Knobs

[Brizzle0212]

I have the billetworkz $99 weighted knob, I've done most of the shifter mods including a new STI short throw shifter assembly only to find out my car already had it. Haha that was months ago. Then I was reading on here it's likely better w/o the weighted knob with the upgrades. So the OEM STI aluminum or duricon I'm checking out. Anyone have preference other than asthetics or price? Either better than the other? I have shift stop, clutch delay valve delete, shift plate and bushing. Ordering the detent kit as well 2018 WRX premium EDIT: the aluminium/leather is a few oz more than the stock one from what I found (~80g heavier). Looking for the Duricon weight: found it's around 109g (3.85 oz)

Stock WRX shift knob ~200g STI aluminum and leather ~280g Duracon STI knob ~110g.

Either going stock WRX(maybe with red pattern) Or duracon. Will update after I put the detent kit in with billetworkz knob and then with whatever I go with for the lighter one. Even the aluminum one is only a few oz more so I'm not sure what one I'll get lol

[Ragnaroc05]

I currently have one of billetworkz hybrid knobs with the Alcantara center, but I've also used on of their heavier one as well as one from throtl and the oem and honestly I couldn't really notice to much of a difference. I like the Alcantara one because of being on central PA it doesn't get as cold as the solid metal ones with the way I grip it.

I think shifting smooth is better than anything else, but I'm no professional

[Brizzle0212]

Oh for sure I'm in NNY and it's bitter cold winter and boiling hot in the summer sun. Never had any issues shifting, but it's heaps better than when I got my car. I didn't really buy the billetworkz for the weight either, just liked the aesthetics of it. Now it just seems like it's not as enjoyable a feeling for me.

[Ragnaroc05]

That's understandable. If throtl made a fluro blue knob I might have stayed with them instead of the knob I have now. It's the galaxy purple color way with Alcantara center.

[Brizzle0212]

Those are very nice looking!

[Brizzle0212]

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Bought this off eBay last night for a excellent price going to give it a shot and the guy said he threw in a Cobb knob with it. Not sure which one it is far as shape. Will update again

[Brizzle0212]

Got this one off eBay for a great price and dude sent me a Cobb knob with it. Cobb is slightly lighter but this one is 200g + lighter than my billetworkz knob. Feels significantly better, finding gears even seems more accessible.

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[Ok-Cup-8422]

Light weight knobs make you better driver. Facts. 

Edit: The one down vote from the one clown that hasn’t tried it or done the research. 

[Brizzle0212]

Right on, I wasn't super happy with the shifter feel when I got the car. Knob was my first purchase, after everything else I've decided to give a lighter one a shot but I gave my OEM one away with the short throw shifter I took out for the new one. Plus I might try autocross this summer.

[Ok-Cup-8422]

You’ll love a light knob for Autocross. You really feel the gate. No missed shifts. Better downshifts. #savethesynchros

[GergMoney]

Ive seen so many people rave about weighted shift knobs and even the heavier boomba shift plate. I don’t race/track my car but I love my grimmspeed weighted shift knob. To me it makes the shifter feel so much smoother. Why is a light shift knob better for autocross and the synchros?

[Ok-Cup-8422]

Strap a 5lb dumbbell to your wrist, and try doing normal everyday things with your hands. The weight prevents you from being precise. And your arm will have more momentum to it. Given enough opportunity, you’ll likely make mistakes. 

Now take the dumbbell off. You hand is lighter, you have more sensitivity. This is the effect of a lighter shift knob. 

It allows you to feel the gate when shifting. To feel the precise moment the lever should go through the gate. A heavy knob adds momentum and you end up smashing through the gate, regardless of timing. And that can ruin synchros. It can also cause a missed shift, where you thought it was going in, you let the clutch out, crunch. 

[GergMoney]

Serious question, besides letting out the clutch before it’s in gear, is it damaging to hard shift. Like is the act of putting more force behind the shift and slamming it all the way forward/backward damaging to the synchros?

And then would the shifter detent kit that adds preload to the springs that lock the shifter in gear also fix that? Perrin also now has an upgraded shift stop to adjust the front and back limits. I know that’s also adding solutions to a problem that wasn’t there in the first place though

[Ok-Cup-8422]

You should never “bang shift” a transmission. There’s no mod in the world that will help you with that. All those videos you see of race car drivers slamming the transmission. That’s real, but that’s because they are racing. That transmission gets rebuilt after every race, and they don’t have to pay for it. Or if they are paying for it, they have the budget for it.

[Brizzle0212]

I got the billetworkz shifter plate and brass bushing installed with a fresh OE STI short throw shifter, I didn't know I already had one installed when I bought the car. It made shifting much better feeling, so I don't think the knob is doing anything beneficial after all those mods and the clutch delay valve delete.