B&M Short shifter - Install and Review!

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13-02-2005, 10:50 PM
wynode

B&M Short shifter - Install and Review!

The following review is purely of my own view

I'd firstly like to thank Trav (egsi) of Underground Imports for sending me this shifter in super quick time (and also for his funny comments on the packaging).

http://www.ozhonda.com/gallery/data/2/3IMG_5624.jpg

Getting to the point, the shifter does reduce the shift throw significantly and also the gear knob sits around 3-4cms lower than with the stock shifter. The shift throw (as measured) reduced from around 9.5cm to 7cm (1st to 2nd; 3rd to 4th etc). That is a reduction of up to 26 per cent over stock.

Shifting is much more direct (although harder) most possibly also due to the fact that the old bushing were replaced with new items provided with the kit and the throw is significantly smaller. Any less and changing gears would require too much force. Even as it is, it will take me a bit of time to gather up the courage to shift with a bit more force :)

So that is basically it, the shifter has reduced the throw substantially as expected with a much more direct feel. The instructions provided with the kit were pretty easy to follow after a bit of reading, but I though i'd post up some pics and write my own little guide (which can be used for any shifter pretty much).

My only concern was the fact that the B&M shifter does not have a bend in the shifter which keeps the gearknob sitting closer to the driver. With the new B&M shifter, the gearknob now sits a bit too far forward for my liking. Note the bend in the stock shifter half way up?

http://www.ozhonda.com/gallery/data/2/3IMG_5633.jpg

So here's how to install the B&M short shifter..........
13-02-2005, 10:50 PM
wynode

Disclaimer: The following is provided as a GUIDE ONLY, and neither myself nor Ozhonda take any responsibility for the outcomes of someone else doing the following. You follow these steps at your own risk!

Aim: Install the B&M short throw shifter
Tools Required:
12mm socket
10mm socket
12mm spanner
1x extention for socket
Jack and jackstands (essential!)

Steps:
1. Jumpt into your car and undo the gearknob.

http://www.ozhonda.com/gallery/data/2/3IMG_5625.jpg

2. Jack up the front of the car and support it entirely by two jack stands (no need to jack up the rear)

3. With the car fully supported by jackstands, undo the 12mm bolt/nut combination at he base of the shifter. Move the shift linkage out of the way once the bolt is out.

http://www.ozhonda.com/gallery/data/2/3IMG_5627.jpg

4. Using a 12mm socket and small extension, remove the two bolts holding the stabiliser bar to the car body under the shifter (blue bolts in above pic).

5. Using the same 12mm socket and extension, undo the end of the the stabiliser linkage that bolts up to the transmission (NOTE: Only one end will turn as the other end is a nut which is welded to the frame. You can't see the head of the bolt in the pic below)

http://www.ozhonda.com/gallery/data/2/3IMG_5628.jpg

6. Using your fingers, roll the shift lever dust cover off upwards(pic below)). You can now remove the shifter and stabiliser bar together as a single piece.

http://www.ozhonda.com/gallery/data/2/3IMG_5629.jpg

7. Seperate the shifter from the stabiliser bar by removing the two 10mm nuts holding it in place

http://www.ozhonda.com/gallery/data/2/3IMG_5631.jpg

8. Remove the rear joint collar from the base of the shifter by pushing it out.

http://www.ozhonda.com/gallery/data/2/3IMG_5632.jpg

9. Carefully slide the shift lever dust seal off from the base of the shifter and also take out the shift lever ball seat (see the piece of plastic in the above image).

10. Clean/lubricate the ball seat and put the dust seal and ball seat on your new B&M short shifter

11. Attach the shift lever and ball joint seat/dust cover to the stabiliser linkage using the two 10mm bolts that were removed previously.

12. Feed the shift lever through the dust cover attached to the car body (making sure not to damage it) and roll the dust cover over the stabiliser bar / shifter base

13. Connect the end of the stabiliser bar to the transmission and do up the 12mm bolt.

14. Replace the bushing at the base of the shifter and do up the 12mm nut/bolt combo (Note the new orange bushings in the pic below).

http://www.ozhonda.com/gallery/data/2/3IMG_5634.jpg

That's it......all done!

My gearknob now sits lower too :)

http://www.ozhonda.com/gallery/data/2/3IMG_5635.jpg
13-02-2005, 10:57 PM
ECU-MAN

looks good dude :)
13-02-2005, 11:42 PM
bennjamin

Just like going for a walk on a cold sunday morning while naked...

a shorter shaft...but still an ugly knob rofl.

lol anyway - very good writeup !!!
Methinks its time to rid of the truck shifter from the SI too :)
14-02-2005, 08:10 AM
egSi

nice write up win, im glad u got it ok, we had such a good conversation on friday lol. ;)
15-02-2005, 04:09 PM
wynode

Thanks for the comments!

Ben: You must have been V tired when you wrote that! :p
16-02-2005, 01:14 AM
EG_2_TEG

wynode, not too sure how much driving you've done in the past couple of days

but i was considering getting one for my teg
do u crunch gears or anything with the short shifter?
i've heard rumours that short shifters eventually kill your synchros :S
16-02-2005, 03:11 AM
|N|

how far away do they sit from the normal gear position?
16-02-2005, 08:08 AM
wynode

Quote:

Originally Posted by EG_2_TEG

wynode, not too sure how much driving you've done in the past couple of days

but i was considering getting one for my teg
do u crunch gears or anything with the short shifter?
i've heard rumours that short shifters eventually kill your synchros :S

I have only had it for a few days and haven't driven it as hard as I normally do till I get used to it. That said, I haven't crunched gears at all yet (only found it hard to get into 2nd and sometimes 3rd......but now its ok that I figured out I have to shift slightly differently)

Thing is, there is much more chance of getting the wrong gear now, and that fact that it requires more force makes things a bit more riskier!

As for the synchros comment, I think this all depends on how you shift......as long as you don't use excessive force (I just just enough force to get it in gear) it is all good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by |N|

how far away do they sit from the normal gear position?

Put it this way.......when I'm in neutral now, it feels like when I used to be in 3rd. But this is also due to the fact that the shifter sits lower than before.
16-02-2005, 02:36 PM
EG_2_TEG

cheers win

although i think this has put me off from gettin one :(
cos my 2nd gear sometimes (rarely) crunches
so with a shirt shifter, i reckon i'll probably blow up my gearbox
16-02-2005, 03:07 PM
egSi

Quote:

Originally Posted by EG_2_TEG

cheers win

although i think this has put me off from gettin one :(
cos my 2nd gear sometimes (rarely) crunches
so with a shirt shifter, i reckon i'll probably blow up my gearbox

i have one mate, and it seems that way but u get used to it, its like gettin into a car u have never driven before, u will ride the clutch, maybe stall it but u will get used to it.

win is over exagerating lol :p
16-02-2005, 04:45 PM
wynode

Quote:

Originally Posted by egSi

i have one mate, and it seems that way but u get used to it, its like gettin into a car u have never driven before, u will ride the clutch, maybe stall it but u will get used to it.

win is over exagerating lol :p

LOL I didn't realise I was making such a deal.

Just so you know, this is all to do with the lever action. Have a longer lever, and you require less force but more movement. Use a shorter lever and you need more force with less movement.

So, at the other end of the shifter (the shift linkages) they still connect to the gearbox in the same way, the only difference is the effort required by you. So as you don't use excessive force when shifting you will be ok (and WON'T blow up your gearbox!)

There happy Trav? :D
17-02-2005, 07:33 AM
egSi

Quote:

Originally Posted by wynode

There happy Trav? :D

yes. i have sold a few of these so ill aks them to put some comments in here when they try em out :thumbsup:
19-02-2005, 12:36 AM
andreqo

very nice !!! good job
19-02-2005, 10:21 PM
**Ghost**

wait... i'm not trying to be a critic here... but throughout this whole thread there has been NOTHING said about the 'benefits" of this setup...

novelty factor aside, did u

1. Pay for something
2. That increases the chance of you breaking your gearbox
3. That puts the lever at an awkward position to the driver
4. That makes some gears hard to get into
20-02-2005, 12:25 PM
egSi

Quote:

Originally Posted by wynode

Getting to the point, the shifter does reduce the shift throw significantly and also the gear knob sits around 3-4cms lower than with the stock shifter. The shift throw (as measured) reduced from around 9.5cm to 7cm (1st to 2nd; 3rd to 4th etc). That is a reduction of up to 26 per cent over stock.

here man ^^^^
20-02-2005, 07:19 PM
wynode

Quote:

Originally Posted by **Ghost**

wait... i'm not trying to be a critic here... but throughout this whole thread there has been NOTHING said about the 'benefits" of this setup...

novelty factor aside, did u

1. Pay for something
2. That increases the chance of you breaking your gearbox
3. That puts the lever at an awkward position to the driver
4. That makes some gears hard to get into

Yes to all your points.

And as Trav said, if you read properly......you'll see that I even gave some numerical figures as to the benefits of a short shifter!
20-02-2005, 08:31 PM
Vamos

Looking forward to putting mine in. Thanks to Trav and this write up.
20-02-2005, 09:26 PM
**Ghost**

thanks wyn!

um... so in ur point of view is it worth it? novelty aside?
21-02-2005, 07:19 AM
wynode

Quote:

Originally Posted by **Ghost**

thanks wyn!

um... so in ur point of view is it worth it? novelty aside?

Yeah, if you find your throw too long then go for it. I think now that the bushes have worn in a bit I'm not having trouble like I used to with getting it into gear.

The benefits of a short shifter really show when you are either drag racing or going round a track though (or when you have the occasional fang, and want to go through the gears quickly)
09-03-2005, 10:27 PM
Vivski

What's wrong with holding the stick halfway down? Is it not the same effect? The short shifter is definitely cool, there's no doubting that!
15-03-2005, 08:53 PM
Weq

when i installed my shorty, it was hella hard to drive
i really wanted to uninstall it after the first drive.. the next day though, things loosened up and now its sweet like the old shift, but hella short!
08-04-2005, 12:52 AM
Eclipsor

what comes in the pack? The shifter and is that new bushings and lube? Is that all?
08-04-2005, 11:27 AM
heist

just installed mine today....its hard to shift!!....but ill get used to it....

thanks for the write up wyn....
08-04-2005, 02:45 PM
wynode

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eclipsor

what comes in the pack? The shifter and is that new bushings and lube? Is that all?

Everything in the first pic :)

Quote:

thanks for the write up wyn....

No probs!
08-04-2005, 03:21 PM
Eclipsor

Can't find anywhere where it actually labels the things in the first pic though. Are all those orange things just the bushings that it mentions in one of the pics further down? Sorry for being so clueless.
08-04-2005, 06:29 PM
wynode

yeah orange things are busshing / rubber O-rings and the grease is the other tube :)
15-11-2007, 12:32 AM
nick_sixx

just finished installing my buddyclub short shifter, its now 12.23am...i started at about 7.30pm...it really, REALLY would help if you have an aftermarket exhaust...
17-11-2007, 05:39 PM
1996ek1

How much $ was the shifter?
Because im also looking for one
26-11-2007, 03:20 PM
Munted

Your shift throw has been shortened, would you also say that your shift time has also decreased, given that it's now a lot stiffer and you have to be more careful that you're selecting the correct gear?
27-11-2007, 09:52 PM
1996ek1

Once you get used to it im sure the shift time will improve.
04-05-2008, 06:42 PM
95civic

Thanks Wyn, Just finished putting mine in :)
04-05-2008, 09:42 PM
EGJOE

I have had one of these(b&M) lying around for ages thanks for write up. Made my mind up for me not to put it in. not my piece of cake.

Cheers
EGJOE
02-06-2008, 06:23 PM
Frankie

Quote:

Originally Posted by wynode

yeah orange things are busshing / rubber O-rings and the grease is the other tube :)

How much was the the B&M shifter kit???? also where did you buy it from
10-06-2008, 07:12 PM
bizee_1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankie

How much was the the B&M shifter kit???? also where did you buy it from

dunno about wyn. i got mine from rocket industries 5 yrs ago. $150 it was back then.

i got model BM45075. (which i believe is the same as this writeup)

Although they also do offer model BM45074 & BM45047. (but don't ask me what the difference is... i don't know.)

i found the stock gear knob to sit too low, thus making it a bit harder to shift as mentioned. i just bought one of those aftermarket knobs, that are taller.
10-06-2008, 09:27 PM
Frankie

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizee_1

dunno about wyn. i got mine from rocket industries 5 yrs ago. $150 it was back then.

i got model BM45075. (which i believe is the same as this writeup)

Although they also do offer model BM45074 & BM45047. (but don't ask me what the difference is... i don't know.)

i found the stock gear knob to sit too low, thus making it a bit harder to shift as mentioned. i just bought one of those aftermarket knobs, that are taller.

yeh think iam going to get mine from there aswell on the weekend maybe if i get P.A.I.D
12-06-2008, 04:51 PM
Lukey

My 2nd gear synchros are already pretty farked, do you reckon this could make it worse?
25-08-2009, 01:42 PM
thegame-01

nice Diy
27-12-2009, 11:42 PM
hectic_filo

i wanna do this to my EG
28-12-2009, 11:59 PM
Frankie

i done i to my ek love it got used to it straight away, but better the get the bent shifter instead of straight so it is closer but i dont mind i got long arms lol
29-12-2009, 04:59 AM
Limbo

i got short arms, go the dual bend one!