Ok for all of you mechanics and know-it-alls...what makes a short shifter....well short? What parts are shortened or what makes them have a shorter shift? The reason why I ask is, I'm a machinist student and we have to make our own projects. We've got all machines possible to make pretty much anything. I know it sounds cheezy but hey I can get a free part out of it. Im not much of a mechanic and I would like to get some help from people on here because who knows cobalts better than cobalt owners!!! Any help or even dimensions would be awesome!

 

bump for a good question in the General section.

 

Well the point of a short throw shifter is to, of course, decrease the throw times, or distance between gears. The stick itself is actually shorter, as well as the angle of it is reduced - couple that with a different position of the bolt connecting the shifter to the gear box. All about changing the balence of the shifting; changing the geometrics of it. I hope that wasn't too complicated, I almost tripped up explaining it, haha.

 

Thank you, but im still a little confused!! I sort of get what you're saying. Sorry again, im not a mechanical genius!!! I know what it looks like but when you say "stick" are you talking about the entire assembly or just the top part above the "cue ball"(sorry don't what to call it) looking thing? When you're saying "the angle is reduced" That's the bottom part??? You think its safe for me to pull the shifter out and take measurements? The part where you attach the cable, does that have to be in the same spot on the new part?