The install for the S1 is shown in the S1 section.
You will probably not notice any noise.
It is rare and car specific. The S1 shifter has been sold since 2004
and over 2500 to 3000 are out there running.
The install for a S1 is about 20 min for a first timer.
If you have any problems call me direct.
BTW you should have it Monday.

Darn. I'll be out of town until Thursday. Thanks for the quick shipping though!

any issues with feeling loose or wobbling, (but actual shifting and movetion are tight and crisp)

bump! so I am doing the S2 trans swap on my S1 rx8 and mazdatrix requires you buy the shifter seperatly. is it worth the extra $70 to just get this axial flow shifter instead? Ive hear the stock S2 shifter feels a bit sloppy as is, so this is a good upgrade then?

For sure you're not asking me that.
I just can't think of the answer.:wink2:
Normaly I would stay out of this but in your case the delta of $70 has to make it
a no brainer. If you buy it with the stock shifter and later want the AF you've wasted a good chunk of change.
Just think there are guys that already have stock ones and then have to buy mine.
I know it's self promotion but what the hell I'm also a friend of the Rx-8.
Anyway say Hi from me to Paul at Mazdatrix he's a good guy.

yes the mazdatrix staff is great and have always been able to help me when needed. I will most likley end up with this shifter just because in a way it is only costing me around $70 haha plus Ive read good reveiws. you have every right to self promote a bit when ppl say good things about your products!

ps: keeping a close eye on that SC kit you guys are working on :)

I ment Mazmart, don't know if thats the same place

no its not. either way I found a trans and will be ordering the S2 AF shifter shortly

just placed my order!

has anyone found a DIY solution for the rattling @ higher rpms? I am wondering if greasing up the lower shaft will help if the rattling is coming from the tight tolerances

I have had no such problem, only vibrates a bit at idle, perhaps the OEM gear knob itself is rattling I have had this problem before

take note that this is the S2 shifter kit...

ok so I FINNALLY got around to installing my af ss. I must say WOW what a difference over stock! feels great! although I now engage reverse differently now. instead of pushing down and under 1st I just go to the other side of 1st gear. the shifter will not push down at all. is this normal? just want to make sure.

no does not sound normal at all

It's stuck in the down position. Pull it up and see if it works OK then.
If it still sticks work it up and down a few times and see if it brakes in.
If not then return it.

rodger that. will report back once I get a chance to check it out some more.

checked it out last night and it turns out the it does not have the "spring" affect of goin up and down to engage reverse. I can pull the shifter up but it slowly sinks back down.

Installed mine 2 weeks ago. The top left bolt was a pain to tighten down, a wiggly socket is a must. Definitely can feel the reduced throw and sharpness of each shift. 1st-2nd feels so much better.

I do have a whine between shifts and a noticeable whine particularly in 3rd/4th. If I jiggle it around in gear, it does go away. Not quite sure where it's really originating from.

Also, not sure if this was the case with the stock shifter, but has anyone noticed some horizontal play (left/right) while in gear?

mine has those same exact issues you describe, a rattling almost buzzing when in gear and driving, and also it shifter does wobble a bit while in gear, but have 1.5 yrs and 30k miles with no issues at all

I have attested the whine to the tight machining tolerances and the use of a harder metal. The oem shifter uses some soft metals with coating to make it silent.

Also, I had a loud whining when i would go WOT which turned out to be my Voodoo shift knob and the metal on metal contact from the threads. Easily remedied with some teflon tape.

Had the same issue, just got a rubber gasket to put between the retaining plate and the shifter and the noise is gone.

Yeah, I can understand the extra whine across all the gears, but 3rd (and only 3rd) is particularly more noisy and if I push it forward (direction to the front) a tiny bit, it'll go away. BTW OEM knob.

I'm tempted to grease the retaining plate just to see if that'll alleviate that issue, if not, I'll try a gasket.

I have one of AFE's new S2 shifters and the install is a bit different. All you do is pop the old shifter out, pop the shift gate off, install the new shifter (on mine, there was a hard face weld that faced left) and then pop the shift gate in, tighten everything down and you're good to go! Thanks for the DIY, Richard! :). Also, I added a few layers of cut out bike innertube to my shifter and it helped soften the shifts.

I recently picked up an 09 R3. I had the S 1 STS on my 05 so I gave Richard a call. Super quick shipping and a strait forward install. I am still getting use to the shorter throws, but everything feels great!

S2.4 shifter
 

I just saw this post and it struck me it's been 6 years between posts. It is now the 2.4 model so we have done a lot of work. But I usually have more back and forth with my users. That's how we improve the product so I don't get offended when anyone complains, I do like it better when you're happy though.
I think I should have made more of a big deal when wee went to the 2.1 as that was when all the install was simplified.