Best shifter upgrade value for the 996

The SHIFT-RIGHT Solution is back in stock! Combine with the a Trans Mount Insert and a Classic Shift **** for ultimate shifter feel and precision. We also just rolled out the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution CORE EXCHANGE program for the OEM 986/996/987/997 shifters ! Please click here for full details. Feel free to reach out with any questions. Thanks, Rennlist!

So since posting this, I've been getting a lot of questions via PM and email about the kit - what it does, how it does it, how good it is etc. So I've compiled a little FAQ to help answer those questions... SHIFT-RIGHT Solution - FAQ Q: Is this the best shifter upgrade value for my Porsche? A: YES! No other shifter upgrade on the market matches the performance and durability of the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution for under $300 . You will completely transform your shifter�s feel and accuracy, resulting in fewer missed shifts, smoother and more direct operation, and zero flex or play from the shifter. Q: Is the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution a short shift kit? A: No, the kit utilizes your original shift lever, so the shift throw remains unchanged . Q: I like the kit, but I�m a little intimidated about installing it myself. What can you do for me? A: We just rolled out a core-exchange program for 986/996 and 987/997 standard throw shifters! For an additional fee, you�ll receive an OEM shifter with the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution pre-installed that makes install plug and play � just send back your original shifter within 2 weeks of receipt to receive your core deposit refund. And best of all, a return shipping label is included to make the process that much easier! (USA customers only) Q: What have other owners been saying about the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution? A: Here are some owner reviews, in their own words� CS-ICEMAN: I took mine to COTA a couple weekends ago. Worked wonders. No trouble finding the gears. Yes, downshifting to 2nd was easy. No longer a concern about a misshift. I did not have to think about shifting. My hands were moving faster than my feet. I was shifting as fast as I could press the clutch. intubator: I have to say it made a significant difference in positive gear selection and smoothness in shifting between gears over what I had. In fact, I didn't realize the degree of drag I had become used to until I installed this kit with the roller bearings. The F1st bearing yoke is much better than the cheap plastic factory part and adds significantly to the smoothness and accuracy in the left/right gear selection movements, looks better too... I don't have the console on my car so everything is visible along the tunnel. I have been very happy with this upgrade and have done several track days with a greater degree of confidence while shifting between gears. I couldn't be happier. husker boxster: I'm happy to report the 5-4-3-2 downshift for T12 at COTA went very well. Happy with the solid feel and lack of sloppiness . BillZ260: Highly recommend, whether you have a stock shifter or a short shift kit, it removed all the slop in the pivots and transfer mechanisms. I think it actually helps the 2-3 shift smoothness as well where it used to hang up if you tried to force it too quickly before, maybe since there is ZERO play now, it's just straight shooting. Very satisfied. eracer: Just vouching for the product. I installed the Function First "Shift-Right Solution" Ball bearing kit in my 996T and was impressed with the product. It was installed in conjunction with the factory short shifter replacing the plastic bearings. The 'play'/'slop' in the shifter was reduced drastically and the shifting feels more tactile and precise. No more accidental shifting into the other gears . I'd definitely recommend this product to upgrade the driving experience. ( Porsche should have designed it this way to begin with .)

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Clarity needed: I have recently installed a factory Porsche 997 SSK in my 2003 996. Is this modification applicable to this shifter? Will the benefits still be the same?

Absolutely! The 997 SSK utilizes the same plastic/rubber bushings as the standard 996/997 shifters, so the SHIFT-RIGHT will upgrade all those pieces. Actually, that's the exact setup I use - 997 SSK with the SHIFT-RIGHT retrofit kit. It's the shifter pictured in the promo at the start of the thread, as well as on the product page.

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The benefits you list are similar to claims of going to a numeric shifter. I am looking for positive shifter travel, no slop left to right while shifting and engaged in gear. Is this what you're product does? I have seen short video of gear changing with a numeric, do you have similar? Thanks for your answers

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Hey, thanks for posting those questions. Short answer The SHIFT-RIGHT Solution eliminates the free play and flex in the shifter unit. The aluminum components and ball bearings allow all the play to be eliminated, while still allowing for smooth and unimpeded shifter movement. All your shifter inputs will transfer to the cables. The Numeric is a nice unit as well, and offers the built-in capability to customize shifter throw with 3 preset shifter lengths, but it retails for 2x the price and uses smaller ball bearings than the SHIFT-RIGHT kit. Long answer I actually posted an in-depth write-up in a previous thread that covers all the flaws of the OEM shifters, and what and how my product resolves these. Here is the info from that thread: https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...n-upgrade.html The Cup shifter came standard on all factory 996 GT3 Cup racecars. It is derived from, and nearly identical to, the street 996 shifter - the cradle, shift lever and housing, and shifter yoke are all carried over from the street unit. (OEM Cup Car shifter) The only upgraded components are the shifter bushings (that the shift lever housing rotates left-right within). The street unit utilizes rubber/plastic bushings: (OEM 996 shifter bushings: plastic sleeve bearing > rubber insulator > plastic snap-in housing) Whereas the Cup version replaces these with plastic-lined aluminum bushings: (Cup shifter bushing: plastic sleeve bearing > aluminum threaded housing) This one difference makes a big improvement over the street unit through increased durability and enhanced shifting precision by eliminating the flex that plagues the plastic bushings. A couple drawbacks, however, still remain with the Cup shifter: EXCESS SHIFTER PLAY � The aluminum bushings eliminate flex in the shifter mechanism, but the bushings (sleeve/plain bearings) require axial and radial play to prevent binding. When shifting gears, the loads on the shifting mechanism are increased, which further exaggerates the loose tolerances, resulting in imprecise shifting action. Similarly, the shifter yoke rotates about a plain bearing with loose tolerances, so there�s a delay in actuating the shifter cable with side-side shifter motion. This plastic bearing continually degrades over time, resulting in further diminished performance. (Cup shifter components: plastic yoke sleeve bearing, plastic yoke, and aluminum bushings) LONG SHIFTER THROW � The throw of the 996 Cup transmission is shorter than on the street transmission - so with equivalent shifters, the throw will always be longer on the street car. (fore-aft cable travel on the 996.2 Cup car is 38mm, whereas cable travel on a 997.1 Carrera S is 49.5mm) Therefore, using the Cup shifter on your street car will yield noticeably longer shifter throws, especially when installed on a 997, since the 997 standard throw shifter already reduces shifter throw by 15% versus the 996 standard throw shifter. In order to address the shortcomings with the OEM shifter, and those that remained with the Cup unit, Function-First Performance developed the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution as a comprehensive kit to transform your OEM shifter into an exacting instrument with which to control the transmission. The retrofit kit replaces the flexible and imprecise OEM pivot points (shifter bushings and yoke) with billet aluminum and heavy-duty ball bearing components, while retaining the factory shifter�s reliable parts (shifter cradle and lever) to ensure longevity under all driving conditions. (Cup shifter with SHIFT-RIGHT Solution � now essentially a standard 996 shifter with SRS upgrade) I�ll dissect the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution in an upcoming post to showcase its features and the decisions behind the design, but for now I thought the teardown of the OEM and Cup shifter units would provide some good insight into the inner workings of the factory shifters. . In continuation of the original post, I wanted give everyone a deeper look into how the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution improves upon the strengths of the OEM shifter assembly while eliminating its shortcomings. To sum it up, the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution replaces the plastic bushings and pivot connections of the OEM shifter assembly with ball bearings and machined aluminum parts, eliminating the flex and excess play that plagues the stock setup. Plus, it preserves the strongest parts of the OEM shifter assembly for increased durability and reduced cost. But here�s an in-depth look into how and why all that was achieved� DESIGN REQUIREMENTS Implement high-capacity ball bearings. The only way to remove endplay from the pivot points, while simultaneously allowing for smooth operation, is through utilizing ball bearings in a configuration that allows for pre-loading them. And a key design consideration is the selection of an appropriate bearing to deliver durability and reliability. The front and rear bearings, within which the shift lever assembly rotates left-right, experience a majority of their loads axially (in-line with its axis), so high-capacity hardened steel thrust ball bearings were chosen. The shift lever assembly is entirely supported by these 2 ball bearings, and are pre-loaded via the rear set screw to eliminate all fore-aft play. Their high-capacity is especially important under repetitive and high stress conditions like track driving, and in shifting configurations that remove dampening features (rubber cable ends) as with Cup shifter cables. And to ensure that all left-right shift lever force is transferred to the transmission, the shifter yoke is mounted on 2 deep-groove ball bearings to eliminate any lateral play when transitioning between the gear rows (i.e. shifts 2-3 & 4-5). Tightly tolerance machined parts for unprecedented fit and operation. In order to deliver superior fit and operation, all machined parts need to be tightly toleranced to both each other and the existing OEM shifter mechanism in which it�s being installed � any failure here would negate the benefits achieved with the ball bearings. As such, special care was taken in the design and tolerancing of all 6 unique machined parts of the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution retrofit kit to guarantee a close-fitting assembly � all slip-fits are within 0.003� of one another (see pics below). Additionally, in order to safeguard the high wear contact points of the shifter yoke and preserve those tolerances, it is hardcoat anodized with a Teflon impregnation for reduced friction. Utilize the OEM shifter cradle and shift lever assembly to ensure factory fitment and keep costs down. The OEM shifter cradle is a one-piece design molded from glass-fiber reinforced plastic, and as such is extremely rigid, making it an excellent platform within which to upgrade the shifter mechanism. And the OEM shift lever uses a beefy steel lever that can reliably handle the abuse of repetitive high loads. By re-using these OEM pieces, durability is preserved and upgrade costs are minimized. RESULTS So what does all this mean for the driver, in practical terms? Fewer Missed Shifts. Eliminating shifter play yields predictable and consistent shifter feel for confident gear engagement � no more second guessing whether the car is in the desired gear or not. Each shift is delivered with certainty. Efficient Gear Changes. Reducing the friction in the shifter mechanism delivers smooth and uninhibited shift lever path of travel. Reducing shifter flex maximizes the shifting energy transferred to the transmission gear selector arm. What you put in is what you get out. High Quality Feel. Removing the flex, play, and overall sloppiness of OEM shifter assembly eliminates the cheap feel every time you reach for the gear lever. You�re driving a Porsche!

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Now that is how to answer a technical question!! Thank you, will be in contact.

Superb technical write-up, Function-1st. Excellent rigor! Since I bought my car 4 yrs ago (2000 C2) and it now has 157k kms, the transition from 1st to 2nd has been quite notchy and the transition from 3rd to 4th while not being quite as notchy, I can sense the gears falling/meshing into place through the stick. No grinding in either of these 2 transitions. In both of these transitions, I have to be careful completing the shifts. The other transitions are very nice (2 to 3, 4 to 5 and 5 to 6 are smooth) and downshiftings to 2nd and to 4th are not notchy. The transmission is otherwise very quiet and does not appear to be the issue (?). My question to you is then the following: Given the issue described above, do you believe your upgrade would eliminate or at least improve these 2 notchy transitions; ie, to 2nd and 4th? Much appreciated! Merci! Martin

Thanks for the praise! From my own experience in dealing with an older transmission, I can share the following... The shifting mechanism is a series of mechanical parts. You can trace it from your shifting hand all the way back to the transmission itself, and even the engine & transmission mounts. From the factory, these parts are compromised (or better said, geared a little more towards comfort and cabin isolation, rather than performance), and with increased age especially, these parts of the system will wear down further to introduce even more slack. Refreshing and tightening up every part of this system will improve your car's shifting performance. On my recent 986 S purchase, I encountered much difficulty shifting, especially from 1st to 2nd. I changed the transmission fluid, upgraded the transmission and engine mounts to FFP semi-solid units, and added the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution with a Delrin Classic Shift ****. As a result, the shifting performance has been transformed and there is much less difficulty engaging gears. The hesitation and rubbery feeling is gone. Short of rebuilding your transmission, which is a drastic fix, here's the order in which I would address your issues: 1. Transmission fluid change - OEM or similar for a street car 2. Engine & Transmission mounts - OEM or upgraded units, depending on your performance needs 3. Shifter unit - aftermarket unit (see first post up top ) 4. Shifter cables - aftermarket, to replace the rubber ends 5. Shift **** - aftermarket, as the OEM unit is rubbery

Thanks for your itemized reply: 1. I did the transmission fluid replacement 2 yrs ago w/out any shifting improvement. 2. I did the engine mounts but not the transmission mount 2 yrs ago as well without any improvement as well. 3. I'm seriously thinking of getting your kit to see if it would improve my situation. Thanks again!

It would undoubtedly improve the shifting precision and feel! Just a heads up though, if the problem is inside the transmission, then there's only one sure way to fix that, but that may not be necessary since you're not experiencing gear grinding. Stiffening up the trans insert couldn't hurt, either. A lot of owners have fixed there shifting woes with that addition, as well. See this earlier review from the 996 forum: https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...l#post12824625 And with the promotion for Rennlist now, you'd get free shipping to Canada on the SHIFT-RIGHT, as well as 20% off the trans mount insert.

Now you are making me pondering the trans mounts, retrofit kit and even the Classic Shift ****. Job well done so far Mr F.F!

Excellent thread!!

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Haha, thank you, I appreciate the vote of confidence. Not trying to sell you - just being honest from my standpoint as a fellow Porsche owner. The billet shift **** makes a marked improvement in shifter feel and feedback. Here's a shot of the silver aluminum Classic Shift **** from my 996. And of course, adding engraving will give the shift **** a semblance of OEM look.

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Me too, all of the F1st stuff looks super legit. I'll probably end up buying all three by the time the month is up. Any shot at a bundle deal?

+1 on all said above. not sure why i cant find their motor mounts on their site. they were a real solid piece at a great price. More NVH but more communicative as well.

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Sent from my iPad using Rennlist

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Thanks! I just wanted to clarify that with a SHIFT-RIGHT purchase (retrofit or core exchange), you'll qualify for both 20% off a Trans Mount Insert set as well as 10% off a Classic Shift **** - you don't have to choose one or the other. And through the end of the month, I'm offering free shipping on top of that. Overall, it's a tremendous value that will really transform the shifting performance and feel of your car. Unfortunately, we discontinued our Engine Mount Upgrade for this year. Given the amount of labor that had to go into their production, and the many other aftermarket offerings for semi-solid engine mounts, we decided to instead focus our efforts on our current lineup of unique-to-market products.

One week left for SAVINGS! (There's two 986/996 core exchange units left in stock)

We do have the Numeric units ready to ship -

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Thanks, Craig - I'm sure you do have those units in stock. What do they retail for?

F1: Quick question regarding the leather boot of our 996s. In my 00, the leather boot is integral to the shift ****, ie, more like a shift handle with a leather skirt. If one is interested in your shift **** and shaft, then I assume one has to procure a separate leather boot to fit your shaft, right? Martin

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I have his classic shifter. No, you use the same one. You cut of the bottom "skirt" and it integrates very nicely into his unit.

Thank you SV! Is this what you have done for your own application, using his shift ****?

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No problem. It's actually in his instructions. You'll find the link to the instruction manual at the bottom of the page http://www.function-first.com/produc...sic-shift-****

Ah! I missed that .pdf at the bottom of the page. Thanks again, SweetVictory!

Just make sure to cut the shift boot off as high as possible! That will give you the best fit and maximum shift **** height adjustability. Please reach out with any questions. Thanks!

Here are some before and after comparisons of the shifter mechanism, pre and post SHIFT-RIGHT Solution installation! (Note that the BEFORE video is the stock shifter out of a 2001 986 Boxster S, and the AFTER videos are of a SHIFT-RIGHT retrofit kit upgraded factory 987/997 short shift kit. It's still an apples-to-apples comparison, since both units utilize the same bushings from the factory.) BEFORE... Excessive shifter play and slop, particularly in the fore/aft bushings. AFTER... Zero flex and zero play in the mechanism yields smooth, solid, predictable, and consistent shifter action.

Hey all, just a heads up that the 996 cores are back in stock, already retrofitted with the SHIFT-RIGHT and ready to ship!

Loving mine, and thanks for the quick refund of my core deposit