What is the best short shifter for the 6 speed RX8 S1?

[plas87]

So, I visited the Mazda main dealer last week for a side air bag recall and while I was there I had the opportunity to sit inside the new Mazda MX-5. What really interested me about this car was the gearbox; it was tight, had a shirt throw and a very mechanical 'clicky' sound to it when changing gears. It was leagues above the RX-8's gearbox and as soon as I got home I started to look at potential options on how I can improve my existing 6 speed manual. Here is what I found:

https://pettitracing.co.uk/pettit_racin ... orRX8.html

http://www.essexrotaryspecialists.com/r ... 4-08-rx-8/

Has anyone installed one of these kits? Is it worth it? Which is the recommended one?

[casey]

I've had the Axial Flow short shifter on mine for about 10 years. Lots of members on here bought one via Group Buys over the yeasr.

Used on track and road - love it for the "solid/precise" gear change feel.

[PaulAV]

Only thing you may notice with a short shifter is a bit more gearbox noise, sounds almost like straight cut gears. But the way the gears change is a lot more precise

[plas87]

Is it damaging at all to the gearbox?

[PaulAV]

Think all that happens is it amplifies the noise that is always there

[GreySilver Beast]

Had Short Shifter's on both of my RX-8's and can 100% recommend this Device

[untakenname]

The axialflow gives a more 'positive' engagement compared to the stock shifter, can feel it clicking into place which is quite satisfying.


With my first RX8 the short shifter made no noise but with my current RX8 it whines faintly almost like a supercharger.

[Ian.Mothersole]

So, I visited the Mazda main dealer last week for a side air bag recall and while I was there I had the opportunity to sit inside the new Mazda MX-5. What really interested me about this car was the gearbox; it was tight, had a shirt throw and a very mechanical 'clicky' sound to it when changing gears. It was leagues above the RX-8's gearbox and as soon as I got home I started to look at potential options on how I can improve my existing 6 speed manual.
...

Like others above, I also have the axial flow shifter. If you think the throw on the new MX-5 is short, then you will be in for a surprise if you get the RX-8 short shifter!
I was driving a new MX-5 at the weekend and one of things that I noticed was the throw on the gear shift was actually quite long compared to the short shift on my RX-8. In no way a criticism of the MX-5 - it still felt great!

[SachaP]

I have an Axial Flow on my S1 RX8. Mine is pretty noisy - makes almost a "buzzy" sound. But like others have said, definitely gives an improved and more precise clicky feel to gear changes.

[Dr. FrankenRex]

I believe there is a theory that it puts more stress on the synchros within the gearbox, although nothing has specifically been proven around that. The theory is that as you are moving the shifter quicker (through leverage, how a short shifter works) the synchros have less time to do their voodoo magic and as a result puts them under more stress.

It makes sense from a theory perspective, but there isn't much in the way of synchro failures floating around so I'd say it's not going to do much harm.

I believe @Warpc0il reportedly had a synchro problem and was using a SS at the time, but there's not enough correlation to blame it on the SS really.

I have driven an R3 with and without and have to say that it's divisive. I enjoyed some aspects of it and not others. Weirdly it actually makes the gear kn0b higher in the R3, although the throw of the shifter is shorter. I don't believe this is the case in the S1.

[V8 Power]

I suppose synchro damage could be as much down to individuals. Some may slam the gears in whilst others feel the changes in.

It is taller on a S1 if you put a silly 5inch extension onto the shaft

[Torque23]

*If* the short shifter creates damage to the sychros then I don't believe that it's anything to do with the speed of the change.
It doesn't make it possible to change gear that much faster and you're not going to "beat the synchros" unless something else is wrong - e.g. GL4/5 or GL5 oil rather than GL4.

However, the short shifter (at least the S1 6-speed) is a lot more rigid and therefore less forgiving than the oem, such that forces are transmitted from the driver to the shift mechanism below with less absorption.

This includes the deliberate driver action to change gears, plus any forces due to the driver being moved around during hard cornering, plus the relative movement of the powertrain on the engine and gearbox mounts.

Take a look at some of the in-car videos that include the cabin in the camera angle and used be amazed how much the gear lever moves around just during acceleration, braking and cornering. Some of Clive's early vids of his (then still road car) that we know had a good set of engine mounts, would be an example.