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advantage is in the name, SHORT SHIFTER. Meaning shifting throws are shorter. Advantages? Besides that shifting throws are shorter, none I think. It just changes the feel of the shifter. I am getting mine installed this weekend maybe. Or the next one.
Ok guys/gals...thought I hit you all with a warning on this install.
Sooo...for the last few months since I put this on, I could swear I've been hearing tire noise, engine noise etc. My cupholders felt VERY warm AND I had a faint "whistle" sound. My fiance of course tells me I'm always looking for something wrong and it's in my head etc...
Soo...I say, well car is getting older, maybe I just didn't notice it before, that's why the road noise is more apparent...and maybe because I had the seat heater on or the the air coming thru the vents in the engine was my center console hot.
Last night, I decided to open up the center console and look around, see if I knocked something or forgot something.
For those of you following the direction to NOT undo the assembly to take the shifter assembly OUT of the car...pay attention to THIS grommet! Eureka, it was my problem...in twisting and maneuvering the shifter to keep from having to take it out...I managed to knock this grommet DOWN leaving a 4" by 2" opening to my heatshield/exhaust and the WORLD! lol...
So either be careful, take out the assembly, or just plan to pop this back in afterward. I tried from above with picks and screwdrivers and pliers but unless you're friggin Thumbelina, wasted an hour on this...good friggin luck. Decided to give it a try from under. Jacked up (AND USE JACKSTANDS), unbolt the four 10MM bolts that hold on the heatshield, slide it toward the rear of the car and in less than a minute you'll have the grommet back in.
ALSO: Thought that this my actually be a GREAT place to run your main positive line for your systems!
just put mine in today, wow was that bushing a bitch to get off! but it feels amazing, i cant believe how much shorter it is between gears. favorite mod i have on my car
I've had a short shifter in my TL for 5 years- longer than this thread existed. Until today I had been very happy with the upgrade. Today my wife pulled from a garage. When she tried to shift in 1st she felt that the shifter was very loose. She managed to get the car back in the garage. When I got home, the shifter was moving freely and felt disconnected. When I took everything apart, I found that the factory shifter broke! The ball on it's end was stuck inside the short shifter. You can see it in photograph below.
I guess that short shifter creates an additional load on the factory shifter. I can't explain it otherwise. My wife isn't that strong handed. So now I need to get a replacement shifter- it comes assembled with that huge plastic housing. I will probably need a new short shifter. The broken part stuck inside is glued with Loctite and I might not be able to remove it.
The car will be out of service for a while, and I'll have to commute on a motorcycle. Of course the forecast is for some cold rain. We are still lucky that it happened on our driveway. Could be stuck who knows where.
I finally got my SS in the mail and installed it this morning. So far so good.
switching between gears is quick. it first felt like i needed to go farther...took about an 1hr to get use to and i love it.
The down side to this mod is it requires more force to change gears. It feels like a Formula SAE race car i built in college. Not that big of a deal but it is noticeable.
Other than that i would say i am happy with it 4.5/5stars. Next up i need to change the fluid to the GMMTFM and the shifter bushing and possibly remove the slave cylinder checkvalve.....
i found some old posts about where to buy the comptech ss, but wanted to get an update. which place is the cheapest to get it (I've found links to ebay, excelerate, and heeltoe auto) and has the quickest shipping?
any information is appreciated, sounds like this is a great mod for the 2008 tl type s!!
i found some old posts about where to buy the comptech ss, but wanted to get an update. which place is the cheapest to get it (I've found links to ebay, excelerate, and heeltoe auto) and has the quickest shipping?
any information is appreciated, sounds like this is a great mod for the 2008 tl type s!!
I just bought mine from Heeltoe. I had extra money in my paypal acc so it was easy. Took a week or two to get in bc they where out of stock. But i am sure they have them now. 69bucks i think
just got the ct ss kit and the skunk2 billet knob in the mail and can't wait to install them this weekend! also got a trim tool set on amazon for 10 bucks so i'm good to go. the skunk2 billet knob feels so solid and it looks great (very dark color)!!
I'm looking to install the short shifter, but I noticed that HeelToe sells it in a package with the bushings.
I understand that the counter-sunk knob will help with the shifter throw, but what about the bushings? I'm a bit confused as to what these do, and if I DON'T get these, how would it feel?
This kit includes a CT-E Short shifter, Hybrid Racing Shifter Bushings, and a 1lb weighted Maven Shift Knob & Stainless Braided Clutch Hose from Fastline Performance!
Options include choosing your model year and shift knob finish.
The function of each item in this kit adds a significant advantage to the whole system, but without all the items working together the system is flawed. Many people purchase these items individually, looking for shifting nirvana. Many of these people find themselves completing this package to get the best function out of their shifter, and spending a lot more in the process! DO IT RIGHT. Get a HT-Spec Shifter Package to improve the overall function and feel of your manual-Honda/Acura's shifter!
SAVE THE MANUALS!
Read up on the benefits of each item, and how they work together to complete the shifter upgrade properly:
*CT-E Short Shifter: Shortens the throw of the shift lever, making the distance traveled shorter and the shift a bit faster.
*1 lb Maven Shift Knob: Adds weight to the shifter which increases momentum. This smooths out the notchy feeling that can come with the installation of the short shifter.
*Hybrid Racing Shifter Bushings: These aluminum bushings replace the rubber bushings on the shift cables that deflect under the force of shifting, which is exacerbated by the added weight of the Maven knob.
*OPTIONAL ADDITION:Fastline Performance Clutch Hose: With a faster smoother shift it is necessary to improve the smoothness and accuracy of clutch operation. This hose, along with the supplied fluid from Honda, will restore and improve the feel of the clutch pedal for more accurate friction-zone modulation and faster reactions you'll need with you revitalized shift system!
Astute readers will notice the HT-Spec Stage 1 Shifter Package does not include shifter base bushings, as replacing these will serve only to increase the level of vibration and discomfort of the driving experience, detracting from the high-end nature of your Honda/Acura.
Oh my Oh my what a difference I recommend this to anyone that is thinking about this dont ponder anymore but DO IT!!!! I will not lie this is a pain in the ass but it is all worth it in the end I just finished now took me more than the recommended 2hrs but I was taking my time and triple check all my work b/c I am no handy man when I took the car around the block I was amazed
by the way OP thank you veryy very much this was very helpful I was following along on my cell which made my life easy lol dont know if you still own a TL anymore but thanks
If i may add a few pointers that did help me in the OP's description he mentioned something about a CT tool that help you put the bushing (little white circle) on the SS. I had no such tool and trying to force it on by hand isn't happening if you use a 14mm socket and push down on the bushing it will pop right in. LOL that's all I got other than that this DIY is rIght on the money with everything else
GOOD LUCK TO ALL WHO TRY THIS NEXT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION FEEL FREE TO SHOOT ME A PM
Just did this today as well and DAMN what a difference. I didn't even follow the instructions that came with it, just this DIY. What I did to get the bushing off was I used two hex keys and put it under the bushings and popped it out. This install was definitely a PITA tho lol but so happy afterwards! Night and Day difference like what everybody said. Feels like im shifting in an S2k lol
Finally installed this. Sorry to bump up an old thread, but I thought I'd add a few notes that I wish I had before I started:
- To get the white bushing off, use a blow drier. It will make your life 100x easier.
- I lost the retaining pin that attaches the white piece to the metal rod, and quickly panicked. I didn't end up finding it, so I fabricated my own out of an XL paperclip. I drove the car pretty hard after I put it in to see if it would hold up, and so far everything's good.
It took me significantly longer than most since I had a few odd bottlenecks (couldn't get a harness unplugged, the bushing took me 1.5 hours, and I wasted a lot of time making sure my paperclip was good), but this is definitely one of my favorite mods. I can get perfect shifts a lot easier now.
I thought I was smart by ordering the cosmo racing ss to save a few bucks since people who've used it said it's great. But i guess the difference in price meant no loctite 680 green provided, which it calls for in the instructions. I was about to start installing when I realized this and lost my excitement. I can't seem to find it on the pepboys/napa/home depot websites. Anyone know where I can pick this up locally in NJ or if there are any suitable alternatives that are readily available in stores?
best write up for the ssk out there. i was able to do it without removing the cover under the steering wheel. just had to pry it a bit on the right side so that i can get the left side panel out
Not sure about that brand, but Im sure heeltoe or xlr8 has it but i ordered mine for my 3rd TL from here -----> http://www.ebay.com/itm/131179633634?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Pretty straight forward install. DIY came in super handy. Only thing I didnt do on mine was take out left shifter cable from the assembly since I couldn't get the metal piece holding it down, out. I ended up flipping it over (180 degrees) and used a big flathead on the rubber piece. I used my palm to hammer the flathead and the rubber popped right out after 5-7 tries. It was also 5*C while working outside which made it a bit harder to come out.
Shifter feels great combined with Maven Shift knob.
Installed the Comptech short shifter today using these instructions, took about an hour and a half. The throws feel much shorter and I'm happy with it so far. If you haven't done its a fairly cheap mod that you use everytime you drive the car.
01-25-2011, 05:02 PM
