I have a question regarding the TWM STS. For those of you who have them, is it worth it to pay the extra $100 for the bushings and cable clamp? I think if I get it I will get the bushings but I’m torn over whether or not to pay the extra $80 for that cable clamp. Advice please!

 

$80 is a lot but it does make a noticeable difference. I drove with and without it and I'm happy I decided to get it.

 

I havent had any issues with my cable popping out on mine and i have had mine in for about 2.5 years, i did get the solid bushings tho.

 

The bushings make a works if a difference, so i would def get those. When i bought my TWM STS they hadn't invented the cable clamp yet, haha. I wound up getting it recently and i honestly can't feel a difference. However, it's a known fact that the stock clamp has the potential to break fairly easily, so it's just peace of mind. Think of it this way, if your cable clamp breaks you'll be cursing yourself for not getting it when u had the chance. And now you have to pay extra for it.

 

Get the bushings and the clamp, screw the shifter.

 

I bought the shifter and bushings together. Then once they developed the cable clamp, I prepaid and waited a few months to get mine with the first production shipment. I broke 1 stock linkage piece, and didn't want to take the chance of breaking another. I have not had any issues since installing TWM's piece. I say it's well worth the money for peace of mind knowing you will not break it.

 

^^^kinda liking sox fan. Once the clamp clamps though, what difference could you feel? The TWM clamp is very nice, pita to do, but impossible to break like the plastic ones ; the plastic ones can be broken by hamfisted installers...
The stock shifter has the 4th gear position locate for easy cable positioning, works every time.

 

I got the shifter and the bushings. noticeable difference over stock. The clamp will be on my list if I ever break the factory clamp. Probably wont because I dont slam gears.

 

So what I'm gathering is that the point of the cable clamp is for durability and not so much enhanced shifting?

 

this exactly

 

I am interested in how the shifter base bushing inhance your shifting?

 

My understanding is that the stock bushings are rubber, which will deform significantly more than aluminum bushings and therefore the aluminum bushings give the shifter a more 'solid' feel.

 

Exactly.

And to your question, yes you're correct, the cable clamp doesn't change the feel at all. It just more sturdy and durable than the plastic factory one.

Seriously, I have the shifter and I don't feel like it was a great value and I wouldn't spend the money on it again. The bushings? Most definitely! A word of warning though, they are an extreme! pain in the ass to do if your car is older. The factory rubber bushings seize to the mounting studs after a few winter summer cycles. Nonetheless, they really are worth doing as the bushings made a far bigger difference than the shifter.

 

Sox-Fan, do you not like the 'short throw' aspect of the shifter?

 

The short throw aspect is fine, but a shifter is more than that. The TWM just is not so good that it's worth the money I paid for it. The stock shifter with the base bushings is just as good in my opinion.

 

stock bushings are rubber and give your shifter alittle bit of a rubbery play as you swing it into the gears. The solid bushing are aluminum and replace the rubber. Its like the Arcade nascar games you see on the board walk. If you noticed.. The shifter is pretty damn solid on those arcades lol, no spongey feel. The solid bushings plus STS make your shifter feel like you driving a car in the arcade. Precise shifting, no bouncey rubber feeling, clanking metal noises lol.

 

The Factory shifter is considered a short throw shifter, Its just plastic and the TWM is really just a great way to get a quality shift knob that screws in place and not some stupid plastic cap garbage.

 

Do you personally own one CudaJoe? Do you feel the same way as Sox-Fan or do you feel that it's worth it.

I'm getting such mixed signals since so many people rave about this thing lol

 

Oh I still have mine, lol. Paid a premium for it and Im keeping it till I get rid of the car. It is nice and compared to all the STS's out there its worth the price.

To do the shifter bushings, you basically gotta take the whole shifter assembly apart.. might as well throw in the short throw shifter while your at it.

 

I guess I just don't see where a shift knob is worth all that much. Your mileage may vary.

edit - I'm not trying to blow sales for TWM. A lot of people like them. I just think that I've used way better shifters before and don't think the quality of this one is worth the expense.

 

I agree but the thing that is interesting, is the short shifters increase shift effort and lots of people like that. The billet alloy is really nicely machined, but I miss the ability to properly align the shifter and cables to tell the truth.

like this.

I run an LNF shifter in my Redline with machined bushings in the case. Love it.

 

You can adjust the TWM shifter side to side and align the blue part so that it sits nicely on the black part (reverse lockout). I was able to get mine lined up as well as the one in the pic. Directions are on page 24 of the PDF document here:

http://www.twmperformance.com/manual...all-manual.pdf

If you're talking about something else John, sorry for the confusion.

That link is also a good one to see what the bushings and clamp look like and how hard they are to install.

 

The reverse lockout tang on the TWM..... at least the one I received... isn't properly placed, causing me to have to adjust my shifter pretty far to the right for it to be able to work. That is by far the largest gripe I have with it.