04-2003, 09:17 AM

One more thing to add to the mix.
Tweeks also has what they are calling a short shift kit. From their photos it looks like little more than a shifter with a shorter length. Which would reduce the throw at the knob. How is the reach or postion? Am I reading the photo wrong? Their cost is $69.99.

Hetmann · 03-04-2003, 09:42 AM

I have the Weltmeister in my car. I paid around $90 or so some years back. I installed myself and it was quite easy even with my limited mechanical skills. I will conceed that it is somewhat balky but so was my stock shifter. I am happy with the improvement that I have received. My kit was very simple and I can't see how it could sell in the $299 range so that one must have something else.

TerryBPP · 03-04-2003, 09:51 AM

I think the main difference in the shifter is that the welt. is made of aluminum and the others are made of steel. In my experience the alum. shifter are smoother. I had a B&M Ripper in a MUTSTANG I use to own, it made a huge difference. They make a B&M for early porsches, check it out.

1980SC
1976 911S

RickM · RickM's Garage

Is there any way I can tell if I have a short shift kit installed in my car?

85 911

911pcars · 03-04-2003, 10:30 AM

Unless WM has come out with another version, their "short shift kit" has a steel lever, not aluminum. You can tell if you have one of these by the large aluminum spacer between the shift housing and the tunnel mounting area. To tell if you have a factory short shifter go here.

Hope this helps,
Sherwood Lee
http://members.rennlist.org/911pcars
www.seinesystems.com

Embs · Embs's Garage

Save yourself the time, money and headaches- Go with the factory kit. The complete install is documented in the Pelican Tech Articles with pictures.

rudy sanchez · 03-04-2003, 11:10 AM

and paragon has a wm short shifter at $89

http://www.*****************.com/

Schuey · 03-04-2003, 12:20 PM

go with the factory one, it includes more replacement parts also (that I noticed) where the others only change out a few items...IMO

911pcars · 03-04-2003, 02:25 PM

I recommend the factory short shifter kit as well.

FWIW, the "kit" provides a replacement carrier plate, the rubber rubbing block underneath and a pivot pin. These parts hardly wear out, but are identical to the stock factory pieces.

However, the other parts are unique for the short shift kit.

Sherwood Lee

andyu911 · andyu911's Garage

Don't know about WM's, but the factory one is great. I installed one for my cousin's SC and made a BIG different. Highly recommended! Also, don't forget the cup bushing.

Andy
'87Carrera

limble · 03-04-2003, 03:32 PM

I was told in another post that the factory short shift won't work with the 901 tranny. I would also like to add that both Performance and Pelican kits are Weltmeister. The Tweeks kit doesn't have the make.
The money is burning a hole in my pocket nut I don't know which one to buy?

ohecht · 03-04-2003, 03:59 PM

I just went from something with the aluminum spacer between the housing and the tunnel area to the factory kit, and it does feel better.

I am not sure if that was the WM, I had nothing to compare the shifter and other parts to.

I did try to leave the spacer in with the factory kit to see if I could get an even shorter throw, but it was definitely not working.

Sherwood's spring return kit feels even better with the factory short shift kit

Olivier

speeder · speeder's Garage

limble, You are correct, the factory does not offer a short-shift kit for the 901, only the 915. If I were you, I would leave it stock and just get it in tip-top condition, (linkage adjust, all bushings, etc.), 901s shift pretty well. They are less balky than a 915, and shorter throw will not allow you to shift any faster, (unless you enjoy replacing synchros), it's all a "feel" thing. I have a factory S.S. kit in the box for my '82, (915 trans), not even in a big hurry to install it. I do not consider it a true performance upgrade.

The $280 price from Performance sounds like a typo to me, those crap kits usually sell for ~$100. A good stock 901 rocks, IMO, concentrate on things that actually improve the car. (And that narrows the field of aftermarket parts a lot).

Targa Dude · Targa Dude's Garage

Limble, I just read on another post that WEVO is comming out with a shifter kit for the 901's check their website out. Now that would be the ultimate kit for you.

Jorge (Targa Dude)

bob tilton · bob tilton's Garage

FWIW, i installed a wm short shift in my 68 and quickly removed it after a couple hundred miles. didn't like it at all. i had just had the tranny rebuilt and didn't want to risk any possible damage. i would spend that money on shift coupler unit, ball cup bushing, shift rod bushing and you will notice a huge difference.
bob
68L

tmctguer · tmctguer's Garage

i've installed a factory short shift kit, robotek unit, new bushings (end-to-end) and adjusted my shift coupler while at it.

i can't speak to the weltmeister unit, but i am very pleased with the factory short shift kit. it is very precise and the throw is significantly shorter than the stock 915 shift mechanism.

all the items mentioned above were significantly EASY to install. the short shift kit took somewhere between 1 and 2 hours and could be done by a patient, inexperienced mechanic.

turbo6bar · 03-05-2003, 03:42 PM

Last night, I installed a factory short shift kit. I had a chance to audition the changes today. I really like it. In my opinion, it's a great modification. The original setup shifted properly in the past, and the shift kit made it better.

Jurgen

speeder · speeder's Garage

Short shift kit is cool on a good 915, just don't try to shift faster than the synchros, that gets expensive$$. (Goes for stock shifter as well, just easier to bang gears w/ short shift, a big no-no w/ our cars).