| Re: Shortened A4 shifter mod |
Subject: Re: Shortened A4 shifter mod by shakedown067 on 2010/3/9 2:56:24 Quote:
Of course I always get to into the mod and always forget to take pics. Not to mention I'm usually too dirty and don't want to touch the camera. Below are the instructions I followed to do mine. It's very basic. He recommended taking off the Trim panel, and it would be safer...but I didn't. 1) Get an old sheet or something similar and cut a hole in it to fit around the shifter. 2) Remove the center button by gently prying it up with a small flathead screwdriver. 3) The knob is held on with a snapring that you must get off using whatever method you can. I used snapring pliers and a flathead screwdriver. You probably won't be using it again so if it gets bent don't worry. 4) Once you pull the snapring off, then the knob should pull off. (I had to work with it to pull it up.) 5) After the knob is off you will see what the outer and inner shafts look like. You must cut both of them and then make a notch so it looks like it does now. 6) Measure the difference between the inner shaft and outer shaft. Then decide how low you want the shift knob to be. At this point it is personal preference AND you must "eyeball" the measurement since there is no real way to measure it acurately. (I used a metal art ruler and used the metric side to be the most accurate) 7) Once you decide how low you want it, then take some sort of cutting tool (dremel, air cutting tool, etc.) and cut the outer shaft to the proper length. This is where the sheet comes it to protect your interior from sparks and metal. (I used a pipe cutter, took about 5 minutes) 8) After you cut the outer shaft, then cut the inner shaft so that it sticks up a little higher (per your measurements earlier). Here's where sparks will fly 9) Then you have to cut a notch in the outer shaft so the knob will fit back on. I cut mine a little smaller so the knob was hard to push on and therefore will stay on without the snapring. (I cut mine deeper so it was easier to push the button in) 10) Push the center button back in. Reinstall trim around shifter. To get the shift boot to clear the new shortened shifter, push it through the the trimwork (turning it inside out) then push it back through with the top part still pushed in on itself. This may not sound clear, but it will be when you are doing it. --->For more on what I did. I measured the shaft to 2" and cut it off. I then measured 2" on the button linkage and cut it off. I then took the top part of the shaft and placed it upside down on the shaft. I then marked the shaft for the length and placement of the new grooves for the shifter knob. I measured them a few times, then made the grooves about a 1/16th of an inch deeper and it'll make the button easier to depress. Good luck. |
