craigh
Dedicated LVC Member
Short Shifter! For over 10 years I have been looking to either build or find a short shifter that would fit the LS. The reach to 5th gear is sometimes to long for me and I find myself missing the gear. That was my primary motivation. I found a shifter from an 02 in the junkyard a while back and was hoping to modify it. Concluded that there was not enough room from the ball joint to the linkage to successfully and safely modify the lever. Recently I found a BMW shifter online for an E46 M3 that looked like it would work. I did the math and it looked like about a 20% reduction in the throw. As an added benefit the shift lever is canted front to back and not left to right lke the LS shifter is. So I could move the entire shift pattern back from from the dash. Bought the shifter from bimmerbum.com. About $100 shipped. Also picked up a BMW shift knob off of ebay.
R and R was straightforward. Removed the clip holding the shifter from the ship rod under the day. Then removed the shifter by turning the white bushing clockwise, then the shifter assembly will pull out. Assembly was reverse of this. Pics will tell the story.
My thoughts post installation: I actually wanted a shifter with an overall shorter throw, but I figured that if this works for an M3 it should be good in the LS. Overall the shift throw was reduced by about an inch from 1st to 2nd. But because the shifter is canted it moved the whole pattern closer to me. There was NO interference with the boot, console or driveshaft. Love the feel and reach on , this shifter. It also tightened up the shifts. Shifting is certain now with no slop in the assembly. Gears kind of click into place. Awesome feeling to drive. My gas mileage is going to go down as I am exercising the gearbox more. Whole thing finished up nicely with the stock shift boot. Shift knob height was the same as stock. Great upgrade for a fairly low cost. Total R & R time was about 2 beers and I took my time.
I would like to hear from others if anyone has found a short shifter and what their thoughts are. Am I the first one to do this?
Images show the before and after distance between the shift knob and the dash.
Originally posted on LincolnLSObsessed facebook group.
R and R was straightforward. Removed the clip holding the shifter from the ship rod under the day. Then removed the shifter by turning the white bushing clockwise, then the shifter assembly will pull out. Assembly was reverse of this. Pics will tell the story.
My thoughts post installation: I actually wanted a shifter with an overall shorter throw, but I figured that if this works for an M3 it should be good in the LS. Overall the shift throw was reduced by about an inch from 1st to 2nd. But because the shifter is canted it moved the whole pattern closer to me. There was NO interference with the boot, console or driveshaft. Love the feel and reach on , this shifter. It also tightened up the shifts. Shifting is certain now with no slop in the assembly. Gears kind of click into place. Awesome feeling to drive. My gas mileage is going to go down as I am exercising the gearbox more. Whole thing finished up nicely with the stock shift boot. Shift knob height was the same as stock. Great upgrade for a fairly low cost. Total R & R time was about 2 beers and I took my time.
I would like to hear from others if anyone has found a short shifter and what their thoughts are. Am I the first one to do this?
Images show the before and after distance between the shift knob and the dash.
Originally posted on LincolnLSObsessed facebook group.
