Good to hear.

I have a bonus check coming next week and will be placing my order.

 

RP,

I was comparing Gomez's new one, the old one and my one and see the tab to lock the reverse gear comes in different size (and thickness). Gomez has the most beefy one, following by mine and it is slightly bigger than the original.

I cannot see any problem with mine, going in and out of reverse is not a problem at all. So far I feel the 3rd and 5th is closer than 1st and 3rd. Is that normal?

 

Folks chill out, I made no direct reference to any brand of Short Shifter, but show me some consistent 1/4 mile pulls with the short thrower shifter, ceteris paribus. (You do not really have to show me :-) )

For example. I will make the following comparison to share with you one possible view of a scenario: The modern RX cars have much better exhaust system then prior RX vehicles. By changing out the exhaust system you could unleash ~15+HP or so with the older vehicles. Racing Beat says that the new design only allows a max of 3-4HP gain max by changing the muffler,ceteris paribus . The days of easy HP gains are basically over. I do not believe modern day car mfgs leave a whole lot of untapped potential in the shifter....just like they do not with the exhaust and other system of the RX8.

I hear the same things on the twinturbo.net web site (300zx): This short throw shifter is great....install it and hold on tight...... Can't believe what I was missing...etc etc The same type of domestic consumption as we have here...."Domestic Consumption" is being used in the political term above too.

So it is GREAT that people are having such good results with the Shifter. Maybe Mazda left a lot of potential in it. OK you all can start berating me again for offering a different view. :-)

 

You viewpoint is basically worthless as you haven't tried the RP shifter. 'Nuff said.

 

Jaguar: This shifter is not a performance mod in the sense that you will see some gains in 1/4 mile times. This is a mod that greatly, GREATLY improves shifter feel and precision. It shortens the throw to the point of being perfect. The shorter throw allows you to get in higher and clutch up right as the revs drop to the matching rpm. The stock shifter does not compare.

Read the reviews in this thread. EVERYONE that tries this shifter says it is worth the money and more. And these are some of the most critical people around.

 

Richard,

The new shifter arrived today. Much better but I suspect there is still a little too much play for my tranny since I can still slip up beside the plate while in reverse. I was not able to get the OEM shifter to do this even with effort. If the tab were just slightly longer it would be perfect for "my transmission". I think this one will be OK though as the shifter functions correctly and you can not get into reverse without first going under the plate. This one is closer to the plate than the previous shifter and so far doesn't rattle in reverse as the first one did. You can see from the picture the tabs are different in the two RP shifters, the latter being more similar to OEM. Also, the first shifter would sometimes hang going into 6th. This shifter rides the plate directly down and seems much better. I suspect the plate adjusting kit is going to be the only way to get it just right for every tranny and hopefully will only be required for the few of us on the outside edges of the range. Thanks again for a great product.

 

Dosdog, can you tell me if the shifter you just got has a radius on the tab or is it square like the stock one. Or can you measure it. Nose to back of shaft, about 25mm+/-

I have a few sizes I have made to try and find the sweet spot. I thought I sent you the longer of the ones i made. Let me know because I'm getting ready to run another batch.

 

The tab is square

 

I'll send you a radius one. I think that is just enough to make it perfect for you.

 

Thanks, I appreciate you making the extra effort to get this just right. That's not common these days.

 

He's old....... fashioned :p

 

No, it sure isn't. But it sure is appreciated. Looking at the quality of this shifter and the price Richard is charging for it, I think it's completely safe to say that he's not getting rich building them. I think it's admirable to see the lengths RP goes to for complete customer satisfaction, which as you say, DosDog, is pretty rare in this day and age.

Best,
Bill

 

I just started another thread asking about build dates. The fact came up that there was a shift fork change in early production. Any of you that have had the problem of 5/6 engagment and had to shorten the tab have an early build date?

Lets collect some of this info and if it is so I can predict this and make a special unit for those cars. Buyers could just give me the build date and get the right shifter.

 

couldn't find the thread...

Dannobre Build date 11/03

 

I think we got it. Three cars that needed to shorter tab had build dates of 8/03, 9/03 and 11/03. Anyone else with numbers that early that did not have trouble? That will be the test to see if we have an answer.

 

Mine is OZ 09-03 build.

I just drive a lot more today. I am ok. Although I feel like there is a different between 3 and 5th (5th bein a touch closer). But I have no trouble at all engaging 5th. And certainly not have any problem going in and out of reverse.

Certainly a shorter tab will feel better but what if it is too short? It may got out of the reverse?! Gomez certainly detected no problem.

Ah.... Richard, I have to eat my word about doubting you in the beginning. I have been always a suckers for Japanese advertising and not been able to trust the world of mouth in the Honda scene... YOU HAVE NO IDEA what sort of people there are in the type R forums. I suddenly feel like I am with people (here) that are classy, honest and genuine. If I ever come to Califonia for a World Pathology Conference. I will certainly look you up, I think I owe you a SUPERSIZE beer

Cheers
Taka

 

Mine is 09/03

 

Build Date May 2003
My Short Shifter tab is too short. I cannot ride the wall, and put it in 5th gear. Have to keep it away from the wall to get it in 5th.

So much for your theory Richard.....

 

9/03 - I can ride the wall into 5th or 6th perfectly.

Stock it felt like I had to push it hard toward the passenger - in 6th at least. 5th used to require a quick right-then-up. Now I can go directly into 5th.

Very satisfied overall. :D

 

rxeightr,

Sounds like yours is similar to mine. I'll let you know how the radius'd long tab version works.

 

When the results don't match the theory, get a new theory. (just added that to my signature) I want to thank you guys for all the help and interaction. I had thought my theory was great when I went to bed last night, the glass was half full. Wake up and the glass is half empty. So it goes.


So, it looks like if it is too short you can live with it, but too long it must be shortened. I could leave it long and then everyone would have to tune it for their own car. That would be a lot of unnessasary work for most people since there are just a very few that are outside the working tolorence. For now I think I will handle it on the case basis.



Everything I can think of requires extra work for the consumer, that's not good.
Right now we have over 95% good fits and getting better. I've only got one left right now and am going to finalize the size for any changes so as to run some more next week. The last few I sent out were trimmed .010" and have had no problems, so I'm looking at that for the standard trim.

Looks like if they were all that size Dosdog would be the only case of problem.
That would be 1 in a hundred. Now don't you feel special Dosdog? Your the one percential. I feel confident enough with the last sizing so as to run a hundred more.

Thanks again, we are waiting on Dosdog to tell us how his new one works.
That one is a full radius untrimmed unit.

I

 

Oops, 8/03 build date.

 

Nevermind 8 or 9/03

I have the EXACT same feel. I guess it is ok & I love it.

 

Richard,

This last one is right on. Tab stays under in reverse and is just a smidge off the plate in 5th and 6th. No rattles. No problems getting into any gear. I had a chance to push it pretty hard today on the our Stanford Run. Lot's of quick 1 - 2 - 3 - 1 shifts on some pretty tight roads. Never missed a shift and the feel is perfect.

Many thanks, again!

 

Richard,

First off I have to say thanks for the surprisingly fast shipping. I had the box ripped open as soon as the post man dropped it off. The install was pretty simple with Gomez's instructions but I did have a slight problem with the tab.

Gears 1-6 worked great and 5-6 were just lightly riding against the wall. Reverse however was another story. No matter how hard I pressed down on the shifter I couldn't get the tab to slide beneath the plate. It was just off by a couple thousandths of an inch but it was still enough to keep it from going into reverse. So I added a small chamfer (~0.010" 45 degrees) to the top edge of the tab and it works awesome now.

Now if the axial flow supercharger is as slick as the shifter you will definitely have a repeat customer. :D

P.S. May 2003 build date