DIY Installing a Short Shifter

[hotrod]

This DIY was made using a Forbidden Motorsports (http://www.forbiddenmotorsports.com) short shifter. You can apply these instructions to pretty much any short shifter. Attempt this and/or follow these instructions at your own risk. I take no responsibilities over you hurting yourself or destroying your car or parts of it.

Parts Needed:
Forbidden Motorsports short shifter
Phillips screwdriver
Slotted screwdriver
Socket set
Wrench


Remove the four screws on the driver side and the four screws on the passenger side as shown below.
http://www.edtang.com/forum/prelude/short_shifter_install/01.jpg


Remove the two screws circled in red below.
http://www.edtang.com/forum/prelude/short_shifter_install/02.jpg


Place a slotted screwdriver in between the chrome trim and the shift knob. Tilt the screwdriver up, then apply pressure downwards. The boot along with the chrome trim should slide away from the shift knob.
http://www.edtang.com/forum/prelude/short_shifter_install/03.jpg


Turn the shift knob counterclockwise to remove it. You should have something that looks like this now:
http://www.edtang.com/forum/prelude/short_shifter_install/04.jpg


Now carefully remove the center console.


Use a 10mm socket to remove the bolt holding the shifter cable to the shifter.
http://www.edtang.com/forum/prelude/short_shifter_install/05.jpg


Use a 12mm socket to remove the four bolts holding the plate to the body.
http://www.edtang.com/forum/prelude/short_shifter_install/06.jpg


Use a 10mm socket to remove the bolt holding the shifter to the plate. The mass of bolts you'll see may be confusing. I've pulled the plate to the side and pried it up a bit so it's easier to take a picture. Notice we're taking the center bolt out; not the two that are holding the shifter assembly together.
http://www.edtang.com/forum/prelude/short_shifter_install/07.jpg


Here's the shifter removed. Take everything off of this, and transfer it to the short shifter. Take out the two bolts; the plates in front of and behind the shifter will come loose. Take out and transfer the assembly inside to the short shifter, then reassemble on the short shifter. I've circled the cube to remind you to transfer that also.
http://www.edtang.com/forum/prelude/short_shifter_install/08.jpg


Here's the short shifter and the stock shifter side by side. Compare this to the previous picture. Notice that everything was transferred over.
http://www.edtang.com/forum/prelude/short_shifter_install/09.jpg


Now, install the short shifter by reversing steps 7 and 8. Select your throw; the top hole gives the shortest throw. I have mine set up with the shortest.
http://www.edtang.com/forum/prelude/short_shifter_install/10.jpg


The shifter will hit the bottom of the center console when you're shifting into 1st, 3rd, or 5th gear. So you'll have to trim out some of the plastic at the front of the center console. Trim up to where the staples are, as shown below.
http://www.edtang.com/forum/prelude/short_shifter_install/11.jpg


Here are before and after pictures. It's hard to tell the difference, but it sits a tad lower. The shifts are a lot more concise, and the throws are a lot... well... shorter.

Before:
http://www.edtang.com/forum/prelude/short_shifter_install/12.jpg

After:
http://www.edtang.com/forum/prelude/short_shifter_install/13.jpg

[FLaVaH 0wnz]

nicely done i gotta do this to mine too

[jimmyznutz]

awesome DIY. Gotta get me one.

[JDMPitBull]

thats mad helpful but will that work for a 97 honda prelude sh i dont wanna get an adapter

[blueprelude]

i just emailed 4bidden 2day!
they still active right?

[ogsmakdade]

hotrod has the best DIY's. great writeup bro

[PepsiOne]

finally got me this short shifter and I'm really impress with it...nice write up also

[steve_o]

nice post i took my center counsle out for the fun of it today and i noticed that the plastic under the shift boot was shaved off the guy before me must have had a short throw shifter in or something

[dubbs.]

Thank you for the excellent writeup! I'm installing mine today.

[el_cuco]

Nice post i can't wait for mine, a few of my friends have it and they love them!

[Bobby_V]

thats mad helpful but will that work for a 97 honda prelude sh i dont wanna get an adapter

Didn't see an anwser this question.

[hotrod]

thats mad helpful but will that work for a 97 honda prelude sh i dont wanna get an adapter

Didn't see an anwser this question.

sorry. :redface: no, you can't just drop the 4th gen shifter into a 5th gen. requires modifications. last i heard, they don't have one for the 5th gen, but is in the process of making one. don't know what the status is... don't really keep up on it.

[Prelude13]

The only thing i would add to this writeup is to re-grease those shifter cables and every pivot in that shifter. When i went back to stock, i made sure i re-greased for the ultimate, "slicing through the gates action" :cool:


Great writeup Ed!

[mr_y82]

good stuff. I've heard good things about the forbidden shifter... it reduces throws close to 80%, right?

[RedDevil99]

lol, shifts get shorter than this? if i had even less movement shifting, i might as well have got an automatic! going from a mustang to a prelude is like movin from a semi to a pinto.