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  1. #1
    Established Member Two Rings Worldrider's Avatar
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    Exposed shift gate for RS4 mod?

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    One of the reasons I've lusted after an R8 is due to the exposed shift gate:



    I can't buy another 2-seater, but then I got to thinking: Same engine, (same/similar transmission?); why not build an exposed shift gate for the RS4?
    Has anyone seen/tried this before??

    Imagine your RS4 cockpit with this:


    Thoughts?
    Current: Daytona Grey 07 RS4, Boxster S, GTI MkV DSG, Honda VFR

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  2. #2
    Established Member Two Rings
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    If you can build i will buy it


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  3. #3
    Senior Member Three Rings
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    sub'd. Intersted to see where this goes! Love open gate shift patterns, even if its only for aesthetics.

  4. #4
    Veteran Member Four Rings Mr.Wrong's Avatar
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    Doable and a member in S4 section already did it, but going to revise it( if he already didn't).
    2005 AUDI //S4 B6 6MT Atlas Gray 1/5 - Project Atlas Build Thread
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  5. #5
    Established Member Two Rings Sleepin On 18s's Avatar
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    Omg love where your head's at!! Subd. Great idea...would love to see this come to life!! Probably not that difficult if you have an axis CNC and some precise dimensions!!

    FYI, I have the JHM Trio installed and it really gives you that notchy, chunky gated feel to each shift...I LOVE it!!! Pricey installation, but completely changed how it felt to be truly connected to the gearbox with all metal linkage. Might be something there for ya...

    '07 RS 4 // DGP, Stoptech Aero, JHM Trio, 034 Mounts, Res delete, Hella Horn (dreams do come true!!)
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  6. #6
    Senior Member Three Rings ColdChicagoian's Avatar
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    This will be interesting to say the least...sub'd

  7. #7
    Veteran Member Four Rings Chuuey's Avatar
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    I'll be watching this. I've wanted to do this since I had my b8. I think it would be awesome if it could be pulled off. The b8 has an odd bend in the shifter so it wasn't an easy nor practical task.
    1998 E36 M345 T | 2017 B9 Allroad | 2002 996 GT2
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  8. #8
    Active Member Two Rings
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    I will be working on making shift gate for b6/b7 these will be made professionally and strive for oem look

  9. #9
    Established Member Two Rings 1.8t's Avatar
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    If you can make it to fit in the leather boot area with the same shape, as opposed to being circular, I think it'll look great
    Sprint Blue/Black B7 S4 Avant 6MT - KWV3, Catless Downpipes, Miltek Resonated Catback, Revo Tune, Hotchkis F & R Sway Bars, Flat Bottom Steering Wheel, RS4 Pedals, Ocarbon Trim, Ecs Snub mount, Michelin Ps2, OEM S5 Rotor Wheels, 6 Piston Brembo Calipers.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Three Rings JoeyManhattan's Avatar
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    I'm in if it gets pulled off well.


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  11. #11
    Veteran Member Three Rings bluebull's Avatar
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    Possible to achieve success. Keep in mind that many have short shift assemblies and design needs to accommodate


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    TVS1320 APR, TTX36 Ohlins coils, DXD Flywheel + Clutch, JHM Shift Goodies, Euro Sport Reacecloth Seats, 034 mounts, Stern UCA, JHM full (resonated) exhaust with v-band test pipes and HF cats, JHM short shifter, Rotiform 19x10 with 275 PS4S, Fender to ground is 25.5", ceramic coated and PPF.

  12. #12
    Veteran Member Four Rings CoreyRS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bluebull View Post
    Possible to achieve success. Keep in mind that many have short shift assemblies and design needs to accommodate


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    Would be cool if they worked with JHM and sold it as a package...

  13. #13
    Veteran Member Four Rings Sole_'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Machineman View Post
    I will be working on making shift gate for b6/b7 these will be made professionally and strive for oem look
    Willing to try it out! I live in Ontario as well.
    Imola<3

  14. #14
    Veteran Member Four Rings ven0m's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bluebull View Post
    Possible to achieve success. Keep in mind that many have short shift assemblies and design needs to accommodate


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    That's a very nice way of saying. MAKE THE DAMN THING AND WE'LL CARRY YOU IN OUR HANDS.
    Jeremy Clarkson: "So when you were saying that it won’t slide, what you meant was, ‘I can’t slide it.’“
    James May: "Yes."

  15. #15
    Veteran Member Three Rings pullacowonaski's Avatar
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    You guys might wanna contact sport shifters to see if they can help you out. Here's a link from the b8 forum with pictures. They don't show any with gated style but I would image that it should be too hard for them to create. http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=758850

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  16. #16
    Veteran Member Four Rings ven0m's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pullacowonaski View Post
    You guys might wanna contact sport shifters to see if they can help you out. Here's a link from the b8 forum with pictures. They don't show any with gated style but I would image that it should be too hard for them to create. http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=758850

    Sent from my Nexus 6P using Audizine mobile app
    There are physical limitations why gated shifters don't work on these cars and why it's not being done.
    Jeremy Clarkson: "So when you were saying that it won’t slide, what you meant was, ‘I can’t slide it.’“
    James May: "Yes."

  17. #17
    Senior Member Two Rings
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    Yeah, I don't see it working out too well unless you got the shift action super tight.

  18. #18
    Established Member Two Rings particulardude's Avatar
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    It's a fantastic idea and not trying to bite the OP's idea here but actually emailed IND here in Chicagoland about working on something like this FOUR years before I bought my RS.

    This is a snippet of the response I received: "...from our experience with gate shifters in the past it typically is not as simple as a shroud replacement and most often requires a modified shift level/shifter assembly. More often than not the fulcrum point of the shift must be changed to accommodate the gate..."

    I would love to see the ability to have an OEM R8 gate be successfully fitted to the RS4.

    Personal preference but I wouldn't touch it if the gate and knob assembly weren't OEM from R8.
    "...if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
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  19. #19
    Veteran Member Four Rings ven0m's Avatar
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    Exactly the same thing was pointed out by the Dutch guys at Sportshifters in this very same discussion. Additional by changing the fulcrum point your shift throws will get longer (not shorter). This will negatively effect the desired end result. You simply don't want longer throws.
    Jeremy Clarkson: "So when you were saying that it won’t slide, what you meant was, ‘I can’t slide it.’“
    James May: "Yes."

  20. #20
    Established Member Two Rings Worldrider's Avatar
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    I've reached out to the guys at @ Sportshifters to see if they can engineer a reasonable yet beautiful compromise. I will update this thread if any good news results…


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  21. #21
    Veteran Member Four Rings Chuuey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Worldrider View Post
    I've reached out to the guys at @ Sportshifters to see if they can engineer a reasonable yet beautiful compromise. I will update this thread if any good news results…


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    Exciting stuff. Hopefully they can come up with a solution. I love their products.
    1998 E36 M345 T | 2017 B9 Allroad | 2002 996 GT2
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  22. #22
    Veteran Member Four Rings Nollywood's Avatar
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    This is something I also considered with my B6.

    One of the issues with the exposed gate, is precision.

    The shift would have to be incredibly precise, and tight. Even if this is the case, as the shifter bushes wear in, fast shifting under full power would be severely affected. This is because "rushed shifts" would most likely cause the lever to make contact with the gate. This will invariably lead to slower quarter mile times, due to "baulking".

    The result? Engine racing, as the shift bounced back out of the selected cog, as it didn't shift up to the detent.

    I'm not saying it can't be done, but don't expect the gate to be super slim like the R8 or Ferrari, these are precision shifters, the B6/7/8 are not, so the gate would require fairly wide tracks. This won't look as pretty as the R8's shift, which has very tight gate tracks.
    2007 Audi RS4 Avant B7 - Misano Red Pearl Effect
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  23. #23
    Veteran Member Three Rings
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    Doesn't the shifter remain verticle in the R8 when you shift into gear? I know for the S4 and RS4 the shifter has to tilt. That would also be a problem for the gated shifter fitting into our cars too right?

  24. #24
    Account Terminated Four Rings
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    Quote Originally Posted by Worldrider View Post
    I've reached out to the guys at @ Sportshifters to see if they can engineer a reasonable yet beautiful compromise. I will update this thread if any good news results…


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    This is the response they gave me when I notified them people are interesting in a gated option.

    Tell me about it Peter, we get that request on a daily basis.
    I dare to say we could make the best looking shift gate ever and we certainly will make one for some car model that allows one some day.
    But for 99% it's not as easy as it seems in terms of just making a gated plate, on the RS4 or any B7 the shift throw is too little even when on stock to really create "gates"
    Neither is the stick/shaft rigid enough to follow a narrow path without touching and scraping it all the time.
    Everything is possible, but it would be quiete an operation for someone to get it fitted, probably end up rather above the $ 500,- mark then below and you'll end up with a cool looking shift gate, but shift behaviour far worse then standard with longer shift throws.
    This is why we designed what we have, retaining the smallest possible shift boot to get a much cleaner look, improving shift behaviour and even reducing throw slightly because of the design of our shift knob.
    And you keep to get the option of fitting a mechanical short throw shifter together with it aswell, that would be straight of the table with a shift gate.

    So yeah it has a massive cool factor to it, but in terms of shift behaviour it is far from ideal.

  25. #25
    Veteran Member Four Rings Chuuey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter1.8t View Post
    This is the response they gave me when I notified them people are interesting in a gated option.

    Tell me about it Peter, we get that request on a daily basis.
    I dare to say we could make the best looking shift gate ever and we certainly will make one for some car model that allows one some day.
    But for 99% it's not as easy as it seems in terms of just making a gated plate, on the RS4 or any B7 the shift throw is too little even when on stock to really create "gates"
    Neither is the stick/shaft rigid enough to follow a narrow path without touching and scraping it all the time.
    Everything is possible, but it would be quiete an operation for someone to get it fitted, probably end up rather above the $ 500,- mark then below and you'll end up with a cool looking shift gate, but shift behaviour far worse then standard with longer shift throws.
    This is why we designed what we have, retaining the smallest possible shift boot to get a much cleaner look, improving shift behaviour and even reducing throw slightly because of the design of our shift knob.
    And you keep to get the option of fitting a mechanical short throw shifter together with it aswell, that would be straight of the table with a shift gate.

    So yeah it has a massive cool factor to it, but in terms of shift behaviour it is far from ideal.
    This is more along the lines of what I was expecting to hear. I started going down this path and found it just wasn't practical. I had hope that sportshifters might have had a solution.
    1998 E36 M345 T | 2017 B9 Allroad | 2002 996 GT2
    Previous:
    2001.5 B5 S4 Avant
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    2008 B7 RS4
    1991 200 20v Avant
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  26. #26
    Registered User Two Rings SportShifters's Avatar
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    Someone pointed me at this thread before, so apologies for the late reply.

    The real big question is; how much people would be willing to buy a "shift gate kit" for around the $ 500,- mark that will worsen shift behaviour?

    For those who think they can cut corners and just put a gated plate on there without improving the shift lever system and associated parts; search for the Audi TT MK1 shift gate that people/companies have fabricated, most (if not all) are out of business now/have stopped making them.
    To summarise: poorly designed, poorly executed, horrible shift behaviour, not being able to select certain gears on occasion (they even joined R and 1st gear at a later stage, guess how that looked) and cost around $ 200,-

    We hate to tell people we can't or in this case won't make things, but we just can't see it being worthwhile, and honestly we rather wouldn't want to build something just to create a "cool retro look" knowing it will worsen shift behaviour so much... but maybe we see it all wrong.

  27. #27
    Established Member Two Rings Worldrider's Avatar
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    I would happily pay $500 for a replica of the R8 or Gallardo shift gate, If the installation was relatively simple.
    The real question would be around how much longer the throws would be, and much engineering and/or replacement parts would be required to result in an acceptable shifting experience?


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  28. #28
    Established Member Two Rings maybachgt's Avatar
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    $500 for a proper gate sounds like a bargain. I would only buy it if it made cool metal on metal clicks and clacks not just for looks. The whole thing would need to feel extremely solid and I'd pay more for a very high quality experience.

  29. #29
    Registered User Two Rings SportShifters's Avatar
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    I wonder if you guys are aware that a "shift gate" such as the one you see in the pic of the Gallardo is actually the most basic and easy piece for any metalworking company to make.
    The cost price of that shift setup is probably not more then $ 25,- you can buy that shift knob alone for under 5$ (retail price).
    There is no technical aspect about such a system, it simply illustrates the exact path you're making when selecting gears.

    Reason for it becoming this expensive (but maybe that's just me) is because of the revised shift lever system required, basicly it would be a shortshifter system such as the JHM working the opposite way in terms of throw, the solid movements need to stay maintained :)

    I'm a bit worried that when people realise how such a basic part it is and they are actualy paying most of the money for a revised shfit lever system that will worsen their shift behaviour, they won't find it so cool and cheap anymore...
    Please convince me I'm seeing it all wrong, I know you have to suffer to be beautiful (I'm driving way too low cars and willing to accept the pains) but the balance just seems to be way off with this one.

  30. #30
    Established Member Two Rings Worldrider's Avatar
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    @sportshifters: Appreciate you taking the time and sharing details here. Can you describe exactly how much worse the shift will be? How much longer vs the R8?
    Shorter is always better, but if we're talking just another couple millimetres, with the feeling of an oiled rifle bolt clicking through the action, this could still be viable...


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    Current: Daytona Grey 07 RS4, Boxster S, GTI MkV DSG, Honda VFR

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    Modified Mercedes CLK
    Ninja ZX6-R
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  31. #31
    Established Member Two Rings Worldrider's Avatar
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    One other potential concern would be ensuring that the shift lever is solid enough that it does not buzz against the gate while in gear.


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  32. #32
    Registered User Two Rings SportShifters's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Worldrider View Post
    @sportshifters: Appreciate you taking the time and sharing details here. Can you describe exactly how much worse the shift will be? How much longer vs the R8?
    Shorter is always better, but if we're talking just another couple millimetres, with the feeling of an oiled rifle bolt clicking through the action, this could still be viable...
    I'll try my best to have a look at a B7 RS4 with the standard system installed, unfortunately these cars are quiete a rarity in The Netherlands but we have some good contacts in Germany aswell. Will ask around if anyone knows one nearby.
    However, I can tell you up front it won't be just a few mm's.
    There's a limit to how thin the shaft can become aswell, I'd say 8mm like the one from the R8 is how it should be, thinner won't look good.
    But that only wins you 2mm's compared to stock which is 12mm.
    From what I remember when looking into this for the A3 8P throw would have to be extended pretty much still and it wouldn't be different on a regular B7 either, but perhaps the RS4 is different.

    Quote Originally Posted by Worldrider View Post
    One other potential concern would be ensuring that the shift lever is solid enough that it does not buzz against the gate while in gear.
    Yes, that's exactly one of the main reasons why we wouldn't just want to extend the throw and put a gated plate on there, when bouncing against the parts in between the gates for a while they will simply break off or at least get bend, damaged or dented.
    Perhaps a company like JHM could easily make there kit work in the opposite way in terms of throw and have the shaft made thinner, but retaining the solid movements.
    I'm afraid if we would have to be "reinventing this wheel" with the very little spare time we have for projects like this at the moment it'll take a while before completed.
    To make a nice shift gate plate and shift knob for it is just a matter of weeks for us.

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