INTRODUCTION

Ever since we installed Donahoe Racing’s performance coil-over suspension package on our TRD Tacoma we have enjoyed the improved handling and performance. This prompted us to take a look at upgrading other drive-train components to compliment the new ride; and one of the first things that came to mind was the clumsy stock shifter.

The easiest way to reduce the throw of any shifter is to shorten the upper portion of the shifter rod. However, the physical location of the shifter knob will be significantly lower, making it less ergonomic and hard to reach in most truck applications.

The only way to shorten the throw of a shifter without altering the location of the shift knob is to change the leverage ratio by repositioning the pivot. The diagram above shows how much the stock shifter would have to be shortened in order to match the throw of a short-throw shifter. Raising the pivot slightly results in a significant change in leverage. Additional effort will be required to make each shift if the throw is shortened. This is inherent to the upgrade, and unavoidable.

B&M Racing offers a short-throw shifter upgrade for 2wd and 4wd Toyota Tacoma truck’s equipped with the 3.4L V6 engine and 5-speed manual transmission. The idea behind this product is to provide faster acceleration by decreasing the amount of time it takes to change gears. This means the RPM’s stay higher in the power-band and less forward momentum is lost while shifting.

The B&M Tacoma short-shifter dramatically shortens the shifter throw without changing the stock shift-knob location. The kit uses a stainless steel shifter-rod and anodized billet aluminum base-plate spacer to reposition the shifter’s fulcrum-point. It also includes all the necessary hardware and small parts, including thread-locking compound and grease. B&M designed the kit to reuse as many factory parts as possible, only replacing the key parts needed to achieve shorter shifts. This ensures that the finished product works reliably and also helps to keep costs reasonable.

DISASSEMBLY

Start by removing the transmission and transfer case shift knobs (unthread knobs by turning them counter-clockwise). Then use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the four screws that attach the shifter console to the transmission tunnel.

Carefully remove the shifter console from the truck to gain access to the rubber shift boot.

Remove the rubber shift boots by unscrewing the four retaining screws and then sliding them up and over the shifter rods.

Remove the four 10mm bolts that connect the shifter assembly base-plate to the transmission and lift the shifter assembly out.

Remove the stock rubber dust-boot from the shifter assembly. It is a tight squeeze to get the boot over the largest part of the stock shifter, but a little lubricant will help. Be very careful not to tear the boot because it will also be reused.

The next step is to remove the factory shifter rod from the base plate. To do this, press down on the inner retaining cup and twist it counter clockwise as shown in the picture.

Once the retaining cup is released, file a small amount of material from the opening in order to fit it over the largest part of the shifter rod. Only 2-3mm of material needs to be removed so file prudently. Then slide the retaining cup off the shifter rod and set it aside to be reused.

INSTALLATION

Begin the installation of the B&M short-shifter by fastening the supplied billet cone to the new billet shifter rod using a 3mm Allen wrench and one of the supplied set-screw. Then install a second setscrew behind the first to lock the first setscrew in-place (be sure to use the included thread-locking compound on both set-screws to insure they stay put). B&M offers three options for mounting the cone. Option A will mimic the neutral placement of the rod near to that of the factory position. Options B and C allow you to move the shifter over 30º to either the left or right respectively. We chose to install the shifter in position A in order to evaluate the shifting performance without having to consider the shifter location. It would be relatively easy to change this setting later if so desired.

Use the supplied grease to lubricate the pivot cup and then press it onto the rounded end of the shifter rod. After attaching the supplied circlip below the billet cone, the shifter rod is ready to be installed onto the base plate.

Slide the supplied spring over the B&M shifter rod with the small end pointing towards the bottom of the shifter rod. Then slide the retaining cup over the shifter rod. Grease the shifter pivot, press down on the retaining cup and then twist clockwise to secure the shifter rod to the base plate. We had trouble fitting the supplied spring inside the retaining cup so we had to tweak the spring with two pairs of pliers into a slightly smaller diameter in order to get it to fit.

Reinstall the factory rubber dust boot on the shifter assembly as shown in the first picture above. Then lower the supplied billet base-plate spacer over the transmission with the step facing towards the driver side of the Tacoma. Lay a bead of RTV silicone around both sides of the spacer to seal out dust and contaminants. Next, with the 4 included bolts and lock washers, secure the modified shifter assembly back onto the transmission and slide the provided black aluminum sleeve down over the B&M billet shifter rod until it seats firmly against the o-rings.

Reattach the rubber shift boots and fasten the shifter console back in place, the installation is now complete. Although the finished installation doesn’t alter the overall appearance very much compared to stock, the new shifter-feel is entirely different.

CONCLUSION

Installation is relatively easy and can be completed in under an hour by the average driveway mechanic with commonly available hand tools. B&M supplies great instructions that outline the complete process very nicely and we are satisfied with quality of the B&M components.

The B&M Tacoma short-shifter kit works as described, allowing for significantly shorter shifts, which in turn can result in slightly faster acceleration. Up shifting between forward gears is smooth and quick. The kit does have more of a “notchy” feel than the stock unit. It is also slightly harder to downshift between gears (especially 1st and reverse). These seem to be characteristics of the stock Toyota transmission that are only amplified by the B&M shifter. Due to the additional effort required to shift gears, this kit is better suited to driving enthusiasts than commuters.

B&M Racing & Performance Products LLC
www.bmracing.com
818.882.6422
9142 Independence Ave,
Chatsworth, CA 91311