Last time, I discussed the benefits of using a weighted knob over a run of the mill aftermarket or stock shift knob. Hopefully the benefits of using a TWM shift knob are now more obvious, but I do feel that it's worth mentioning another aspect of engineering that we've worked into our new shift knob designs.
As we all know, the world is full of people who are different shapes and sizes. We've been designing and producing short throw shifters for nearly four years now, and we've consistently been faced with the difficult task of selecting the "optimum" height for a shift knob to sit at. We do believe that there is a specific shifter height for each vehicle at which the look of a shifter is improved and a comfortable driving position is maintained for the majority of the population. Never happy with anything short of perfection, though, we spent a great deal of time searching for a way to allow each person to fine-tune their shifter height specifically to their own personal taste.
What we came up with was the first truly height adjustable shift knob on the market.
Here's a quick rundown on how it works (I'll use our new .44 Magnum for demonstration purposes, as the height adjustability of our Classic series is slightly different and would be better discussed in a future article). Each knob comes with an aluminum insert that is threaded specifically to your vehicle's shifter. This insert is machined using extremely tight tolerances in order to ensure a perfect slide fit inside the knob (thin piston in a cylinder). You thread the insert onto your shifter and then slide the shift knob onto it, select the desired height for your knob, and simply tighten the setscrews at the base. This method is far better than the commonly seen plastic cups that most aftermarket shift knobs use, as you are able to retain a sold metal-on-metal contact point inside the knob. What you get is an extremely solidly mounted shift knob that you can adjust to whatever height you choose. Pretty neat huh?
One last point worth mentioning is that at its lowest level, our .44 Magnum will sit approximately .75" lower that your stock shift knob. Even if you're running the stock shifter, it is a great way for you to reduce the height of your knob for better looks and a slightly shorter throw.
So the next time your shifter feels like it could be just a little shorter (or longer), you know where to go…
See ya next week!
Karel W.
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K. Wegert