Short Shifter

[itsme]

I think you might have tighten the nut on the bushing too much. IIRC, the spec is only like 13 ft-lbs.

No, I didn't overtighten it. I think may have be caused by production variances in my car. Maybe the linkage was out of alignment enough that the harder bushing would not work well. I have had no problem since I put the stock bushing back in.

[bigman9918]

or..you can buy the STI STS and buy the Kartboy. You can install the Kartboy on top of the STI STS since the STI STS replaces the entire shifter assembly.

[IB6UB9]

Since I've never owned a manual, but I want an '05 LGT 5MT, should I be concerned with a STS at all? I mean, what are the benefits of using one? Are they easier to drive? Are they more comfortable to drive?

[chenc544]

Since I've never owned a manual, but I want an '05 LGT 5MT, should I be concerned with a STS at all? I mean, what are the benefits of using one? Are they easier to drive? Are they more comfortable to drive?

 

They are more fun to drive.

Just find the right car first, you can always add the STS later.

[Siper2]

Is it not possible to install the kartboy sts with the sti linkage and have the better of both worlds?

 

You don't want to do that. I remember a comparison thread on NASIOC a few years ago, between the KB and STi units. The KB is designed to work with the stock linkage, where as the STi unit replaces the whole thing--linkage and shifter arm.

 

Tom Deadrick (of Kartboy) and/or Pete Romano (of http://www.scoobymods.com) had a great description between the two. Basically the distance between the "cylinder" on the shifter arm (where the bolt goes through) and the pivot ball, differs between stock and STi. Whereas it's the same, between stock and Kartboy. IIRC. I'm no math whiz, but they basically deduced that Subaru/STi had to have the different linkage, likely in order to compensate for this.

 

That may not be true, but it certainly seemed that way. The linkage is no different, insofar as materials, between stock and STi. They're built of the same stuff.

 

You could drop Tom an email at http://www.kartboy.com to find out the specifics. I've got a KB shifter and forward bushings in my '00 RS. I've had it in there nearly since I bought the car. I love it, but it's too short for a lot of people. If you go with a unit that doesn't swap out the whole linkage, the best thing you can do is get yourself a 32 oz. rubber mallet for installation. And be sure to grease all the connections really well, especially the pivot ball. It can squeak a lot if underlubricated.

 

=S2=

[Siper2]

Although... hmm... I just checked Kartboy's site:

 

http://www.allwheelengineering.com/basket/catalog.cgi?query_net_id=kartboy&query_class=KB-001-1997

 

And it states:

 

Cars with Factory 5-speed STi Shift kit should choose the 97-01 model.

 

I'm *guessing* that this applies to Legacies too, but I'm not positive.

 

So, it'll likely work if the STi linkage is already installed, but... point being that there's no reason to buy the STi kit, just to rip the lever out.

[Guest]

Factory STI STS with better knob that goe slower than stock (e.g. Momo Airleather) is far better than Cobb IMHO.

[Siper2]

TIC actually has some really cool aluminum and copolymer ones. The latter doesn't suffer from the heat/cold extremes.

 

http://www.turninconcepts.com/index.php?cPath=1_178_179_240