Urd short shifter 2016+

Still waiting for TRD to offer something for 3rd gens.

 

After a few weeks with the URD shifter in my 3rd gen, I'm happy to report zero difficulty getting into gear, even reverse. I'm sure the key is getting the extension fully seated over the original ball.

 

still super happy with mine. i have a very heavy ball shifter on a long extension and the URD kit holds the weight great.

 

Yeah, seating the extension properly seems to make all the difference. My custom weighted stainless steel shift knob is all finished and should ship out shortly. Looking forward to see how it has an affect on my shifting schedule experience.

 

Custom knob by @7r41lbr34k3r:

 

I've had this short shifter installed for about 8000 miles on my M/T Pro. The best drive quality mod you can do in my opinion.

 

So I finally got around to installing my URD shifter yesterday after having the truck for almost a year, and the shifter longer than that...

I find the ~1" lift of the shift knob position to be a bit awkward. It wasn't bad on my 2nd gen, but the 3rd gen is a bit tall for me. Are there any aftermarket (preferably weighted) options that will drop the overall height a bit?

 

funny, i added a 50mm extension to it after installing the urd ss. but i don't know how to drop it. good luck.

 

Well, there's always the cut->weld route, but I would much rather keep OEM parts intact. Doesn't increasing the height kind of negate the point of installing a short throw shifter?

BTW, the truck shifts sweet with it installed. IDK how I went so long without installing it. It's even more of an improvement than on my '14.

 

it does increase shift throws a bit as the throw is lengthened, still less than stock and much firmer. it's about the whole package, not one thing negating another. my setup is straight up perfect for me after like 18 months of trying things until i got it right.

 

Hey, whatever works for you. These things are all about personal preference when all is said and done. I just found the AJT design shift knob that looks like it may do some of what I want.

 

I purchased the Short Throw Kit from URD for my '17 Taco OR M/T sometime late last year or early this year.

After doing minor performance mods like this on all sorts of cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc. over the years, I've learned that one should be VERY careful to assess the "effort vs. reward" with minor modifications like this. The URD kit I ordered remains uninstalled since I have yet to experience anything beyond very minor annoyance at the relatively long throw shifts that manual 4x4 trucks always seem to leave the factory with.

I own and daily drive an ex-military '91 Land Rover Defender: Older Land Rover Defenders running an LT77 transmission NEED a short throw modification, especially if you do a lot of wheeling and don't want to be guessing if you're in 1st or 3rd while rocking yourself out of a mess. It is the only non-stock item on an otherwise stock military truck restoration; so I do place a lot of value in the benefits a short throw shift modification brings to the table, especially if it makes finding gears easier.

I also own a '17 Taco: Based on my Rover experience, I looked into short throw solutions and found URD's, I then ordered one based on my wheeling experiences with my Defender way before I ever took the Taco to the windmill farms to play. However, I have yet to experience any offroad situation in my Taco where a short throw would do anything beyond alleviate the minor annoyance of having to extend my right arm on occasion. Finding 1st is no problem in the Taco's stock setup, and I do believe that a healthy grown man, using the truck as it was intended to be used, shouldn't have any problems handling the Taco's stock throw. I looked at the directions and they were obviously not updated for the 3rd Gens. So to the forums to research I went...and, while I did find some encouraging stories, it ended up looking like the install would be more of a PITA, and a bit too risky (the story about the member having to mail off his shift lever was the deal breaker for me), than it would be worth under the circumstances.

IMHO its a mod I'd have normally installed if I hadn't read so many horror stories about the installation and fitment on the 3rd gens. Thus, my URD Short Throw Shift Kit sits new-in-box in my office just in case something happens to change my mind.

<added a bit later>: I also just realized that, according to a few of the posts here, this particular modification may make it more difficult to get into reverse. Now THAT is definitely a deal breaker. These are on-road/off-road vehicles. When off-road, or in adverse weather situations, being able to move quickly, easily...but most importantly: RELIABLY, from Reverse to 1st, and back again, is a must. Anything that might impede that is a horrible idea in an off road vehicle, IMHO.

 

mine has been installed for a few months and about 20k miles and am still perfectly happy with it all the way through. the added Force required to get into R isn't any kind of deal breaker especially if you're serious about talking up all your experience with MT's. folks are thinking way too much about this, I'm a detail guy so i know, but whatever. it's a great mod, solid and performs exactly right. if you're in DFW feel free to hit me up for a test run.

 

I'll second that. Mine was a pain in the butt to install since I had one of the first versions. I think the revised their hardware to include studs and nuts instead of hex head bolts. That will make it much easier to install.

It certainly isn't necessary and isn't a required "fix" but it sure is nice to have.

 

I would definitely like to see the difference on a stock vs. installed situation, especially after all the concerns I'm hearing about reverse. In fact, that may just be the solution! I'll leave mine stock, then you and I can meet up and swap trucks for a few minutes in a parking lot and then post our opinions. I'm in the Haslet/Keller area. Thoughts?

You make an excellent point: For such a minor mod, some of us are probably obsessing, and after rereading my previous long-winded post, I believe I just fell into that category as well. My apologies.

I don't "rock crawl" or any of that stuff. I just occasionally drive in places in foreign countries that don't have pavement, have that awful mud that sticks to your tires like weatherstipping caulk, and places that can occasionally ice up or get snowed in. I'm no professional, I'm just a grumpy old man with a winch, some tow straps, a couple snatch blocks, and a set of snow chains.

All in all, it sounds like it is a product with great potential and if one isn't concerned with cutting or drilling and purchases it direct from URD, it sounds like it could be just what someone might need, depending upon what they intend to use their truck for.

Glad you're liking yours and I am hoping I can see it for myself!

Regardless, you gotta love a vehicle that is so damn reliable, one can afford to obsess over piddly shit like this!

 

Just an FYI, there is no cutting or drilling required to install the shifter. If you are patient and have a set of ratcheting flex head wrenches it's not that difficult to get the stock shifter off. As I mentioned above studs instead of bolts should make installation that much easier.

 

Hmmm...can someone else vouch for this? No offense, but when I see 10 posts stating they had to drill or use snips, and one post saying they didn't, I gotta be somewhat skeptical. Also, I see yours is an Access Cab/Long Bed. Does anyone know if that affects the transmission and tunnel placement/alignment? I'm betting dollars to donuts that most of the folks posting have Double Cab/SBs.

 

you have a PM and yeah i'm happy to meet you and share the truck.

i had mine installed by some of my mod crew. i told them they may need to trim the opening to the tunnel with snips, and they confirmed they did need to do that. i don't know if i had an older or newer version of the kit or what kind of fasteners it included... i can't remember. either way it's do-able. but looks like lapoltba has seen some newer hardware than others i'm guessing.

 

Nope, I ordered the kit when it was first available. I was just saying, from looking at their website, that it looked like they changed their hardware. I'm not saying it is easy to do without cutting, but it is possible. I do not now if SC, XC, AC versions make a difference but I would guess not since nothing is different from the back of the drivers seat forward. It is very tight for sure. I used these: to get access to the front bolts.

I understand your skepticism, but I have zero interest in hacking on a brand new truck. Sure, trimming/bending will make it easier but it is not required if you are patient.

A few points that may help....
1. Don't bother trying to re-use the stock gasket. Just use black RTV sparingly on the top and bottom of the URD spacer.
2. Re-use the stock dowel pins and have them on the top of the spacer to engage the stock housing. I found no way to make it work with them on the bottom.
3. The spacer and shifter have to be installed as an assembly. The RTV will help stick them together and the pins keep things aligned.
4. Front bolts (and probably studs if you are using them) have to be in the assembly while you are installing it. There is definitely not enough room to get them in the holes after the shifter and spacer are installed.