03.12.10 - SSK Install

04.0510 - Update

I pulled the SSK out of the car today and went back to the stock shifter with the EMO MS needle bearing kit installed.

After the install, the shifting action did very much feel like what I remembered in the C4S, but every time I drove it, it felt notchier and notchier, along with increased effort.

I was told that people hated it, but before the install I could not imagine why since the shifter itself is the same as every other 996.  The difference has to be on the transmission side of the equation.  Something is very different between the MkII GT3 trans, the G96/96, and the standard MkII 996 trans, the G96/31.

So, for any 996 besides the GT3, it absolutely rocks, but for the GT3, its too notchy and too much effort.

With the stock shifter with the EMO MS needle bearing kit in the OEM GT3 shifter, its oh so nice again.

I may give the 997 SSK console a try after the first track event; we'll see.  The car has proven me wrong a couple times already.  I feel like I want to change something, but then I drive it, and I think to myself, why on earth would I change this?

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I used the spare console from my last swap in the C4S.  Pretty straight forward doing this for the 2nd time.  Only thing really different was using the black bushings instead of the blue ones.  Lemme tell you though, the chisel is the tool to have.  I saved at least an hour removing those plastic OEM bushings using a chisel this time.  Last time I struggled with a a screwdriver, pliers, and Dremmel.

The P/O apparently installed the EMO MS needle bearing kit in the OEM GT3 shifter, so I will see if I can transfer over those bits as well when I do the swap in the near future.

Install

I pulled the shifter console to discover that not only was the billet piece there, but also the stock bushings had been replaced with aluminum ones like B&M uses.

The 'Exclusive' knob come off using a 3mm Hex set screw.  You might have to use a little force; its Loc-tited.

This is the shifter console leather boot

After pulling the stock CF console

I pulled the electrical tape off and cleaned up the rods with a little dab of BrakeKleen on a paper towel.

Now to release the shifter console from the cables.  The EVO billet piece secures to the cable with 3 2mm Hex set screws, and they weren't super tight.

Here are the shifters side by side.  As I suspected, there is nothing special about the GT3 shift console.  In fact, it has the same part number as the most recent shift console for every other late model 996.

Because I liked my C4S with the B&M SSK so much, I decided to use the factory coupling for both shifter cables.

I have it installed and adjusted.  Now to move on with the rest of the Alcantara project.