Gear linkage position after fitting SHC short shift

[DM164]

I’ve fitted the short shift kit from slaughterhouse customs, followed all the instructions fine, but when I reassembled everything the two prongs at the bottom of the gearstick are sat well above the aluminium guides. I used the plastic guide sheath so I drilled the hole in the right place but I’m not sure whether I’ve put the spring back on wrong. Currently the spring has just been slid on the stick - should it actually sit on the plastic splines(?) at the top of the bush? Has anyone got a picture of a stock 5 speed shifter for reference? Daft that I didn’t take a before picture I know.
Cheers

[silverbullet]

The spring should be under the collar (now in higher raised position) and stood on top of the plastic fingers.
Quickshift spacer kits move the pivot ball to change the leverage ratio, the lever itself doesn't move up or down.

[DM164]

The spring should be under the collar (now in higher raised position) and stood on top of the plastic fingers.
Quickshift spacer kits move the pivot ball to change the leverage ratio, the lever itself doesn't move up or down.

Hmm, that all makes sense and aligns with what I was picturing in my head but not sure what's gone wrong. I think the spring looks a lot less compressed than it did before and there's less pressure needed to get down into reverse so maybe i've not assembled properly. I'll take it off and see if I can set it up as normal and start again.

[Simon Baxter]

You need to put the plastic sleeve on the shaft before you slide the bearing plate thing down the shaft.
Basically you've left a bit out.

[DM164]

Legend Simon, works like a dream now ta

[garyd]

For those of you who have fitted a short shift kit, I would like to inform you of my recent experience.

My van is a 1990 syncro, originally with a TD engine. I fitted a kit quite some years and have been well pleased with the results.

However, last week I detected a strange, different feeling when shifting between the rearward gate positions and forward ones. Essentially, the fore/aft travel increased and became very spongey going forward. It suggested to me that the spline (adjustment) joint, in the middle of the long tube under the floor, must be slipping. It got worse to the point that it was not possible to engage 1st or 3rd and we had to stop mid journey.

Checking underneath showed up that the bottom of the gearstick wasn't moving when the knob was!

Peeling up the gearstick gaiter identified that the stick was 'bending' an inch or so above the pivot ball. Removing the collar and spring showed that the tubular stick was splitting around the back side and allowing the top section to go forward without pivoting the ball & lower section.

There are numerous reports of sticks breaking but what is relavent to the short shift users is that the split emanated from the original detent drilling - a factory feature but now put under different loading by installation of the kit.

Just something for you to look out for!

[multisi]

Gear stick breakages in standard factory set up tend to break at the detent area, its the amount of use that weakens the area.