[jcbluescooby]

Exactly what the title says. Looking to get a short shifter for my 04 forester xt. I was thinking kartboy but I don't like how on the site it doesn't give any specific info and it doesn't actually say it is a short shifter. It only says 5 speed shift lever. Can anyone confirm that it is in fact a short shifter. I emailed kartboy but no response.

Here's the link for kartboys shifter:
http://www2.kartboy.com/x4/product.php?productid=16173&cat=265&page=1

 

[urabusasnwonatas]

i got a 5spd subaru off a guy used and put perrin and kartboy
hard bushings in it's nice and solid, big difference . pretty easy to put in even thou it. easy than the kart boy shifter actually. i thought at least.

 

[joe r]

I would do the KartBoy with the front & rear bushings. Write Tom & let hom know you want the older Impreza version as it is much shorter.


joe r

 

[jcbluescooby]

any others wit input?

 

[Doc Samson]

any others wit input?

Shifter and bushings from Kartboy were the first "real" mod I did. It was a definite improvement!

The link you posted is indeed a short shifter.

 

[BAC5.2]

You'd be foolish not to go with a Kartboy.

 

[eman]

yup, kartboy. i have the older impreza one cause i like the considerably shorter(than the kartboy xt shifter) length. very happy with it.

 

[Tau137]

KB is just fine. Plus front and rear stay bushings (as a kit). You can get the shifter for XT (is is marked as such on the KB website), or you can get one for Impreza (very short).

 

[wordsarize]

I would do the KartBoy with the front & rear bushings. Write Tom & let hom know you want the older Impreza version as it is much shorter.


joe r

which year(s) impreza would fit?

 

[jcbluescooby]

yes ive been told and read that the older impreza short shifters have shorter throws..however i also heard that the shift knob sits a lot lower than the xt specific short shifter and it doesnt sit at a comfortable height..can anyone chime in on this

 

[manitou]

STI 5 spd short shifter

I have a 5 speed STI short shifter with Cobb bushings that I was using before doing the 6 speed swap. I will PM you about this.

 

[Woody '04]

Don't know about the shorter impreza shifter, but I got the kartboy kit with the forester shifter. Overall I like the feel, but it can increase noise and vibration. If you use the stock knob or a heavy knob it probably wouldn't bother you. I like a really lightweight knob (45g I think!) and NV bothers me some with the kartboy shifter. If I had to do it all over again I would research the STi short shifter linkage compared to some of the other ones. The picture I saw of the STi looks like it has a rubber-damped shifter like the stock one. Less NV but maybe also less direct feel.

I wound up taking the rear kartboy bushing off. it was a real PITA to try and install and I partially messed up the threads on the car but had a tap to chase them. I think the material shrinkage makes the bolt holes not line up properly. Also, the rear bushing does make it sit higher in the car but it also pushes up on the rubber boot protecting the shift linkage and I didn't like the way it looked, like it might cause it to crack or fail prematurely. I put the stock rear bushing back in and like this setup better. The knob is a little lower and it still has a more direct, "notchy" feel I like in combination with the front kb bushings. Couldn't tell much difference in the feel with the rear stock bushing vs the kb bushing.

One of the manufacturers (cobb?!) makes an adjustable one which I thought was a neat idea but found out about after I got the kb.

Good luck deciding!

 

[manitou]

I used the STI short shifter with the Cobb bushings and stock knob for 1.5 years and loved it. Yes it was more expensive than the kartboy but it was a much shorter throw, stock height and no additional NV. I really felt a difference when I upgraded to the Cobb bushings.

 

[tallazzPilipino]

I have a 5 speed STI short shifter with Cobb bushings that I was using before doing the 6 speed swap. I will PM you about this.

any more info on that 5-speed STi short-shifter?