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 To start, we put the GTI on...  To start, we put the GTI on a lift. Unbolt the slip clamp that connects the cat to the exhaust. Slide the clamp forward. |
 Remove the snap washers from...  Remove the snap washers from the heat shields above and just behind the catalytic converter by bending the tabs out of the way and unscrewing the washers. |
 Unclamp the rubber-sleeved...  Unclamp the rubber-sleeved oxygen sensor wiring from its place on the heat shield. |
 Slide the front heat shield...  Slide the front heat shield away from the vehicle. |
 Unbolt the exhaust support...  Unbolt the exhaust support from the chassis so that the rear heat shield can be removed. |
 Pry off the bottom plate of...  Pry off the bottom plate of the shift-mechanism enclosure using a flat-head screwdriver. |
 Undo the clip that connects...  Undo the clip that connects the shifter cable to the shifter rod, and pull the cable from the shifter. |
 Lower the carits...  Lower the carits time to move to the interior. Pull the boot up from the center console. |
 Remove the sound-deadening...  Remove the sound-deadening foam surrounding the shifter mechanism. |
 Remove the clip that holds...  Remove the clip that holds the shift arm pivot rod in place, and push the return springs on the opposite side of the mechanism off of the retention groove on the shifter ball pivot arm. |
 Remove the two Torx head bolts...  Remove the two Torx head bolts that hold the top plate in place, and pull the top plate from the mechanism. |
 Pull the rod up, and remove...  Pull the rod up, and remove the ball pivot bushing. |
 A little finesse is required...  A little finesse is required to maneuver the shifter from the vehicle. First, pull the pivot cup from the shift-arm hole, then work the shifter out of the vehicle. |
 The boot will need to be reused....  The boot will need to be reused. The knob was connected to the rod with a crimp. The crimp can be cut off, or pried, with a flat-head screwdriver. From there, a flat-head screwdriver is used to pry the boot from the knob. |
 B & Ms unit is one serious...  B & Ms unit is one serious piece of work. The contoured section beneath the knob is the reverse lockout sleeve. The reverse lockout plate, at left, replaces the top plate of the original unit. |
 Using the included grease,...  Using the included grease, liberally cover the ball pivot in preparation for installation in the vehicle. |
 Put the shifter in the pivot...  Put the shifter in the pivot hole, moving the top return spring to the top of the ball pivot arm. Push the ball pivot arms nylon pivot cup into the shift-arm hole. |
 Use a flat-head screwdriver...  Use a flat-head screwdriver to put the return springs into the retention groove on the short throw shifters ball pivot arm. |
 Lift the shifter a little...  Lift the shifter a little way out of the pivot hole, and push the pivot bushing back into place on the ball pivot. |
 Put the new reverse lock-out/...  Put the new reverse lock-out/ top plate in place of the old top plate. Make sure that the nylon contact piece is facing inward and that it is on the left-hand side of the mechanism. Reuse the Torx head bolts to secure the reverse lockout in place. |
 The sound-deadening foam is...  The sound-deadening foam is put back into place, and the original boot is worked down the shaft of the lever. An included zip tie is used to secure the boot to one of the lower grooves on the reverse lockout sleeve. |
 The boot is then pushed back...  The boot is then pushed back into place on the center console and arranged around the shift lever. |
 The vibration damper and lock-out...  The vibration damper and lock-out spring are installed on the shift lever. |
 The knob is then screwed onto...  The knob is then screwed onto the shift lever. |
 Align the B & M billet-aluminum...  Align the B & M billet-aluminum knob insert and push it into the knob. |
 Back under the car, the shift-cable...  Back under the car, the shift-cable link is pushed onto the shifter, and the clip is installed. The bottom plate of the shift mechanism enclosure is held in place, while the included bolts, washers, and locking nuts are used to secure the plate to the enclosure. The tabs of the plate are bent into place as much as possible. |
 The heat shields are put back...  The heat shields are put back into place and re-secured by pushing the snap washers onto their threads. The tabs that hold the washers are then bent back into place. |
 Re-secure the rubber-sleeved...  Re-secure the rubber-sleeved wiring on the heat shields. |
 Reattach the exhaust support...  Reattach the exhaust support to the chassis, and reposition and tighten the slip clamp that connects the catalytic converter to the B-pipe. Lower the car, and go for a spirited gear-rowing session through your favorite canyon or back road. |
Few factory cars can claim better acceleration times with an automatic trans- mission. Those that can are priced in the six-figure range, well out of the reach of most people. Pricing, however, isnt the only problem with these cars. Another larger problem is that in most instances, it is down-right idiotic to modify them. That poses a huge issue with MAXsters the world over, and this must be why we love our Volkswagens. With awesome potential from the factory, they are great canvasses to begin building an automotive masterpiece, that is, of course, if you purchase your car with a manual transmission.
B&M Racing of Chatsworth, California, found that, while preferable to their automatic counterparts, the VW shifter begs for aftermarket improvement. The OE design has quite a bit of slop built into it through the reverse selection mechanism, something that negates the awesome feeling a manual transmission can give. The VW shift mechanisms can sometimes feel as slushy in your hand as an automatic transmission feels under your foot. B&Ms unit does away almost completely with that slop and shortens the shift throw. Designed for pushdown models (Golf IVs, Jetta IVs, and New Beetles.MAX), the unit is constructed from aluminum and steel and includes all necessary hardware with detailed instructions for installation.
B&Ms history extends back to the 1950s and 60s when the companys transmissions and transmission accessories were dominating several racing series, especially drag racing. B&M products are still used in race and street cars from this era, but B&M has expanded its line to cover the Euro market. B&Ms short shifter is used by Ford Motor Company in its race-ready SVT Cobra R, a testament to the innovation and quality of the products that B&M manufactures. But you dont want to hear about Fords, you want to know about the latest product from B&M for your VW. The most noticeable part of the shifter is how large the lever seems when you pull it out of the box. Part of this is due to the fact that the shifter comes with its own shift knob. The other part of it has to do with how B&M eliminates much of the slop that is in the stock shifter mechanism. Rather than retaining the stock pushdown mechanism, the new short throw shifter uses a spring-loaded sleeve that is pulled up in order to shift the car into reverse. The shift knob is a nice aluminum piece that fits in the palm perfectly and includes a textured billet insert adorned with the B&M logo.
Once installed, the shifter felt awesome, definitely allowing quicker shifts. Aside from the inherent performance improvements in installing the short throw shifter, aesthetically the impact is huge. Follow along as we take you through the install of the new B&M short throw shifter on a 2001 GTI VR6 GLX.