So I did some research before I bought my shifter, and saw that some people where having some problems with the SS rubbing, but I thought it was only on the aftermarket exhausts.

My new B&M shifter is installed with the Energy Bushing Kit as well, and YES it rubs. The wife hates it, so I have questions.

What happens if you cut the counter-weights off the shift linkage, has anyone done this and does it have adverse effects? The shifter rubs the STOCK exhaust, I tried prying off the heat sheild but I think the whole think needs to go......

I am not going to sacrafice my new shifter.....it is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, the best buy I feel for a manual. I got a type-R shift ****, new boot, and it just feels so good shifting into gears.....except 4,5, and R.

So what do I do? I was thinking about ditching the exhaust system, maybe going down to my local exhaust shop and having them fab me up an exhaust that hangs just a little lower there, or maybe even flatten out the exhaust there? Again what would happen if I went to town on the linkage with my disk grinder? Any help would be great! By the way I am not sure about the whole difference between the duel bends and the single bends, but I have a single bend, it sits lower than the factor height, but the distance between gears is just amazing.

 

my short shifter rubs as well and i asked a similar question a while back. Forty04 mentioned something about grinding it down, so i think it's possible but IMO thats kinda sketchy. You could extend the exhaust hangars around the linkage so it hangs a bit lower, but then you risk exhaust scraping over speed bumps and whatnot. What gears does it do it in? Mine only does it in 3rd and 4th, so in those gears i just keep my hand on the shifter and you can't hear the rattle once I'm cruising in 5th. i would NOT however recommend flattening out the exhaust though, i see nothing good coming from that lol

 

1, 2, 3 are good, 4th is tougher, and 5th is hard, reverse is just plain stupid trying to get it into gear. Its not something the wife is going to live with. She gave me the go to do what ever. When I said flatten out the exhaust I was thinking about going to a 2.5' and then flatten it out where the shifter is a little, not talking flat flat, but just enought to give the clearance. I am also looking at just doing a FULL EXHAUST upgrade, from the block back. I hammer at the spot where the shifter hits could do the trick, but what I really want to know is what do those counter weights on the linkage do, and could they be cut off.

 

i just slipped the hanger by the shifter off and let the others support it, it has been working for me and i dont notice a rub.if you let it rub long enough it could cause problems to the exhaust from wearing down.

 

i'd go the custom 2.25" or 2.5" exhaust and just have the guys put the hangars a little lower so the linkage doesn't rub.

 

I am sure this won't be a sticky yet....but!

Ok so that stupid short shifter rub against the exhaust. I dropped the shifter linkage, and SHAVED the counterweights off, then I shaved the linkage round on the passenger side to match the driver side. One it DROPPED 10lbs so I gained 800hp, JK. Seriously, It shifts smooth into every gear, no rub, and its actually easier to get into reverse and 5th, its like you don't have to fight it as much.

How I shaved/trimmed: Dropped the linkage, got out the sawsall with a metal blade, and cut the weights off, then I leveled the blade with the driver side of the linkage and leveled it off to match. I will gladely take pictures so you can see, but I can not tell you how nice it is to shift smooth and even into every gear with out having to fight the exhaust.