Individual Racing Parts (IRP) V3 Short Shifter Rattle Thread
 

EDIT: A solution has been found! See second post for DIY!


So I purchased the IRP V3 short shifter back in May, after watching tons of videos, and reading nothing but positive reviews. I previously had the Kartboy short shifter, and It got the job done, but the rattle absolutely killed me. I bought the IRP, due to the fact that I hadn't seen anyone complaining about it rattling. To my chagrin, it DEFINITELY rattles. Even worse than the Kartboy. I understand that it's a "racecar part" that has NVH, and my daily commute is only 7 miles, so I shouldn't be complaining, but the fact that the rattling ceases when I hold the button tells me that there's room for improvement. With that said, I sought out some solutions.

Tom, @gearOnePerformance machined a groove into the button of the reverse lockout, assuming (logically) that the rattling was coming from the metal on metal rubbing of the button on the shifter itself, but as of this writing, hasn't had the opportunity to test it. After talking to him extensively about his process, I decided to undertake the modification myself. I pulled my button off, only to find that my particular model already had an o-ring:

http://i.imgur.com/OXskHab.jpg

However, to my eyes, it looked to be too small:

http://i.imgur.com/Xdjfv7E.jpg

So I added a larger o-ring. No difference. Took the larger o-ring off, and carefully wrapped the button in a few layers of electrical tape, to the point where it simply would not wiggle. Again, no difference. My analysis is that it is not the button that is rattling, but the shaft of the button itself. At this point, my plan is to machine three grooves in the shaft, and add three o-rings, to see if that mitigates the issue. Failing that, I'm not sure what else to do, and I'm open to suggestions.

Will update this post with a DIY if I find a solution.

It seems as though we have a solution! I would like to extend a massive "thank you!" to @Hawk77FT for his help in tracking down this fix and putting together a DIY with pictures.

IRP has indeed released a fix for the rattle that occurs in the V3 short shifter. It consists of a rubber gasket, four plastic washers, and an aluminum spacer:

http://i.imgur.com/SmfXXt9.jpg

In addition to this, he fabricated a custom mount, made of carbon fiber a foam/rubber material:

http://i.imgur.com/8H5D7fg.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/vEdAUyg.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/nYWMOlu.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/dqB1TKg.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/M6FIHl9.jpg



Now, onto the DIY for the fix: (again, huge thanks to @Hawk77FT)

1.) Make sure that the vertical handle position has about 2mm clearance:

http://i.imgur.com/hkDfbCm.png

2. This image shows the gaskets fitment:

http://i.imgur.com/nJ0kiVN.png

3. If the shaft in this picture moves side to side, put on some thread locker.

http://i.imgur.com/VImBmoY.png

http://i.imgur.com/cDF1eZn.png

4. The black aluminum cylinder needs to be pushed in this position:

http://i.imgur.com/iRdLum5.png

5. Undo the screw pointed out in Image 1 and pull it a little so the cable has a small amount of tension. You will see the top cylinder (Image 2) moving a little).

http://i.imgur.com/TQ7l9E3.png

Enjoy!

Friendly FYI

3rd party hosting doesn't work for Photobucket anymore unless you're paying them like $400/yr. That being said, you should look into hosting your images elsewhere so they can actually be seen here in the forums.

Because I can't see either of the pics you posted.

Thank you, updated with imgur files. :thumbup:

bump for solution and DIY!

Follow up:


I have been using the anti-rattle kit for almost a month, and I've noticed ZERO improvement. I ended up getting my kit from FT86Speedfactory, who had it on my doorstep in less than 2 days. I'm still waiting for IRP's kit to show up. (It's been over a month now)

That said, I've noticed that the biggest improvement came from obtaining a piece of R/C foam, that's designed to protect the motors of R/C planes, helicopters, etc from crashes. I cut it into a pad, the same size as the bottom plate of the shifter, and sandwiched it in between the shifter and the rubber gasket. It didn't eliminate the rattle, but it helped. The source of the rattle is 100% the shaft of the button rattling around in the inside of the shifter, so I will continue to look for away to fix it....









which might mean a CAE shifter in is my future... :eyeroll:

Why not try some heat shrink over the shaft? It should still allow for installation and act as a buffer to keep the rattle down. Plus it's fairly easy and cheap to try.

How do you remove the reverse lock out button without disassembling the whole shifter? Would like to give it a go to reduce the vibrations on the shaft of the button.

On the front of the shifter, around the halfway point, there is a small allen screw inside of the silver cylinder. Simply loosen it, and turn the button counter clockwise. You may need to use something like a rubber mallet, or gloves with some sort of rubber on them to get the button to turn, or you may not. I've seen both easily removed buttons, and some that were not so easy.

Has anyone run into an issue with going from a transmission mounted shifter to a chassis mounted shifter? I imagine with heavy track use, you're increasing your chances of missed shifts / misalignments as the drivetrain floats and the chassis mounted shifter stays rigidly mounted?

Has there been any update to the rattling issue? That heat shrink wrap around the lockout button shaft was a good idea. Curious if anyone gave that a go?

I have not given the heat shrink idea a try yet, but it's a good idea. I'll try it this weekend and report back. The tolerances in the button tunnel are pretty tight, so I'm anticipating it being too thick.

As of right now, mine rattles just as much as ever, and I've developed a new issue where I can shift in to reverse without pressing the button. I've nearly backed into two people at stop lights because of this "feature".

Just a heads up for those that didn't see this.
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123800

Just a heads up for those that didn't see this.
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123800

So I installed this shifter along with IRS, Diff and trans mount bushing inserts. I also added the mtec springs.


Holy Mary Mother of God!!!! Sounds like the car is rattling apart!


So, being the normal problem-solving OCD mechanic I am there was no way I was listening to that rattle!


The bushings are not the source of the noise, so don't go there and the mtec springs are worth every penny.


It seems we all may or may not be talking about three different rattling noises. I have all three.


1) Noise one is road noise, trans noise (OMG it sounds like rocks) engine/exhaust noise and vibration. Remember the shifter is now mounted directly to the body, which now acts as a giant speaker resonating with the vibrations and trans noise, we also lost sound deadening under the console when we removed the stock lower rubber shift boot and foam pad. To solve these the CF/foam mount posted above is a good start. Anything to isolate the mount plate from the chassis will help. That thin rubber is useless. keep in mind though the softer the base material, the less solid the shifter is mounted. I used their gasket and washers but went back and cut up pieces of a camping pad and laid them inside the console around the shifter covering each direction as far as I could go, in multiple layers, up to just under the console underside. I ran them all the way against the shifter. I didn't pack them in as compressing the foam is just going to aid in transmitting the vibrations.


2) noise two is I believe exactly what some are complaining about (it is now apparent after solving the other noises) It is a distinctly thinner metallic rattle that does indeed sound like the shaft rattling inside the shifter. Haven't solved that one yet and only happens above 4500-5K. Upper revs is when I get that noise. I'll let you know if I solve it.


3) OMG, worst rattle of all. Sound deadening material masked it somewhat but no way, it was still there. It's a rattle. Heavier than the shaft inside the handle rattle. I have an UEL and I had the rattle about 3500k and above 4500 on up. But pretty much rattled constantly if you got on it. I have an UEL Header so my vibrations may be worse than others. I have a nice resonance vide at about 4100-4300 that vibrates the car pretty good (that a different topic). Back to the heavy and loud rattle... I could not find anything from the inside on the shifter that rattled like that. I even went so far as to get a back massager and hold it against the shift on high (lol, yes I did) but could NOT reproduce this rattle. Revving the engine in neutral (loud exhaust, UEL) would produce the rattle for 1/2 second at about 5k. Jacked up the car for a look underneath. Thought it might be the clip and washer when the shifter hooks to the trans gear selector shaft. Nope, tight as a drum! So, I kept looking. Following the shaft from shifter to transmission, I stumbled upon the problem. There is another joint in the shaft with a connection as found at the shifter. The transmission side fitting of this joint is secured to the front shaft with flattened face on the shaft and a pin. Over this pin, to keep it from falling out I assume, Is a metal ring, installed over the pin and it appears the be flattened to mathe the flat face of the rod and seems to be crimped at the ends. It's like a cup... except it doesn't fit quite right... or wasn't crimped tight enough... and it RATTLES LIKE A BITCH! If you have a rattle, climb under the car and see if you can find what I am talking about (no I didn't take pictures) If you have fat arms and hands you will probably need to lower the trans. I'm skinny an it was still a pain to reach and work with. I am on solution 2. I basically looped an o-ring around the shaft in front of the cup (trans side) and cinched it down (make a U around the shaft with the o ring and stick one end through the other) then I stretched the o ring over the cup and around the pin/washer/clip that secures the joint (you'll see what I am talking about when you look at it). Basically something to put pressure on the cup to keep it from rattling. Version one, lost the oring in about 50 miles but while in place. NOISE WAS REDUCED 85%!!!! Rattle GONE except rattle #2 above. Totally livable and much closer to stock! As soon as it was gone the rattling resumed and I knew I had lost it. This time around I did the same but also secured it in place (around selector shaft and up and around cup) with Gorilla duct tape. Scientific I know, right? It seems that this should actually stay in place. That tape is some good shit! I will keep you posted.


Lesson for the day: If I ever drop the trans, I AM FIXING THAT DAMN CUP!! It will take an act of Congress to make that thing rattle after I get done with it!


None of my mods interfered with the operation of the shifter in any way.


I hope this helps someone, or at least entertains you!


Now let's fix that damn shaft rattle in the handle itself!


PS - I love the shifter! Never gonna miss third again that's for sure! or guess if I am centered when downshifting. Bushings were an excellent cheap upgrade as well! Some of the best money spent yet. It definitely has more of a "direct drive" feeling and lost all the sway from the rear!


Matt in GA

I may have solved the #2 rattle above, stay tuned...

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

I’m excited for your fixes

2nd rattle mostly fixed too!!
 

I now have 95% of the original rattles fixed. It's not church mouse quiet and that trans still sounds like a load of rocks in the dryer but the rattles from the shifter and linkage have mostly been tamed.


The main rattle I found in the car side of the shifter is actually the lockout cable between the metal sides of the shifter handle! do yourself a favor, pull off the boot and wiggle the cable back and forth left to right as fast as you can. You hear that metallic slap noise, increase the vibration frequency by about 50-100 and that's the metallic rattle sound I had coming from the shifter itself.


How did I solve it? I tried two ways. One was to make a thin carpet sheath using automotive pyle carpet (like at autozone) around the cable with the friz on the outside. I never tested this completely but it will work and moves with the cable, don't see an issue if you have a scrap piece laying around. What I did do was extremely low tech! I spiraled pipe cleaners around the cable from end to end. Just start the wrap and then just spin it around the cable while you feed it on then slide it up the cable. It took two pipe cleaners. The fuzz acts as a cushion to soak up the vibrating cable and does not allow the hard cable sheath to slap against the metal and make the metallic rattle noise.


I also had the shifter lock me out of pressing the release button, several times. Like it was jammed. I could still manually pull the release through the boot. It would mysteriously clear itself by the next drive. The third time it did this I screwed around with it and I pressed on the button pretty hard and can only describe what I think I felt, as I did not remove the button to inspect.


What it felt like was a bushing with machine marks (spirals) being pushed into its hole. "zziiittt, zzzziittt" each increment I pressed it down. I can report after doing this, the button action is much more free and quick-acting on depression and return, with no more jams.


Any remaining rattles have also decreased and become lower in pitch. It is now a full 95% quieter that when originally installed.


The trans seems to get louder as it heats up and the shifter, while still precise, does not feel to have the "fluid resistance dampened feel" (lol) that it does when the trans is cold. I prefer the feel and noise level when the oil is cold. Maybe a trans oil change is in order now that the car has 3k miles. Maybe a change to a thicker or more stable at temperature oil.


I hope this helps someone. Please let me know if you find any of the things I did or if any of my homebrew fixes work for you.


Matt in GA

http://https://youtu.be/Wwviv3Jc1Tw
Have a rattle in every gear but especially when I have it in a high gear. 6th gear has a distinct rattle every time I put it in it. I have foam stuffed in there but that’s it

Either cable in the handle (see my pipe cleaner trick above) or its the collar in the middle of the shift linkags at the joint. Those were the two biggest rattles I had. No way to get rid of all the rattles. There is still going to be some rattle from the detent button and shaft. Loved having it but went back to stock shifter with stiffer detent and centering springs.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Can anyone comment as to if new versions of the shifter still have rattles? Or if the base still can come loose?

Found these:

November 2017
https://youtu.be/hZG4-aU5k8E

Seems like at this point he had the rattle fix kit. However the button still rattled.

In March 2018 he got a new one
https://youtu.be/1SwvQVV5fug

This seemed to fix those issues. This implies to me that IRP made a revision mid-V3.

Can anyone who purchased the shifter more recently (late 2018 to early 2019) confirm the issues (rattles, issues in this thread, issues in the first video above) have been fixed?

Assuming FT86SF ships my order soon I should be able to tell you in a week or two.

yeah, it rattles still. i dont mind it though

+1, my exhaust is on the loud side so another rattle didn't bother me at all. That being said it isn't gonna rattle a ton unless you are getting on the gas hard.

Thanks. I tend to think it won't bother me, but I'm not sure. if it's a subtle rattle,I don't think I would care. If it's really loud I probably would. @arkanist, how loud is your exhaust? Is the rattle quieter than it?

I have the nvidia n1, so car is relatively loud so maybe that would drown out the rattle?

What about the base piece? Did they fix it so it is nice and tight without having to add washers?

I tried every fix in this thread and then some to stop the rattling. I was able to minimize most of the rattle below 4K rpm. Above 4K rpm was a horrible rattle in every gear that increases till redline. I had a stock catback on my car with a cutout. With the cutout open the car was twice as loud as it is now with the cutout open with an LS V8 engine.

So it didn't bother me with the cutout open and windows down but I would only do that at the racetrack or autoX. As much as I loved the feel of the shifter I can't imagine having it on a DD unless you have a completely obnoxious exhaust. If I could go back and do it again I would of just coughed up the money for a CAE shifter that is suppose to have zero rattle.

Greddy Evo 4 w/ Gruppe S UEL header. Pretty loud but I can still have a conversation.

Did you have the v3? The rattle has never bothered me enough to try these fixes.

Not sure, I bought it last year so it was at least a V2.

I could be wrong, but I feel like ever since this part was released in November of 2017, it said it was V3.

So yes I must have had the V3. I promise you everyone saying the rattle doesn’t bother them either has a crazy loud exhaust or doesn’t rev out their engine or both.

No, it just doesn't rattle like what you are saying for me lmao

Mine either :thumbup: I get a tiny bit of rattle every now and then but it is mostly quiet.

Hey, not that I don't believe you guys but I'd love to see a video from anyone of them revving the car to redline in 1st and 2nd gear with the windows up just to prove that you don't have a horrible rattle. Again not saying yours rattles but would love to see it for myself considering the amount of effort I put into trying to stop mine from rattling. The best I could do was minimize the rattle below 4K rpm.

Installed my V3 last weekend, purchased from FT86speedfactory this October. This means it had the rattle "fix" kit included.

Rattles in 1, 2, 3, at 3000-3500rpm and up. Minimal rattle in 4, 5, 6 at cruising speeds. I like to downshift a lot and that is when you get some really nasty rattles... Something in the button area rattles for sure.

I've only lasted a week and it's pissed me off enough that I'm going to try and wrestle in the original stock shifter this weekend. I have absolutely zero rattles or vibrations in my car otherwise (seem to have won that lottery) so this one is pretty obvious and I don't think I can live with it.

So now my shifter started rattling during normal driving. I have noticed if I reach over and push it to the side it stops. I believe this may be due to the shifter rattling against the limiting screws for 1st and 6th. I am going to pull them out and measure them and see if I can get nylon tipped ones.

Does anyone have the dimensions in MM for the rattle fix insert? I somehow lost mine and IRP is either ignoring my messages or just not wanting to ship me another.

Checking to see if anyone has attempted any fix on the reverse button rod that connects the cable linkage?

That's where 100% of my rattle comes from.

It does not have a real solution, when installing the IRP it is canceling a silentblock and there will always be vibrations and noises, I sold mine and never looked back.

I can't speak to everyone's vibrations in their shifter but mine is isolated to the rod in the reverse button exclusively. If the rod can be dampened my rattle will cease to exist. If not I'll likely fix the shifter button in place and mount the cable and release somewhere else.

But if someone's found a solution all for the better then I don't even have to R&D it.