When I first got the '05 xB, the shifter action felt like a bowling ball on the end of a rope.
"Oh well" I thought "that's what a cable-shifted FWD car feels like."
Then I unscrewed the knob. Its weight felt like the bowling ball at the end of said rope.
I replaced the knob with an OE piece from a MkI MR2, whose weight was mere ounces.
Now the car shifts easily and with a light touch.
Can someone explain to me the point of heavy shift knobs? They feel all wrong to me!
When I put a heavier knob (changed plastic to aluminum, so not exactly weighted) on my Civic, it seemed to dampen a good bit of vibrations coming through the cables and gave the impression of shifting smoother and more deliberately. I could see how adding too much weight (JDM y0!) could have an adverse effect.
unevolved hit it on the shifter. Sometimes car makers fit heavy shift knobs in an attempt to quell vibration of the shift shaft which is (probably?) originating in the transmission.
I once had an '82 J2000. The shift "knob" was actually a semi-hollow ball shaped piece of plastic that fit over the ball shaped end of the shift shaft. Why GM did THAT, I couldn't begin to guess. Unfortunately, after about 2 or 3 years in the heat of Texas and Florida that "knob" cracked and then broke into 2 irregular sized pieces. To make matters worse, the only way to replace it was with another GM J-car manual shift knob....for an '82. They changed the transmission in later years for a Getrag-sourced transmission.
I also once owned a Ford Ranger. About a year after I owned that the shift knob pulled loose and came off with any amount of upward force. I finally got around to using a semi-permanent RTV on it.
A heavier shift knob can make a shifter feel more substantial, the added mass/momentum can also slightly smooth out a notchy transmission.
Many econoboxes have large heavy weights on the shifter bellcrank on the transmission. Its supposed to make the shifting "inertia" seem "bigger." Little econoboxes have lightweight transmissions and the shift feel is less than desirable, so they add weight to it to make it feel bigger.
Wait does that work for everything?
I've always heard that the extra inertia from a heavier shift knob helps get a more positive "lock" in to each gear with a transmission which is a little "notchy". I was a skeptic until I found a cool weighted, metal shift knob for my SE-R. I bought it mainly for looks but found it really did seem to help add a little bit more of a positive lock into each gear. At the approximately the same time I switched to a better fluid, added a short shifter and poly bushings though, so I'm not sure how much of the total improvement was by virtue of the weighted knob.
Most importantly, it looks cool, though.
I actually liked the stock knob on the 1g xB. (shrugs)
I like heavy shift knobs... less vibrations, makes it feel like a quality tool.
So many double entendres.
And besides... if people didn't like heavy knobs, who would buy the Cobb knob?
The COBB Knob is the hottest shift knob available for the MAZDASPEED3. The COBB Knob is a fusion of the highest quality materials that, when properly mated, produce a knob that feels as good as it looks. Shifting has never been this exciting! The COBB Knob is designed to keep those extended shifting sessions exhilarating. The billet aluminum base is anodized in your choice of red or blue to help set the mood and is internally threaded to provide a tight fit onto the shifter shaft that won't come loose in the most frenzied of gear changes. The satin black delrin knob feels incredible and has a perfectly round contour to fit right in the palm of your hand. The package is complete with a COBB logo boldly engraved into the base to let everyone know whose knob you hold. The knob weighs 115g, encouraging smooth thrusts into every gear. Spin on a COBB Knob and go for a ride!
I swapped the stock knob in my Miata for a light MOMO, but the shift action was much better with the heavy, ugly stock knob.
I think that there was actually a paragraph or two about this subject in Norman Garrett's Miata book.
http://www.speednation.com/store/product121.html
NASCAR race cars have big 8 ball shift knobs. I put one on my MR2 (RIP) and it did change things up some.
On my REPU the previous owner drilled out a 6 ball and tapped it or glued(likely) it to the shifter. It is really heavy as it is a real billiard ball,and not a cheap plasticy one. It feels great in your hand,and matches the green color of the truck rather well. I get compliments on it as well,and it isn't the typical 8 ball you see so often. I am a fan of heavy shift knobs.
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: I actually liked the stock knob on the 1g xB. (shrugs) I like heavy shift knobs... less vibrations, makes it feel like a quality tool. So many double entendres. And besides... if people didn't like heavy knobs, who would buy the Cobb knob?The COBB Knob is the hottest shift knob available for the MAZDASPEED3. The COBB Knob is a fusion of the highest quality materials that, when properly mated, produce a knob that feels as good as it looks. Shifting has never been this exciting! The COBB Knob is designed to keep those extended shifting sessions exhilarating. The billet aluminum base is anodized in your choice of red or blue to help set the mood and is internally threaded to provide a tight fit onto the shifter shaft that won't come loose in the most frenzied of gear changes. The satin black delrin knob feels incredible and has a perfectly round contour to fit right in the palm of your hand. The package is complete with a COBB logo boldly engraved into the base to let everyone know whose knob you hold. The knob weighs 115g, encouraging smooth thrusts into every gear. Spin on a COBB Knob and go for a ride!
I have a JDM aluminum s00per light knob on my ms3. Cobbs knob is not my trick.
Dr. Hess wrote: NASCAR race cars have big 8 ball shift knobs. I put one on my MR2 (RIP) and it did change things up some.
not all of them.. it's a personal preference for the drivers. some of them have a traditional white Hurst style knob on them, some have a weird lightweight aluminum thing that looks like and old school microphone, and some have a shiny chrome ball. they also have different shifter handles- some are chrome steel, some are machined billet aluminum. some are short sticks that just stick straight up, some have the base farther forward and are laid back towards the driver. again, it's a driver preference thing.
Just be careful with the heavy shift knobs, as they can accelerate wear, very much like resting your hand on the shifter at all times.
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: I actually liked the stock knob on the 1g xB. (shrugs)
That's why they make all kinds! I was actually missing shifts with that behemoth. It made me think I'd bought a car with a bad trans.
Woody wrote: I swapped the stock knob in my Miata for a light MOMO, but the shift action was much better with the heavy, ugly stock knob. I think that there was actually a paragraph or two about this subject in Norman Garrett's Miata book. http://www.speednation.com/store/product121.html
Same here. I had switched to the knob from my 1980 rx7, and I made the nice shifting Miata trans feel like a nasty buzzy mess.
Joey
I just bought a grenade shifter for the Z that has to be 8-10 ounces heavier and it feels like less of an effort to shift. On the other hand I can't feel the shifts lock in like I could with the stock knob, which could be do to the fact that it's a heavy piece of metal.
From the hotrod crowd, I can tell you that a heavy knob on an older transmission (1940's / 50's era) with questionable synchros even when new makes shifting a lot smoother.
That extra inertia seems to help stuff the trans into gear when you're in a hurry.
Shawn
I know VW played with weights on their shift mechanism for the same reason.
Thw "Whalen Shift Machine" for the MINI is just a heavy weighted knob, but everyone I've read comments from says it greatly improves the Getrag 6 \'s feel. And it's rediculously priced for what it is. I have a Hurst short shifter in the Stang and it is notchy beyond belief. I've actually looked into having a really heavy, plain white shift knob custom made to smooth it out.
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