I got a 5-speed 2003 ES and I dont feel that the throws are overly long. My problem is the stick height. Someone emailed me instructions on how to manually cut from the stick height so I will try to do that.

BUT, I notice that the Kartboy bushings are cheap and I was wondering: if i get just the bushings, how shorter will the throws be? Also, some ppl said the SS kits are causing tranny problems and I was wondering, if i just get the bushings, is there any chance of anything bad happening? Thanks.

 

Bushings wont do anything for you except give you a "nicer" throw. It will feel like its going into the gears a lot smoother. As far as cutting your shifter vs getting a short throw... Id buy the short throw, either way you are going to damage your tranny if you miss-shift.

 

get the shifter and bushings combo, you will definatley notice a shorter throw. dont worry about your tranny, just be nice and it will be nice to you

 

removing the stock shifter's extension will be the best way to keep the stock throw, more or less (will be a litte shorter) and obviously lower the stick height too..As said above the bushings will give much better gear engagement...

As far as potential gearbox problems, you probably won't have any with either the shorter stock or new aftermarket piece, but the stock one will be just as easy on the transaxle as before as long as you shift correctly (you will have less leverage and it will feel harder to shift, but not as much as with a completely new shifter)...A new aftermarket shifter will shorten the throw much more and if you shift hard will wear out the synchros faster and could be a threat to the forks well being...

 

ok , i have heard many ppl in here talking about how you can take the extension of the stock shifter.....ok well i looked at mine this past weekend and hell if i could figure out how to get that damn thing off.........ive got my B&M ss ordered but was just curious to see what it would sit like without the extension no the stock shifter........the extension seems to have a seal and on the extension it self it has a hole that goes through the thing but when i try and turn it it turns then turns back to regular position after i let go..i tried pulling up on it but nothing...a little help would be nice if anyone know s how to get that damn thing off.............thanks.........

'02 silver p5
injen cai
ngk irridium plugs (just installed...bad ***)
red calipers
engine dress up kit.................

other things coming soon,,,,,,,,,

thanks for the help.........

 

You have to heat the extension with a blowtorch (I'm not kidding! ) and then twist and pull to remove. I've not done this (just dropped a Kartboy in) but this is what others who did have had to do.

The reason it returns when you twist it now it because it is stuck together with some sort of elastic bonding material - it has been suggested that this is for vibration dampening.

 

I heated up the extension with a blowtorch and twisted it off. Took about 2 minutes overall. I then got the kartboy bushings and it helped getting the shifter into 2nd gear(since its a bit stiffer once you shorten it, less leverage).

I did get a problem with the installation bushings... I didnt tighten the nut to spec and it unscrewed off while I was driving. No problem there, but I took a hard corner and the whole mechanism slipped off. My shifter felt like I was shifting in a bowl of pudding. Anyhow, I reattached it correctly and no problem since.

 

hey guys thanks for the help...after reading all the posts i figured out how to do it.......anyways since i didnt have a blw torch available.........lmfao.....i used my wifes candle lighter.......you know the long butane lighters.........damn man that took like 25 minutes to get that thing heated up enough to get it off........but finally it cam off with a little help and a sore forearm from twisting it so hard......anyways......so i rethreaded it and put it all back together and slapped the stock shifter **** back on and all is good..........waiting for my kartboy bushings now.then i will be happy............well untill i decide to order the b&m ss........it feels alright without the bushings but im going to get them anyways........since i will use them with the other one.........alright fellas........see ya


'02 silver p5