Only944 Short Shifter and Shift Linkage Arm

Last week I installed the Only944 shifter that got rid of a lot of the play in the shifter itself but the big change I wanted was to reduce the shift throws because they are quite long from the factory. Only944 makes a replacement shifter linkage that's all metal and reduces the shift throws by 30% as well as a replacement shift linkage arm using high quality heim joints for direct and smooth operation. Removal of the factory shift linkage and arm was a bit of a bear. The bolts came out pretty easily but I needed to pick up a pulley remover set to be able to separate it from the transmission shaft. The shift linkage arm is connected via a 17mm bolt at the top of the transmission which has very little room so getting that out involve reaching over the transmission to try and work a ratcheting wrench in small increments.

Factory Shift Linkage removed

You can see the difference between the factory pieces and the fresh Only944 ones. They're super high quality pieces that I expect will provide many years of good service. 

Factory vs Only944 shift linkage and arm

You have to separate the new ball joint from the shift linkage arm in order to install it to the hole left by removing the factory linkage arm. This was the most annoying part because there's no visibility, hardly any room to get your hand in there and you need a 1.5" long 11mm wrench to try and tighten it (thankfully Only944 sell this too if you don't want to fabricate one yourself). Once you get that in, you then need to reconnect the arm to the ball join which requires a fair bit of force. I ended up using a ratchet strap and yanking down on it to get enough force to push the ball joint in then long skinny plies to slot the clip back in place.

Only944 shift linkage arm installed

Next up was installing the new shifter linkage. This was much easier after fighting that ball joint. The only extra thing was to reinstall new safety wire on the bolt securing it to the black shifter rod and putting the boot back over it. The instructions didn't say to do either but it seemed logically to reinstall safety wire that was there before to make sure it doesn't back out and it can't hurt to put the boot back on. 

Safety wire

Everything installed including safety wire -
Boot pulled over bolt after photo was taken

I kept the top nut loose so I could go back in the car and make sure the shifter was centered then tightened it back down. It's a 13mm nut and you need an thin 11mm wrench to keep the ball joint from rotating while you tighten it down. The combined result of the new shifter, short shift linkage and shift linkage arm is a much more crisp, notchy shift that's the perfect throw distance. Although I cursed myself for not being able to just leave things alone while doing the install, the results were quite rewarding and worth it especially as a winter project.