So I recently installed a short shifter in my 5-speed TDI and thought I’d share my experience in case anyone is considering it too.
I went for this one from Forge motorsport.
It’s light (the OEM bracket is frickin huge!), well made, and was a decent price.
The install is easy enough. Remove the air box, unbolt the existing shifter bracket and replace it with the short shifter.
The default gear throw is about 6-7cm from neutral to a gear. So changing from 1st to second is actually quite a long movement. The revs drop a fair bit during this time.
I set it to the shortest throw initially and it was unusable. The movement was so short that it was difficult to tell if you were actually in gear. It literally felt like I could flick the gear stick to change gear. Worth noting that even on the longest setting it has a shorter throw than the default. As you’d expect.
I set it about a centimetre back and tried again. The throw is now about 2cm from neutral to a gear.
I stuck with the OEM rubber gear linkage bushings which was a mistake. The small amount of slop is magnified by the reduction in gear throw, and I consistently missed third gear.
I bought solid aluminium bushings from Dark Side Developments which transformed the shifter. The feel is now more direct and it’s incredibly accurate. No more missed shifts and it feels a millions times better during a spirited drive. The difference is so big that it seems mad that you can even buy the short shifter without replacement bushings.
All in all it was probably a thirty minute install. Fairly easy. Tricky bits were breaking the bolt free from the shifter bracket and removing the rubber side linkage bushing.
If you’re driving a manual, and looking for your next mod, this one is highly recommended!
I went for this one from Forge motorsport.
It’s light (the OEM bracket is frickin huge!), well made, and was a decent price.
The install is easy enough. Remove the air box, unbolt the existing shifter bracket and replace it with the short shifter.
The default gear throw is about 6-7cm from neutral to a gear. So changing from 1st to second is actually quite a long movement. The revs drop a fair bit during this time.
I set it to the shortest throw initially and it was unusable. The movement was so short that it was difficult to tell if you were actually in gear. It literally felt like I could flick the gear stick to change gear. Worth noting that even on the longest setting it has a shorter throw than the default. As you’d expect.
I set it about a centimetre back and tried again. The throw is now about 2cm from neutral to a gear.
I stuck with the OEM rubber gear linkage bushings which was a mistake. The small amount of slop is magnified by the reduction in gear throw, and I consistently missed third gear.
I bought solid aluminium bushings from Dark Side Developments which transformed the shifter. The feel is now more direct and it’s incredibly accurate. No more missed shifts and it feels a millions times better during a spirited drive. The difference is so big that it seems mad that you can even buy the short shifter without replacement bushings.
All in all it was probably a thirty minute install. Fairly easy. Tricky bits were breaking the bolt free from the shifter bracket and removing the rubber side linkage bushing.
If you’re driving a manual, and looking for your next mod, this one is highly recommended!
