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Shortened shifter

6K views 28 replies 13 participants last post by  71type65 
#1 ·
I saw this picture if a 1994 S4 for sale. The shifter has been shortened. Looks nice, although not sure if the increased leverage required would make it difficult to use. Has anyone done this? Comments on how it was done? Comments on the operational results?
 

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#2 ·
If the gear selecting cables are in good order, and the front and rear translating mechanisms are in order, it seems pretty feasible that this would not cause much increase in leverage needed. Perhaps if your right arm has a palsy of some type and isn't normal strength, then perhaps you wouldn't be able to select gears. The sleeve and shaft would need to be cut down and a new collar attached to the tube, but as long as the lift collar got the reverse lock out mechanism high enough to clear the lockout, then it should work like stock.
 
#4 ·
If you're after a shorter throw and not necessarily a shorter shift lever, it's really easy to accomplish. The cable adjustment rod ends are bolted to the translator from the bottom. These can be bolted into the translator from the top instead, and it gives a much shorter throw (front to back...side to side stays the same). I had to make a few adjustments to the shift linkage, but nothing drastic. It's much easier if you pull the boot so you can get to it from the top or bottom.

The level of effort to shift after I got everything adjusted isn't much different from stock, and I find it much more crisp and enjoyable, plus it can be put back to stock at any time.

Line art Text Diagram Auto part Automotive exterior
 
#5 ·
If you're after a shorter throw and not necessarily a shorter shift lever, it's really easy to accomplish. The cable adjustment rod ends are bolted to the translator from the bottom. These can be bolted into the translator from the top instead, and it gives a much shorter throw (front to back...side to side stays the same). I had to make a few adjustments to the shift linkage, but nothing drastic. It's much easier if you pull the boot so you can get to it from the top or bottom.

The level of effort to shift after I got everything adjusted isn't much different from stock, and I find it much more crisp and enjoyable, plus it can be put back to stock at any time.

View attachment 200384
Using the drawing you posted, which parts do you undo and put where?
 
#7 ·
Hey Guys, That was my car i sold over the holidays. I upgraded to a 1998! what a difference!
anyway......it was simple. I used the lower portion of the stock shaft only.

1. Cut off the upper part where its get smaller.
2. Drilled out the opening to a larger diam.
3. Purchased a ford focus short shifter. ($25.00 Ebay)
4. cut the lower portion off.
5. fitted into the stock lower and used a new pin to hold in place.
6. used the outer reverse from the ford shifter and modified to attach the the reverse lockout of the lotus.

John G
 
#8 ·
How was the shifter action after this modification?
How much higher was the effort?

Also, what color did you powder coat the wheels on it? Thinking about doing mine the same color when I get a set of Saturns I am working on acquiring..
 
#12 ·
The one this was done to is a 1995 do the posts on only pre 94 are confusing
 
#15 ·
I had a bit of a brain-fart, I guess I was responding based on the accompanying picture. Of course, it would work the same on a right-hand cable car, too.
 
#18 ·
Someone needs to do this and document the process! Or build a kit with instructions, etc. I would pay for it!
 
#20 ·
Excellent! I'd be glad to pay you for your modifying the Ford short shifter for me... Open to doing this?
 
#23 ·
This sounds like a lot of work, but to be honest I would prefer a shorter shift lever as well (2003 V8).

The Final Edition models had a slightly shorter lever. Accomplished by having the reverse collar lift directly into the shifter ball rather than into a cylindrical extension below the ball. The cylindrical extension was removed.

I know the V8 is different, principally it doesn't have a translator. One cable does the fore-aft shifting, the other does cross-gate shifting, both directly attached to the trans.

IVO the above is there any merit to adapting the FE approach, and swap in a full FE shifter assembly?
 
#24 ·
The early V-8's do have a translator. Doubtful you would gain much by swapping an FE shifter, not much, if any difference. My problem is not with the shifter, it is the gear ratio for first and second. 1st is too low and 2nd is not low enough and for cruising I just skip 3rd.
David Teitelbaum
 
#25 · (Edited)
I was speaking of the late V8 as in the FE, which is the model with the shorter (slightly) shifter and no translator. 😉 Believe the no-translator change was introduced on MY 1998. The FE shift lever itself appears unchanged from non-FE late models, just the knob is modified as indicated above.

Have you looked into the Emco kit for the gearing? I understand some of the gear ratios are modified in addition to the shaft upgrade.

Edit: Attached is the Emco parts list that shows it has 1st and 2nd gears. Somewhere I've seen the change in ratios, will keep an eye out for that.

Edit 2: Not sure if there is another buy in the works but here is the Emco thread, which is probably familiar to many, and a couple quotes:


"All bearings have higher torque specs, plus gears 1 and 2 ratios are optimized to reduce the "step" between gears, allowing for better synchronizer functionality."
"UN1-026/27 single shaft upgrade kit decreased first gear ratio focusing on addressing synchronization engagement issue. It did not drop the first gear ratio as extremely as Quaife/GTO kit. This makes EMCO kit more friendly for lower torque 4 cylinder engines.
NEW GEAR RATIOS:
Holloway..........GTO
1-st 3.0 ....... (GTO 2.66)
2-nd 1.94 ....... (GTO 1.75)"
"The thing no one talks about is the new ratios. I love the new ratios! With the stock box I found that sometimes on some roads, 2nd was too low and 3rd was too high. Now 2nd is perfect. Also having a longer 1st is also good thing that makes a V8 more enjoyable to drive."
 

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#26 ·
I saw that but was not going to spend the money to do it. I also was concerned about future parts availability in case I ever needed anything. Knowing this was a limited production run and no parts were to be put aside for inventory, I was wary of doing it. Besides, when it was offered no one was able to test drive it to see what, if an, difference it made. All of the money spent would not make the car worth a penny more, it is only to improve the driving experience. Same problem for the Quiaffe diff. It's hard enough getting a lot of the stock Lotus transmission parts.
David Teitelbaum
 
#27 · (Edited)
First off apologies to all that we're just a bit off track from the original topic, but hopefully it will be of interest.

I would think having the kit properly installed would add some value to a future sale. But as you said that's not really the point.

Interesting point about the spare parts issue. But I'm not sure it would be any easier to find stock spare parts especially the gears and shafts. Bearings should be easy. Are stock UN1 gearbox internals available?

Otherwise the main reason for the mod seems to be to make the need for replacement parts less likely, particularly the overhanging 5th gear issue. Additionally if you have a functional stock gearbox, and it's my understanding the Emco kit installs with no need for mods to the casing (someone please jump in if that's not correct) then, if the unthinkable did happen, you could reinstall all of the stock parts that were removed. Just thinking out loud here...
 
#28 ·
My EMCO kit install required no modification to the transmission case or any of the replaced/reused OE parts. Well...at least those were my expectations and what Ralph at RS indicated to me when he did the work.

I gained peace of mind and an improved driving experience. Can't say I ever tested the limits enough to say much about the Quaife. I did, however, pilot that car to a first overall win at the autocross event for LOG 38(?) in Ohio. The LSD was presumably a benefit for that one day at least. ;)
 
#29 ·
There is some info on a non-translator linkage retrofit in this thread if interested, starts with post #18:

 
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