Which shortshifter vs MSP ?

[speedfrk]

I Was wondering the diffrences between the diff. Short shifters on the market And the Msp shifter . What are the measurement diffrences in hieght and which are best quality. didnt really find anything good during search ? anyone?

[speedfrk]

Anyone?

[hawaiian_msp]

kartboy... thats the only one I would recommend.

-mike

[Dr.Sound]

i like B&M.
B&M uses an aluminum ball joint......vs. the plastic one kartboy reuses.
this eliminates extra play that plastic joint causes.

BUT, kartboy has the shortest hight.

both reduce throw the same.

B&M vs. Stock:

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Dr.Sound/shifter/B&MvsStock.jpg

[Bala]

I second the B&M

[TWM Performance]

I Was wondering the diffrences between the diff. Short shifters on the market And the Msp shifter . What are the measurement diffrences in hieght and which are best quality. didnt really find anything good during search ? anyone?
TWM has a short shifter designed specifically for the MazdaSpeed Protege which reduces the throw by 35% and the knob height by 1 inch. Our Mazda Speed Protege shifter also allows use of the stock Mazda Speed shift knob since it is longer than the regular Protege shift knob. They're on sale right now, check it out: Mazda Speed Protege Short Shifter Sale (http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazdaprotegeshortshifters.htm)

Thanks,

Kevin
TWM Performance

[Velocifero]

Let me clear some things up about the 3 main SS available for our car:

1. TWM is the shortest throw distance, and slightly shorter height wise than stock. They also are the only ones using ball bearing bushings and I guarantee you won't find anything better. Customer service is great and they back their product 100%.
2. Kartrboy is a slightly longer throw distance and they are the shortest height wise. Good product, but a lot like stock in design and install. They stopped being a vendor here, but they have always had decent customer service.
3. B&M is the longest throw and the tallest in height, they do replace the urathane shift brackets with aluminum, but they are the hardest to install. I don't know anything about their customer service, being as I have never ordered from them.

Personally, I say the TWM hands down. Great quality and it feels great, the shift is so positive and I get nothing but envious compiments about it. I also have their weighted knob which is nice. I have installed and driven all three options on proteges. Not trying to be biased, since I own it, just giving you the facts as I have researched it. I have two friends that have B&M and want to take them out but it is too much of a pain in the ass. The Kartboy and TWM install just as easy as removing the stocker, except TWM includes spacers to drop the heat shield where Kartboy recommends cutting the heat shield to accomidate.

[EnjoyMinuteMaid]

do you really think the TWM feels significantly different than the B&M? how about the notchiness?

[TWM Performance]

Let me clear some things up about the 3 main SS available for our car:

1. TWM is the shortest throw distance, and slightly shorter height wise than stock. They also are the only ones using ball bearing bushings and I guarantee you won't find anything better. Customer service is great and they back their product 100%.
2. Kartrboy is a slightly longer throw distance and they are the shortest height wise. Good product, but a lot like stock in design and install. They stopped being a vendor here, but they have always had decent customer service.
3. B&M is the longest throw and the tallest in height, they do replace the urathane shift brackets with aluminum, but they are the hardest to install. I don't know anything about their customer service, being as I have never ordered from them.

Personally, I say the TWM hands down. Great quality and it feels great, the shift is so positive and I get nothing but envious compiments about it. I also have their weighted knob which is nice. I have installed and driven all three options on proteges. Not trying to be biased, since I own it, just giving you the facts as I have researched it. I have two friends that have B&M and want to take them out but it is too much of a pain in the ass. The Kartboy and TWM install just as easy as removing the stocker, except TWM includes spacers to drop the heat shield where Kartboy recommends cutting the heat shield to accomidate.

Thank you for your kind words about our products and customer service, we try very hard to keep all of our customers 100% happy.

Kevin
TWM Performance

[smo0f]

although i dont doubt the quality of TWM, personally i got discouraged because of pricing. i went with kartboy just because of price.

[speedfrk]

Thanks all this info is great . How much shorter than stock is the Kartboy? I do like the TWM shifter alot looks really nice. I think I would go with Twm also over the B&M just because its more specific to MSP. Any Negative Draw back to the Short Shifters?

[Velocifero]

Thanks all this info is great . How much shorter than stock is the Kartboy? I do like the TWM shifter alot looks really nice. I think I would go with Twm also over the B&M just because its more specific to MSP. Any Negative Draw back to the Short Shifters?
it can wear out the syncros faster if you beat on it alot.

as far as the price of the TWM shifter, I think the quality far surpasses the price, and they do have a special right now anyways. My shifts feel great and I have had it on there for well over a year and it still feels like the day I put it on. Like I said before very positive shifts, no slop. I like the idea of TWMs ball bearing bushings, they are so much better than even the bronze oil bushings. The B&M compared to it still felt mushy and had more play, plus the longest throw. I tried them all before I bought mine and helped install a lot of them multiple times. Its funny when I drive my friend's speed with stock shifter because I usually miss third because I never put it in gear, the throw distance is noticable. I do recommend the poly shifter bushings either from TWM or Kartboy, even if you stay with the stocker you will notice a difference with those. I have the Kartboy's on there, TWM didn't offer them at the time (Kevin, feel free to throw me some for the publicity and I'll put them on the car). Main thing I didn't like about the Kartboy shifter was I felt like I was reaching too low, I am 6'3" and sit up straight at about even with the B pillar, bottom seat is all the way back and the Kartboy was just too short.
do you really think the TWM feels significantly different than the B&M? how about the notchiness?
I recently sat in a new STi at the international autoshow and I would have to say that my shifter felt alot like the one they use. I don't really feel a notchiness but it is almost like you can feel it "click" into gear, not hard to get in or out of the gear. Off topic but you know whose shifter I was extremely disappointed in was the new GTIs. It felt like rubber crap, huge amounts of forward, lateral, even diagonal play. I didn't like that at all (I made up the part about the diagonal play).

Speedfrk, the best advice I could give you would be to try to find local guys with different options to feel what shifter works best for you. Thats how I shopped mine and thats how several friends ended up getting TWM after trying out mine.

[TWM Performance]

Velocifero: Thanks for your comments!

As Velocifero pointed out the Mazda Protege and MazdaSpeed short shifters are on sale right now, you can save up to $40 with a shifter/knob combo. Be sure to check them out here: Mazda Protege Short Shifter Sale (http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazdaprotegeshortshifters.htm)

Kevin
TWM Performance

[EnjoyMinuteMaid]

Are your bushings identical to the Kartboy ones aside from the color? Also, what is up with the ball bearing bushings, and why are they better than the corksport bronzeoil ones? I have never heard of them but I have noticed the rubber pieces of crap that come on the stock shifter and plug into the ball at the bottom for the bolt to go through.

[Dr.Sound]

^ ball bearing bushing causes the least friction.
this matters especially when doing quick shifts.
there is also less resistance when shifting (since there is already more resistance from the shifter being longer on the bottom).

ALSO, stock ones (in cold weather) squeek, and drive you nuts.

[Stormtrooper77]

That TWM looks really nice! I just wish I had the $$$ right now.

[TWM Performance]

Are your bushings identical to the Kartboy ones aside from the color? Also, what is up with the ball bearing bushings, and why are they better than the corksport bronzeoil ones? I have never heard of them but I have noticed the rubber pieces of crap that come on the stock shifter and plug into the ball at the bottom for the bolt to go through.
Essentially our bushings perform the same task as the Kartboy bushings, however we decided to make them out of a slightly softer polyurethane (only 5 durometer points softer) to reduce vibration. The overall feeling is the same once installed in the car, the soft rubbery feel of the original bushing is removed, however there is less vibration than with some other brands of polyurethane bushings on the market made of stiffer polyurethane.

The ball bearings in the base of the TWM short shifter are much smoother than regular bushings, regardless of the material.

We feel that the combination of the TWM shifter with ball bearings and our polyurethane bushings is the best overall solution for a smooth, direct shift feel. Our full combos for the Protege are available here: TWM Mazda Protege Short Shifters (http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazdaprotegeshortshifters.htm).

Thanks,

Kevin
TWM Performance

[mspHtown]

kevin,

how do you take advantage of the student discount?

thanks

[TWM Performance]

kevin,

how do you take advantage of the student discount?

thanks

To take advantage of the student discount, simply email a scan or digital picture of your valid student ID to studentdiscount@twmperformance.com, we will reply to your e-mail within 24 hours with your student discount code which can be used on top of the sales price we are currently offering.

Thanks,

Kevin
TWM Performance

[siberiankiss]

how long is the student discount going to be available?? this is so tempting...

[TWM Performance]

how long is the student discount going to be available?? this is so tempting...
The student discount (http://www.twmperformance.com/discounts/) will be available for a while, we've been running it for quite some time and lots of people use it so we don't have any plans to remove it in the near future.

The sale on the Protege short shifters (http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazdaprotegeshortshifters.htm) does end at the end of July though, so be sure to take advantage of both promotions before July 31st.

Thanks,

Kevin
TWM performance

[Allen]

TWM has a short shifter designed specifically for the MazdaSpeed Protege which reduces the throw by 35% and the knob height by 1 inch. Our Mazda Speed Protege shifter also allows use of the stock Mazda Speed shift knob since it is longer than the regular Protege shift knob. They're on sale right now, check it out: Mazda Speed Protege Short Shifter Sale (http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazdaprotegeshortshifters.htm)

Thanks,

Kevin
TWM Performance
So the stock Mazdaspeed Protege shift boot cover will work for the TWM short shifter? I would prefer to save some money and stick with the stock shift boot if that's possible. I would like to purchase the shift linkage bush kit. So many "buy now" buttons, I'm not quite sure which one to click on for the combo I want. LOL.

"Special 2" option (SS + bushings)?
Price: $134.90 USD + $9.99 shipping (TX) = $144.89

[Allen]

Let me clear some things up about the 3 main SS available for our car:

3. B&M is the longest throw and the tallest in height, they do replace the urathane shift brackets with aluminum, but they are the hardest to install. I don't know anything about their customer service, being as I have never ordered from them.


B&M is fairly difficult to install and even more difficult to uninstall. Actually, I had wanted to uninstall the B&M SS from my previous MP3 so I could sell it... but after an hour of struggle I gave up on it. So if TWM can be uninstalled easily, then I'm all for that convenience! :-)

[Allen]

Essentially our bushings perform the same task as the Kartboy bushings, however we decided to make them out of a slightly softer polyurethane (only 5 durometer points softer) to reduce vibration. The overall feeling is the same once installed in the car, the soft rubbery feel of the original bushing is removed, however there is less vibration than with some other brands of polyurethane bushings on the market made of stiffer polyurethane.

The ball bearings in the base of the TWM short shifter are much smoother than regular bushings, regardless of the material.

We feel that the combination of the TWM shifter with ball bearings and our polyurethane bushings is the best overall solution for a smooth, direct shift feel. Our full combos for the Protege are available here: TWM Mazda Protege Short Shifters (http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazdaprotegeshortshifters.htm).

Thanks,

Kevin
TWM Performance
Nice improvement, that would have been one reason why I didn't want to upgrade the Mazdaspeed with the Kartboy shifter bushings. The vibration through the SS with my previous MP3 was really rough.

I hate you for tempting me to upgrade though.... (peep)

[FlyinMSP]

TWM, had it for 2 years now and really love it (with Katboy bushings and Synchromesh fluid)

[Velocifero]

B&M is fairly difficult to install and even more difficult to uninstall. Actually, I had wanted to uninstall the B&M SS from my previous MP3 so I could sell it... but after an hour of struggle I gave up on it. So if TWM can be uninstalled easily, then I'm all for that convenience! :-)
The TWM comes out just as easy as the stock shifter, hardest part is the snap ring on top of the pivot point and that just takes the right tool or good know how to use inadequate tools efficiently. Other than that it was cake really.

[TWM Performance]

So the stock Mazdaspeed Protege shift boot cover will work for the TWM short shifter? I would prefer to save some money and stick with the stock shift boot if that's possible. I would like to purchase the shift linkage bush kit. So many "buy now" buttons, I'm not quite sure which one to click on for the combo I want. LOL.

"Special 2" option (SS + bushings)?
Price: $134.90 USD + $9.99 shipping (TX) = $144.89



With the TWM MazdaSpeed short shifter (http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazdaprotegeshortshifters.htm) you can still use the stock shift boot since our shifter is only about an inch shorter than the already pretty short stock shaft.

To purchase the shift linkage bushing kit and the shifter, you can click on the Special 2 "buy now" button, or you can scroll to the bottom of the page to select your shifter and check the "Yes, add a bushing kit" box and then click the buy now button to the right of the "Yes, add a bushing kit"

If you would prefer to just order over the phone, feel free to give us a call at 1-877-655-0540.

Thanks,

Kevin
TWM Performance

[mspHtown]

i just ordered the short shifter! so far customer service has been awesome. i cant wait to get it!

[Velocifero]

i just ordered the short shifter! so far customer service has been awesome. i cant wait to get it!
thats awsome, you won't regret it, I love mine a lot.

What about you speedfrk, what direction are you thinking?

[siberiankiss]

gave into the urge and ordered the short shifter with the type r weighted shift knob last night. can't wait!!!

[VA03Speed]

I Have The Kartboy Short Shifter And I Love It. It Feels Better Than The Stock Shifter.

[TWM Performance]

gave into the urge and ordered the short shifter with the type r weighted shift knob last night. can't wait!!!

Thanks for your order, it's shipping today!

Kevin
TWM Performance

[EnjoyMinuteMaid]

Just ordered a shifter as well w/ A6 Leopard shift knob. Thanks for the great customer service Kevin.

[siberiankiss]

Thanks for your order, it's shipping today!

Kevin
TWM Performance
awesome! :)

[TWM Performance]

Just ordered a shifter as well w/ A6 Leopard shift knob. Thanks for the great customer service Kevin.

No problem, glad I could help. Thanks for your order, it is shipping today with UPS and you'll receive a tracking number as soon as it leaves our facility.

Kevin
TWM Performance

[Velocifero]

make sure you guys post up a pic once you have them installed, not that they're any different than my shifter, but just want to see them in the cars you know.

[siberiankiss]

yeah, i still need to get some pics of it. i'll try to do that soon though. i really like it and was actually a little surprised at just how much difference it made. i mean, i expected shorter throws, but i was very pleased with just how much of a reduction there was. and going into gear is very solid. there's never a single doubt whether or not it's in there :)

[Run for Cover]

how can i go about getting a kartboy knob and shifter?

[Dermen]

how can i go about getting a kartboy knob and shifter?

http://kartboy.com/

[Run for Cover]

yah, the kartboy site doesnt work for me.. when i go to checkout it just says 0.00$ everytime with any part

[livelyjay]

yah, the kartboy site doesnt work for me.. when i go to checkout it just says 0.00$ everytime with any part
It's been that way for a couple of weeks now. I hope someone has notified them of that problem.

[Run for Cover]

i went on horsepowerfreaks website and they have around 5 or 6 diffrent short shifters for our cars... some companies i didnt even know made the kits for ours cars.. anyone check it out? some of the prices range from 66 to close to 200$ i like it ow their site as pics and actually gives a lol info about the products

[EnjoyMinuteMaid]

Has anyone had any success pulling out the B&M short shifter? any ideas?

[Thieu]

Kartboy stopped making the protege shifter. I talked to Tom at Kartboy who said:

"They were discontinued but i think i sent the last one to RSD for your order. check back with them. the sales were no longer as good as they used be. i could not see outlaying several thousand dollars for another run to sit on the shelf."

RSD cancelled my order so I ordered a TWM instead. More money but very happy so far.

[GBean]

Sorry ot hear Kartboy is no longer making their shortshifter. I LOVE mine. Yeah TWM is expensive in comparison, especially considering I got a special bushing and shifter set for $93. I must have been one of the last to get one. I'll have to try the TWM sometime though, if anyone ever wants to swap for a now extinct kartboy, lemme know. Cuz I am buying a house in northern california and will never be able to afford toys again....

And a question: What kind of grease do you guys use on the plastic shift bushing? Mine is starting to squeek.

[Run for Cover]

i just liked the kartboy cause it was the shortest period, not in throws, just short... hmMm now i dont know which to go with.. ha ha

[Velocifero]

And a question: What kind of grease do you guys use on the plastic shift bushing? Mine is starting to squeek.
Any grease but I think most people use lithium. TWM replaced that plastic bushing with ball bearing one so that could solve your problem too.

[Allen]

TWM, start another sale!! It's the FALL SEASON!!! :-)

[TWM Performance]

TWM, start another sale!! It's the FALL SEASON!!! :-)
The shifter is actually on sale right now from $129.95 to $119.95, check it out TWM Mazda Protege Sale (http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazdaprotegeshortshifters.htm). We're not scheduled for any Mazda sales in the near future, but if we could get a good sized group of people together we could probably do better than $119.95.

Let me know if there is interest for a group buy guys.

Thanks,

Kevin
TWM Performance

[Run for Cover]

im interested

[Skoozul]

me too!!!!!

[Allen]

Now that my car's factory warranty is gone, I am starting to find interest in working up the car a bit. I'm looking forward to your SS + SS bushing... throw us a number! Thanks. :-)

[Run for Cover]

the twm ss and bushings are fantastic! best mod ive done so far.. i love it.. feels sooo precise... i love it.. i do.. worth every penny..

[Skoozul]

so how much more pressure does it take to shift in to gear over stock?

[CitizenPro]

Let me know if there is interest for a group buy guys.

Thanks,

Kevin
TWM Performance

You have a group buy that beats out your current $120......Count me in.

I have the Kartboy Bushings, i just need the Shifter package by itself.

[Run for Cover]

pressure? its easy to shift into gets.. it feels like it should of been that way.. and i love the fact that twm sends everything you basically need for parts.. for the install...

[mspHtown]

just installed the TWM shortshifter and it feels awesome. very solid and precise shifts. i give twm a 10 out of 10.

[Skoozul]

pressure? its easy to shift into gets.. it feels like it should of been that way.. and i love the fact that twm sends everything you basically need for parts.. for the install...
I was just wondering because in making the throw shorter and making it shorter the leverage is reduced by a lot and that means more force is required to move it. I just didn't want a really stiff shift

[Allen]

Need to bump for more attention to a possible GB from TWM before I have to give my shifter/bushing money to the IRS in 7 months or so. LOL.

[Puckpimp71]

Put mine in a week ago and it reminds me of the shifter in the MSM. I love it. It takes a little more pressure than stock, but the feedback is much better.

[TWM Performance]

Need to bump for more attention to a possible GB from TWM before I have to give my shifter/bushing money to the IRS in 7 months or so. LOL.
Hi Guys,

We're actually scheduled to have a very big sale on all Mazda parts, including the Mazda Protege and MazdaSpeed short shifters coming in October. If we were to begin a GB now, the GB price would probably be at roughly the same price as it will be in October and it would most likely end in October so there would be almost no point.

October is our Mazda month, so the Protege and MazdaSpeed short shifter (http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazdaprotegeshortshifters.htm) will be priced at $109.95 instead of the retail price of $129.95. The sale begins in only 12 days, and this is the lowest price we will have ever offered the short shifters at, including GBs.

For all those who were interested in the GB, does waiting until October and buying at the sale price sound like a reasonable solution? I really didn't want to start a GB at one price, then drop the price on the site to the same price as the GB, I'm sure no one would have appreciated that.

Anyway, let me know what you think.

Kevin
TWM Performance

[Allen]

Good for me as it will give me more time to fill up my piggy bank with enough pennies to buy the SS. Will the bushings also be on sale? Thanks! :-)

[TWM Performance]

Good for me as it will give me more time to fill up my piggy bank with enough pennies to buy the SS. Will the bushings also be on sale? Thanks! :-)
The bushings will be discounted in the package with the short shifter (http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazdaprotegeshortshifters.htm) and bushings (http://www.twmperformance.com/bushingkits/index.htm) by a few dollars.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

Thanks,
Kevin
TWM Performance

[Allen]

Too bad you don't sell shifter bushings for the Prelude. Aren't the Preludes cable shifters if I remember correctly? I have a friend who's Prelude (I think '98 or '96, not sure) could use some improvements on the shifting. Nice cheap upgrade. :-)

[TWM Performance]

Too bad you don't sell shifter bushings for the Prelude. Aren't the Preludes cable shifters if I remember correctly? I have a friend who's Prelude (I think '98 or '96, not sure) could use some improvements on the shifting. Nice cheap upgrade. :-)
You're right, the Prelude is a cable shifter. We just released our bronzoil shifter cable bushings (http://www.twmperformance.com/bushingkits/index.htm) for the tC and Celica, but the Hondas are next. They fit the RSX, Civic from 2001 and up, Prelude and probably other Hondas as well. Our bushings are available here: Shifter Bushings (http://www.twmperformance.com/bushingkits/index.htm). Keep checking the site, they should be available for sale in a month or 2 at most.

Thanks,

Kevin
TWM Performance

[TWM Performance]

Hey Guys,

The Mazda Sale is on effective immediately! In order to save time updating the site for October on the weekend we went ahead and set up the sales today. Check them out, all of our Mazda short shifters are discounted:

Protege and MazdaSpeed Protege short shifter (http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazdaprotegeshortshifters.htm)
Mazda 3 short shifter (http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazda3shortshifters.htm)
Mazda 6 short shifter (http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazda6shortshifters.htm)

Let me know if you have any questions, also feel free to give us call to order toll free at 1-877-655-0540.

Thanks,

Kevin
TWM Performance

[Adam02es]

Kevin,

Do you have any pics of the shift boot with silver stitching? Thanks

[kamon8404]

Just installed the TWM SS today! I have the weighted shift knob as well, and it is great. Smooth from gear to gear, and it is a lot shorter than stock. I already had someone offer me a trade for their B&M ss. I have not yet put in the bushings but, hopefully will tomorrow when I try to figure out what is rattling under my car. I'll give more feedback once I put in the bushings. All in all I love the feel. Great short shifter, and awesome step by step directions!

[Allen]

If I remember correctly, don't you have to bend the heat shield underneath? Well, that was when I installed the B&M SS in the past on my previous car.

[kamon8404]

Well, heat shield spacers were provided, and I think that the heat shield is rattling on my exhaust because I did bend the hell out of it when i was putting in the shifter. We will see what happens today when I get it on the lift rather than when I was rolling on the ground like an inch worm.

[Allen]

Yeah, I remember I just ended up removing the entire heat shield. So the spacers didn't work? Woof! I'd like to find a way to keep the heat shield on without interferring with the install much.

[TWM Performance]

Kevin,

Do you have any pics of the shift boot with silver stitching? Thanks
I sure do, here you go:

http://www.twmperformance.com/shiftboots/installed/mazdaprotege/mazda-protege-shift-boot-2.jpg

Let me know if you need anything else.

Thanks,

Kevin
TWM Performance

[TWM Performance]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your orders! The sale is still on until the end of the month, check it out: Protege and MazdaSpeed Short Shifter Sale (http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazdaprotegeshortshifters.htm)

Thanks,

Kevin
TWM Performance

[EnjoyMinuteMaid]

has anybody figured out how to fix the side to side play in the shifter? It has nothing to do with how tight the nuts are at the bottom of the shifter, it has to do with one of the two linkage rods, and its not the one where kartboy or twm shifter bushings go. there is a rubber piece that I believe allows for this free play. anyone else know what I referring to?

[Allen]

No idea, but bump for some who does.