Acuity Instrument's Short Shifter

HKSpeed

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Acuity, Hybrid Racing, and KTuned comparison



(skip to 1:35 for comparison with stock)

(skip to 3:28 for comparison with stock)
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Superhatch

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I ordered from Acuity last night, already shipped out as of 7:34AM. Not label created, but actually shipped. Amazing turn around time.
 

Amm5890

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I went stock > Acuity stage 2 > hybrid racing > Acuity stage 2 > and now I have the full shifter. Stock with stage 2 was pretty phenomenal but the new full kit is even better. Love the adjustability. I played around with the longest and shortest settings and settled right in the middle, its only slightly shorter throws and smaller gate spacing than stock, but I have the knob set a bit higher so it probably cancels it out lol. I am not a fan of super short throws and gate spacing, I feel like it messes up my timing but yeah the way it is set now; this thing feels moneyyyy.
 

PNEUMA

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So I bought the Acuity shifter setup on the first day of release, so what a couple months ago now?
Today I finally decided to take the time to install it.
I never want to do that again, ever!! My meat hooks are torn up, as well as the underside of my right forearm from the top edge of the center console. I left it in, but otherwise followed the Acuity instructions. Both of my thumbnails are kind pulled back and sore too, from using them to release the spring metal clips at the end of each shifter cable.

Also, those ingenious Honda spring loaded screw fittings that retain the shift cable housing to the shifter body are MFers!!

It’s in and I will say that this shifter is $money$. Hondas good shifter is even better now. I don’t know how this can be improved upon really. Just my take. I also feel that the included/installed ‘medium’ centering spring is a touch firmer than the OEM shifter assembly.

Very pleased and happy to finally have a done stamp.
 


Andjoo

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So I bought the Acuity shifter setup on the first day of release, so what a couple months ago now?
Today I finally decided to take the time to install it.
I never want to do that again, ever!! My meat hooks are torn up, as well as the underside of my right forearm from the top edge of the center console. I left it in, but otherwise followed the Acuity instructions. Both of my thumbnails are kind pulled back and sore too, from using them to release the spring metal clips at the end of each shifter cable.

Also, those ingenious Honda spring loaded screw fittings that retain the shift cable housing to the shifter body are MFers!!

It’s in and I will say that this shifter is $money$. Hondas good shifter is even better now. I don’t know how this can be improved upon really. Just my take. I also feel that the included/installed ‘medium’ centering spring is a touch firmer than the OEM shifter assembly.

Very pleased and happy to finally have a done stamp.
lol. Yeah my thumbnails and thumbs were pretty jacked for a couple of days too.
welcome to the club though 👍🏻
 

kwantfm

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Wanted to add a bit more detail to answer a key question I had prior to purchasing the drop in short shifter from Acuity. We've been adding short shifters to a number of different cars... including a CubeSpeed to a Gen 1 BRZ. We optioned the stronger shifter springs from the manufacturer and found that short shifter incredibly stiff (we went back to the stock springs). So when the Acuity short shifter could be optioned with different tension springs I had to think hard. I live in Australia and so the local supplier only had the shifter, but not the other springs. I ended up getting the shifter as is and the spring tension is PERFECT. The new detent springs (Pepper Performance) on the S2000 are probably 20-30% firmer than I'd ideally like. I'm waiting to see if those springs loosen up a bit. But right now I think the FL5 Acuity shifter is actually BETTER than the S2000 with new detent springs. Again I can't believe I'm saying that given that the Civic shifter is somewhat handicapped by being a cable set up. What Acuity has done is magical.
 

Superhatch

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I'm waiting to see if those springs loosen up a bit. But right now I think the FL5 Acuity shifter is actually BETTER than the S2000 with new detent springs. Again I can't believe I'm saying that given that the Civic shifter is somewhat handicapped by being a cable set up. What Acuity has done is magical.
That's a wild comment but you're the second person in this thread to say so. I just got an S2000 recently and know what all the talk is about now and can't wait to have something similar or better in the CTR.

I was also split about which springs to order but kept it stock. I did order the cable bushings for the transmission side too. My shifter gets in Wed so I'll give a full review then.
 

Amm5890

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Curious if anyone has the high preload centering spring? I love a nice snappy action and the stock one seems pretty decent
 

Superhatch

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Just got done with the install and initial drive, height adjustment and final drive.

- Install is pretty easy, great instructions, keep an eye on the spring/clip that you have to take off from one of the cables, mine flew into a small hole and went under the carpet. Took a magnet stick and 15m to get it.
- Make sure you disconnect the negative terminal on your battery. The car is very not happy if you don't. Mine wouldn't start until I unplugged the stuff I reconnected, removed the negative, plugged everything back in, and put it back on the terminal.
- I kept the throw settings at stock, and just played with the height. At 4 height it felt a lot like the stock shifter with a slightly longer throw. 1 was too short but felt good (shifts were too tight), 2 didn't feel great for some reason, 3 felt like the stock shifter, and I settled on 1.5 which to me felt very good. (all had a more mechanical feel but the shorter you went, the more mechanical it felt)

The stock spring is good as is, I might adjust the gate a little bit just to see how it feels but it's kind of a PITA to get to once you start to plug everything back in.

Overall, very worth it. I don't think it can 100% compare to the S2000 direct shifter, but for a cable shifter it's very close and for something you touch on every drive it's a great mod for the money.

11th Gen Honda Civic Acuity Instrument's Short Shifter 1757469200351-i8
 


Gambit

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Do any of the plugs impact the reverse camera? Mine seems to have stopped working since install. Yet to check the fuse to see if anything was tripped.
 

Superhatch

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Do any of the plugs impact the reverse camera? Mine seems to have stopped working since install. Yet to check the fuse to see if anything was tripped.
Mine was still working this morning. My main issue was the wireless key recognition.

After two days of driving with the stock gate positions and the height set at 1.5 I'll say that I'll probably play with the shifter settings a little bit. The shifter feels great when on the limit, but it's really tight, especially 2-3 when just chugging around town.
 

Andjoo

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Had a bit of an after-install event last night.

Car was fine for 2 weeks after the install, but on my drive home last night I did a mildly aggressive shift and felt something come loose, but was still able to shift. 2 blocks from my house, and I could feel the shifter cable had popped off from the shifter base. Couldn't shift. I pulled over with the clutch still depressed. I was locked in 3rd gear, so was able to drive the 2 blocks and pull into my garage.
Pulled everything off again, and re-attached the cable base and ensured it clipped it properly (according to my expert mechanic opinion... :(). Quadruple checked it was secure. Put everything back together. RIP 1x clip from the cupholder.

Drove to work this morning, feels ok. But super paranoid that it's going to slip again. Have my tool bag in my trunk ready for roadside repair if needed...
 

jtlctr

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Mine was still working this morning. My main issue was the wireless key recognition.

After two days of driving with the stock gate positions and the height set at 1.5 I'll say that I'll probably play with the shifter settings a little bit. The shifter feels great when on the limit, but it's really tight, especially 2-3 when just chugging around town.
Definitely play with the settings, raising the hight helps a lot. Also know that it takes a little time for the new bushings to wear in. I’ve had mine in for a couple of months now and it’s silky smooth. I appreciate this mod more every time I drive the car!
 

menikmati

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@Superhatch do you plan on using the stock shifter boot? Also, are there any easily-accessible adjustments with the console on (but shifter boot off), or do you have to teardown the middle console every time?
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