EMPI Rabbit Shifter Review

[fspGTD]

EMPI Rabbit shifter:


Just got done installing the EMPI Rabbit Shifter in dad's Rabbit ('84 Diesel L with 4-speed manual) along with an upgraded Delrin shift rod bushing ( http://www.vwdiesel.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=27 ), and he is raving about the new setup!  I haven't test driven it yet, but sitting in the car, was pretty pleased with how easy it was to grab any gear when sitting still.

Benefits:
The friction and play so common with A1 VW shift linkage was much reduced, and the shift motion of the EMPI shifter was nice and solid going into and out of gears and the throws were noticeably shorter which was also nice.  There was also a pleasing solid feel when pressing the lever to the left into the 1st-2nd gear tracks, when the EMPI shifter hit the solid reverse lock pin.  It gave the feel of very solid construction vs the non-solid feel of the flimsy stock reverse lock-out sheetmetal parts.  Also, engaging the reverse lock-out by pulling up on the ring under the shift handle also was pleasing to do and easier than the stock motion of pressing the handle down to engage reverse.  In short: it was a joy to use the EMPI shifter.  Nothing but improvements.

The short shift design that is built-in to the EMPI shifter is of better design and function than any competing aftermarket offerings I have tried or seen.  Unlike other short shifter designs that multiply lever ratios that are right near the transmission, reducing inertia of the shift linkage (making the shifter feel "notchy" and driving a need for adding weights back on) as well as multiplying slop in the bushings and increasing the stress on the bushings (making the shifter feel sloppy and/or wear that way more quickly), the EMPI short shifter makes the shift about 30% shorter front to back and side to side while keeping all the stock movement and inertia of the shift linkage, and not increasing slop or the stresses on the bushings.

The product came complete in a blister-pack and all the parts needed for install, although it would have been nice to have new OEM bushings to replace old worn-out ones at the bottom of the shift lever behind the under-car shift boot.  I don't like re-using old worn out bushings, and it sucks to make a run to the dealer for 20 cents worth of parts.  (On a side note, some tips I discovered during installation of these that helps reduce unwanted slop and friction: wrap the OD in teflon tape to make them fit tighter and file the sides of them to fit reducing friction.)

The included installation instructions were good - 3 pages of straightforward step by step process to install, with a couple of easy to understand diagrams including a helpful exploded view showing how all the parts should fit together.

Criticisms:
The main thing I don't like about the EMPI shifter was that it was not designed to accomodate the under-car shift boot at all.  At one point the instructions say "attach the boot with sheetmetal screws to the underside of the car" - yeah, right - the boot is not designed to be held on by sheetmetal screws and neither is the underbody designed to be drilled and tapped to accomodate them.  I feel that this was a total cop-out by the product designers.  Since I had to get the car back up and running, I ended up just omitting the under car shift boot, but have been giving some thought as to how to go back and re-doing it to properly install the stock under-car shifter boot.  At the same time, I wonder how much of the reduced friction I noticed after installing the EMPI shifter is due to the shift boot not being there.

Another nit I have to pick is that the threads on the shift ball were not the stock specifications, and so none of the stock VW shift handles will screw on.  The included large "ball" had a nice feel in the hand and has sort of a simple retro look, but it lacked the shift pattern on the top of it that all stock shifter have on them.  However, there are probably a range of some other aftermarket shift balls (Hurst, or EMPI's?) that would match this thread pattern.  Also, the shaft of the shift rod was much larger than the original shift rod, so the original shift boot would not fit over it without being modified to make it's hole bigger.

Conclusion:
Anyway, overall I am very impressed with the EMPI Rabbit shifter, and plan on getting another for my Rabbit GTD autocrosser.  From what I know after installing, it, I think it should work fine with a 5-speed shifter too.  There is a precision measurement you set under the car to set the side to side throw between 3rd-4th and 1st-2nd gear tracks, similar to how you set the stock side to side position of the shifter, except the measurement is different and is done with feeler gauges.  The instructions only list the thickness required to properly set the side to side throw for a 4-speed, but I think it could be set up for a 5-speed as well if you determined the correct thickness of this measurement.

[veeman]

Jake...

Where did you find your shifter?  I've got one in my autocrosser as well and although I really like it, the plastic base has worn to the point that there's increased "play" in the linkage.  I was wondering if there are replacement parts available.

The best thing about this shifter, in my opinion was the reverse lockout.  With my stock shifter, I always had the tendancy to push the trans into reverse when trying to go back to first (think tight autox action).  The lockout "ring" mechanism is great for elimnating that problem.

>>The main thing I don't like about the EMPI shifter was that it was not designed to accomodate the under-car shift boot at all.

I noticed that as well.  I didn't really like the fact that the whole underside is exposed to the elements and the heat of the exhaust.  I had thought about making some sort of alu box to go around it, but haven't done it.

Incidentally, I've just been offered another one of these in brand new condition.  The seller called it a "Hurst" shifter that Empi copied.  Not sure if that's true or not.

Thanks for the write up...

[veeman]

...and also, I can confirm that this shifter works with the five speed transmission.

[fspGTD]

Thanks for 5-speed info, veeman...

I believe the original shifter was sold by Hurst, then was bought out and so is now sold by EMPI.  They are available anyplace that sells EMPI.  I don't really have a good source to recommend.  I think I paid $50 for mine, but then a couple days later saw a place on the internet advertising it for about half that!  At either of those prices, I'd say just get a new one rather than fuss with rebuilding.  I doubt rebuild kits would be available... although maybe if you took yours apart you might figure out something that would tighten it up.

I'm thinking that most people probably install these without the boot, like you and me.  And then dust/dirt gets to the ball socket underneath the car and accelerates wear.  That sounds like a good reason to install the boot to me!  If I figure a slick way to install the boot, I'll post it here.  

[Otis2]

If you don't want to drill holes down there, then what about cleaning the area down to metal around where the boot will sit, and then gooping the boot on with polyurethane sealer/adhesive?  

I use 3M 5200 whenever I want a permanent, semi-flexible, waterproof bond.  It's a marine sealant used to glue hulls to deck joints in boatbuilding, and seal through-hull fittings below the waterline.  So you know it will hold up in automotive service.  It won't shrink with age & heat, like polyesters (eg. Bondo), and it's far superior to any polyurethanes sold for "automotive" use (eg. seam sealer).

PDF with tech specifications here:  http://multimedia.mmm.com/mws/mediawebserver.dyn?oooooo8vG_CoI6Poa6PoooDhn&J6MVAh-

The fast cure version takes about a day to cure, the regular stuff takes about 5 days.  It's unbeatable strength, but god help you getting it off afterwards.  You'd have to cut the rubber boot away.  Then you'd have to re-goop the boot back on afterwards.

Use latex gloves, and keep this sh!t off your skin as much as possible.  As with all marine chemicals, it's nasty sh!t.

[fspGTD]

Here is what I did to complete the EMPI Rabbit shifter install...

In the OEM shifter mount plate, I drilled 3 holes and installed riv-nuts in the EMPI shifter mounting pattern:


Cut away the reverse lock-out guide at the bottom of the OEM shifter mounting plate:


This allowed the EMPI shifter to be mounted to the stock shifter mounting plate, and the boot still fits:


Blueprinting the EMPI shifter - what I did was disassembled it and cleaned it, and ground the 4 "locking tangs" off the upper metal ring part of the socket so the ring easily slipped in and out of the groove.  The only thing holding it in now are the two metal retaining pieces.  I carefully filed down the two cut-out surfaces from the plastic mount base to dial these retaining piece until they just barele touched the metal ring.  This took up all the play in this ball and socket joint.


Greased, re-assembled, and installed in the car:


---------------------------------

To install the top boot, I enlarged the hole in the original flexible plastic shift boot using a sharp razor blade, and then managed to stretch it slowly and carefully over the fat reverse lock-out ring (it is tight!)  View of the completed top boot and shifter:

[lord_verminaard]

Cool Jake!  So the EMPI shifter is supposed to completely replace the OEM shifter plate?  That's a slick install modification- a good idea for my Rocco since I need a new bearing mount and undercar boot.    I think the cheapest I have found the OEM bearing mount is $38 or so- if I can find an EMPI shifter for a similar price I wont mind a little fabrication-

Will need to make sure I re-set my Techtonics shifter back to "stock" ratio if I do get the EMPI.  

Thanks for the write-up and pics!

Brendan
84 Scirocco 8v
00 Camaro L36 M49

[fspGTD]

Yes, the EMPI shifter comes with a thick steel plate that is designed to replace the stock steel shifter mounting plate.  The EMPI plate just doesn't have the formed sheetmetal pieces underneath that hold in place the under car shift boot (these are spot welded to the bottom of the original shifter mounting plate.)

So as you can see, I just modified the stock shifter mounting plate so that it works with the EMPI shifter.  I am no using the shifter mounting plate that came with the EMPI shifter.