Which Acuity parts needed to just remove lateral slop on shifter?

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

Hi all, new member here so please be gentle. I'm looking to remove as much side to side slop from my DE5 shifter without any throw reduction or change in return tension. My complaint is purely with respect to the lateral vagueness that can lead to misalignment going into gear on a fast shift, which can block the shift.

Can you advise which Acuity parts I need to address this and only this issue? Thanks!

-Ash

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[SKINNIE]

These.

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[elh0102]

I don’t know your general experience, nor how long you've had the car, so I apologize if this is offensive. This is one of the best factory shifters I've had, and I've had many. Unless something is wrong, it should not need any work. The spring is loaded perfectly for the 3-4 gate, and shifts should be very pleasing with no "misalignment". Shifters are different, and I've spent time and money on high quality short and sport shifters that were no better than this one. Just my two cents, but you need to do what's best for you.

 

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

I hear you. It's decent fore-aft, but there is a good centimeter of slop in the lateral axis that I want to minimize. In every other way it's fine, which is why I stated I don't want to change the throw nor the centering force as i think they are tuned well.

Does that clarify?

 

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

I just emailed Acuity directly, asking them for guidance. Will post up what they end up recommending.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

I agree that there's slop, but I don't think the slop is from how much side to side movement there is, but rather the LACK of space between gates. I've personally felt and heard from others that occasionally it goes into 3rd when they're expecting 1st gear.

After putting in the acuity linkage bushings, it helped matters, but only because you can feel the gate a tiny little bit better. It's not dramatic.

If you're emailing a manufacturer about their product, I expect they'll tell you all sorts of things about what products they have that will "fix" any problem you come up with .

Overall, it's an okay shifter. Better than most recent cars, but lifeless compared to earlier cars and definitely miles away from a true direct fork trans. It's no early subaru, Nissan z, or s2k... It's great for what it is though.

 

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

Try this though: put the shifter into a gear, any gear. Then wiggle the shifter laterally. It shouldn't move as much as it does. That's not gate spacing (since you're already in gear), that's just slop.

 

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

Just found this video, which does an excellent job of highlighting exactly what my concern is

 

[Victorofhavoc]

Try this though: put the shifter into a gear, any gear. Then wiggle the shifter laterally. It shouldn't move as much as it does. That's not gate spacing (since you're already in gear), that's just slop.

I see what you're after now.

That's a little different. You won't get that without replacing most of the bushings in the pivot mechanism or the whole thing.

 

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

Yeah that's what I think too, unfortunately. The Acuity stage III is pricey, but I think that's probably what I'm going to have to settle for. Not buying anytime soon, but I like to plan my mods ahead of time

 

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

Overall, it's an okay shifter. Better than most recent cars, but lifeless compared to earlier cars and definitely miles away from a true direct fork trans. It's no early subaru, Nissan z, or s2k... It's great for what it is though.

Word. I've owned mostly RWD cars so there's an inherent advantage built in there.

I really miss the Auto Solutions SSK in my old M2cs (never should have sold that car!):

 

[creaturemachine]

Slop? Is it really that bad? I found I struggled to hit the right gear when I used the technique I was used to on a _truly_ sloppy shifter, and that is to aim it into gear, especially the middle gears, 3 and 4. I had a revelation-level improvement when I let the shifter do the work, that is when going from 2 to 3 or 5 to 4, don't try to aim for the gate, just apply pressure in that general direction and let the shifter do the work.

That said, I splashed for the full Acuity shifter, and have it sitting here just waiting for the weekend. I already have the poco knob, base and linkage bushings, and received compliments from a tire shop tech who seemed impressed with the feel, and from the whips on the lot it looked like they were all into BMWs.

 

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

Nice! Let me know how it feels after installation!

To me, slop is the right word. It's a personal preference thing.

 

[creaturemachine]

The more I think about it, cable bushings might be a good first step, and maybe a tighter centering spring. The gates aren't dictated by the shifter, but by the feel through the cables directly from the gearbox. The stock bushings are rubber and probably contribute some of that shifter slop. Those bushings don't come with the full shifter so you'd need them down the road anyway.

 

[Ash @ S2i Audio]

Yeah that might make sense to do, in case it's effective enough to address my preference on its own. Much cheaper than replacing the whole mechanism. Good idea.

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