GTI + short shift (vit?)

[00zx2s/r]

Alright well I drove my friends GTI today to get gas for him and I noticed that his shifter has a really long throw on it. It was kinda weird compared to my ZX2 shifter.
But I told him he should get a short shifter and he said that he's thought about it but he remembers his dad saying they were bad for the car somehow (his dad is a mechanic...). So my other friend chimes in saying that it's useless.
I tell him it's not because it reduces the throw between 30 - 60% (not for sure but seems about right) which allows for faster shifting and more speed. He said that it doesn't matter because even while shifting your still accelerating somewhat, plus it ruins the transmission!
I was like WHAT? are you kidding me? He claims that w/ a short shifter it messes up the gearing and ruins the clutch. The my friend w/ the mechanic dad says, ya I think that's wut it was, it's bad for the clutch!!!!!

I tried explaining it too em but they were stuck w/ their opinion.

My Question: will putting a short shifter in a GTI break the tranny or anything at all? Am I wrong on this (plz correct me if I am)?

[peter-vz]

It will not, tell this guy to get an automatic car so he won't risk braking the transmission.

[capitalcrew]

Short shifters hurt nothing, unless you're jamming it in and not giving the synchros time. Then it's your fault anyways and you deserve it.

His car is not accelerating while shifting, his speedo is catching up to the speed he is actually going. It's laggin behind a mph or two.

Basically, your friends dad has no idea what he is talking about. Your friend is a complete fool for thinking a car with no power to it will continue to accelerate.

[Manbearpig]

Yeah...I'm never going to that "mechanic"

[Twiggy2cents]

its kinda like people saying bolt on mods hurt the car... no its actually the driver abusing it more that hurts it

[mechtech]

You actually have more torque with a stock shifter. The longer throw gives greater leverage and the possibility of damage.
But problems are from bad shifting techniques almost 100%.
Learn your trans, and it will sort of 'suck' itself in to the next gear - you can't rush it.
Short throw shifters are great - unless you like to row your shifter like Ben Hur as a galley slave.

[00zx2s/r]

Yeah...I'm never going to that "mechanic"

ya same here. Last time I went to him to get my cat gutted, when replacing it, his worker couldn't get the bolts on that connect cat to manny. So he's like, "eh, you shouldn't need to take it off for any reason, we'll have to cross thread em."...... ya..

[00zx2s/r]

thanks everyone else!

[ImCrazy]

no way it can hurt the car, people are st00pid this kid i knew his dad told him not to rev his zetec past 4.5k rmps cause the car had no power past that point and he would hurt the motor..... he claimed to be an ex mechanic < the dad that is.

[ImCrazy]

so then i took the kid with me to lunch one day in my zx2 and shifted @ red line he was amazed

[j0hnZ]

Short shifters hurt nothing, unless you're jamming it in and not giving the synchros time. Then it's your fault anyways and you deserve it.

His car is not accelerating while shifting, his speedo is catching up to the speed he is actually going. It's laggin behind a mph or two.

Basically, your friends dad has no idea what he is talking about. Your friend is a complete fool for thinking a car with no power to it will continue to accelerate.

X2

[Mike]

Short shifters are one of the easiest, best, and kick ass mods to do to a car...imo..

Tell this guys dad to jump off a cliff....

[yellow2000S/R]

A friend went through 2 tansmissions in his 05 GTI... he had a B&M shifter...

You decide.

LOL

He kept saying he could "never get it adjusted right". He was always pulling up the boot while driving and adjusting something.

[j0hnZ]

Why would you adjust something like that while driving?

Sounds like the answer to that might be what broke his 2 transmissions.

[Apex]

It would be easier to force the sleeve onto the dog teeth of the gear, before the synchronizer blocking ring allows it to move, with a short throw shifter since there is more force applied to the selector fork. So the likelihood of damage is increased when sloppy shifting technique is used.

[capitalcrew]

Like I said, if you're not giving the synchros time to work then you deserve it.

[Blue ZX2]

They are tards, and his mechanic dad prolly works at jiffy lube....

Short shifter dont do any damage that you cant do with a stock shifter.

[CarbonTC]

when i had my 04' GLI VR6 i bought a short shift kit for less than $200ish and the shifter for this type of car is not like the zx2. it is installed under the hood next to the transmission cable, i cant really recall that part but it replaces a series of springs and something like a box. The shifter handle itself still the same. Keep in mind all vw's with manual transmission have reverse on the left. By pressing the shifter towards down and moving it to the left. These cars are very complicated and expensive to maintain.
peace.

[CarbonTC]

ps: i aint newbe, i had to register again cause' the other site lost my info... damn it!
-cristian

[00zx2s/r]

ps: i aint newbe, i had to register again cause' the other site lost my info... damn it!
-cristian

haha don't worry I recognize the name! But thanks for the info. And I did notice the weird reverse locatione when I went to put it in reverse where the ZX2 has it and it didn't work.... lol.

[mechtech]

Once again, the short shifter has LESS leverage. LESS force is applied to the synchronizers, or whatever. You lose mechanical advantage.
You can gain speed if you want , but with less force. Kinda like a Honda - no torque but has HP.

[Apex]

Once again, the short shifter has LESS leverage. LESS force is applied to the synchronizers, or whatever. You lose mechanical advantage.
You can gain speed if you want , but with less force. Kinda like a Honda - no torque but has HP.

Oops I got confused there. My mistake. So, really, its better for your synchros.

[Exodia]

Short shifters are one of the easiest, best, and kick ass mods to do to a car...imo..

Tell this guys dad to jump off a cliff....

I don't know about easiest. I personally think changing my struts was easier than getting that one bolt with 8 years of rust off. Horrible angling, and rusted so bad that it was essentially stripped via rusted almost round before I even got to it.

[random_hero]

wait..... you have friends?

[aaronrun]

Like I said, if you're not giving the synchros time to work then you deserve it.

How would you know if you're not giving the synchros time to work? I'm no expert on trannies. I do tend to shift as quickly as possible.

[00zx2s/r]

wait..... you have friends?

yes I have plenty of friends, actually! I even have girls as friends too! Some more "friendlier" than others! if you catch my drift...