What makes a good short throw shifter?
 

I've searched and found this thread

https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/sho...+throw+shifter

but what makes one short throw shifter better than another? The material it is machined out of or what? I don't plan on using the supplied bushing because i'll just get one from MAZDA.

i just took my ebay short throw shifter out for inspection last night because it was making weird sounds between shifts and was a bit wobbly. plastic bushing on end of it was trashed so i put oem bushing on it and it works like magic now.

i had a fidanza short thow, it lasted 6 months till i broke the pivot point off it....

What's the best place to get oem bushings?

My aftermarket short shifter (don't know brand, PO installed it) is a whole lot notchier than it should be it and I suspect new bushings are in order.

sorry for the thread jack...

a hacksaw :)

why the fuck do you need one? drive a VR6 and you'll think the shifter in your peterbuilt is a shorty.

when i get my turbo on i'd like to start some autocross events and was going to use a miataroadster shifter exntension for days that i will be autocrossing, however if i just slap it on then the throw will be increased due to the shifter being taller, so i'm hoping that by using a short throw shifter i might be able to keep about the stock throw but have the shifter much closer to my hand :hustler:

Shaft length and throw length are two different things.

If you get the extension it won't increase the actual throw length.

Read the thread you linked to get a little more insight into this topic.

Ebay short throw shifters aren't bad and they're cheap. The extension doesn't make a difference in throw like Efini said. The ebay shifters lift the fulcrum to make it a shorter throw.

I've had my Simpson Design short throw for 4 years with no problems. I love it! Granted stock miatas have an already great shifter compared to alot of other cars. Even my buddy said he just has to get one, now that he drove a miata with one.

Simpson's keeps the fulcrum point in as OEM. So I suppose its a true short throw shifter.

http://www.simpsondesign.net/

Vash-

I'm Impressed with my K.G. works one

yes shaft length and throw length are two different things, but if you attached a 3ft. pole on to the shifter would the end of the pole not travel more distance then where it is attached to the shifter?

what i mean is that is there a difference between fidanza's being made out of aluminum and simpson's being made of steel or is it just preference of the manufacturer?

There are two styles of short shifter. Most are the stock one, cut shorter. This works, but it's pretty lame, puts it down low, etc. Not very elegant.

The good ones have a moved fulcrum, so there's an effective 'gearing' between your hand and the tranny. I have one of these, alternatively called "C's" or "Mazdaspeed" short shifters.

Had it in for years. Mine was for an NA, so I had to take off a lump on it, but I've been entirely happy with it, and it cost me under $100. It makes the car feel very very solid, maybe speeds shifting very marginally.

Losing that is one of the reasons I keep putting off the six speed.

http://abefm.smugmug.com/photos/227732606_mcY3t-M.jpg

More pics of my install:
http://abefm.smugmug.com/gallery/392...27732643_uJtg7