# Forge Short Shift 5-speed Quattro



## Scigano (Mar 10, 2011)

I was planning on getting the Forge side-to-side short shifter (FMVWSQS) for my 2000 Audi TT 180 Quattro 5-speed, but I wanted to confirm its comparability.

I understand that the transmission in that car is the same O2M 3-shaft transmission from the later 6-speed 225 cars. The only difference I've known to this moment is that there is a spacer in place of where 6th gear is (and that the ratios will differ some as well).

Is the linkage the same (so that this Forge part will fit regardless of my one-less gear)? Or other than the spacer in place of sixth — there were other differences?

thank you!


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

Scigano said:


> I was planning on getting the Forge side-to-side short shifter (FMVWSQS) for my 2000 Audi TT 180 Quattro 5-speed, but I wanted to confirm its comparability.
> 
> I understand that the transmission in that car is the same O2M 3-shaft transmission from the later 6-speed 225 cars. The only difference I've known to this moment is that there is a spacer in place of where 6th gear is (and that the ratios will differ some as well).
> 
> ...


Yeah you should be good. As long as its the one specifically for the 5spd. I have the 6spd version and LOVE it. Definitly worth the money/effort of install.


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## Scigano (Mar 10, 2011)

Wait, I need to use the O2J 5-speed (FWD TT) shifter — they seem adamant about those only fitting FWD 5-speeds? Because I know my transmission is an O2M, just the only 5-speed version. Ever, lol. :facepalm:

I found an Audi pamphlet/diagram... -thing (


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## chaldowhiteboy (Jun 14, 2010)

I have been wondering the same thing since I also have a 5spd quattro and I am also leaning towards the same conclusion... but it would be nice to have someone confirm this. Maybe give forge a call?


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## nilreb (Mar 17, 2012)

anyone tried diesel geek's?


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## Scigano (Mar 10, 2011)

Word is that is _the_ shifter to get. It includes both front-to-back and side-to-side reductions.
It also eliminates the stock bushing-mounted cable ends for screwed-on aluminum ones.

This setup supposedly eliminates _all_ shifter slop because any play-allowing rubber and plastic on the transmission side is gone. If you still have play after this shifter, you need to look into you actual shifter box inside the car (where more wear items exist).

It's also $195, so you have to pay to play — but you could easily spend more for less.

Interestingly enough, they say their Sigma-6 (6-speed version) shifter fits all versions of the MQ350 transmission, Audi TT Mk 1 and Mk 2 Quattros, TTS, and the Audi S3. It also fits FWD versions of the O2M MQ350 found in special edition 1.8T GTIs, the GLI, and VR6 Golfs and Jettas.

If it fits the 6-speed Quattro O2M, the 6-speed FWD O2M, is listed for all TT Quattros — I think it stands to reason it'll fit the 5-speed Quattro O2M. That can't be the _only_ O2M out of all the Quattro and FWD versions to have a different shift linkage mechanism.

Unless someone else chimes in w/ credible evidence to the contrary — I think it's safe to say that if you have a 5-speed TT 180Q, you get shifter kits for the 225Q 6-speed box (the 5-speed O2J shifters sure as hell won't fit — the shape of the shifter mount on the bell housing looks diff. even in the vague rendering in the technical self study).

(I think we still wouldn't mind anyone with a 180Q who's installed a short shift kit to say so, just to eliminate that 0.01% of  ) (I'll know by next week if nobody else opcorn: )


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## hunTTsvegas (Aug 27, 2012)

You reached the conclusion on your own but to confirm, any shifter for an 02M will work regardless of 5 or 6 speed as the differences are internal. Did you end up going with the Diesel Geek? I wanted to but took a different route.


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## 20v master (May 7, 2009)

hunTTsvegas said:


> You reached the conclusion on your own but to confirm, any shifter for an 02M will work regardless of 5 or 6 speed as the differences are internal.


Correct. I have used FWD 02M linkage on my 02M 180Q trans after I made it into my own short shift. :thumbup:


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

Scigano said:


> Word is that is _the_ shifter to get. It includes both front-to-back and side-to-side reductions..


The best combo IMO is the B&M in the cab, and the DG on the trans.


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## Scigano (Mar 10, 2011)

Thanks for the confirmation from those of you who've replaced shifters already. 

The only issue I've heard w/ the B&M cabin-shifter is that you lose the ability to pin the shifter into its home position for linkage alignments.


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

Scigano said:


> Thanks for the confirmation from those of you who've replaced shifters already.
> 
> The only issue I've heard w/ the B&M cabin-shifter is that you lose the ability to pin the shifter into its home position for linkage alignments.


 Lol, that's funny. I've never had a problem. Neutral or "home position" is pretty obvious.


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## 20v master (May 7, 2009)

warranty225cpe said:


> Lol, that's funny. I've never had a problem. Neutral or "home position" is pretty obvious.


 Neutral/home position isn't where the shift knob is when aligning the linkage.


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

20v master said:


> Neutral/home position isn't where the shift knob is when aligning the linkage.


 Explain..


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## Scigano (Mar 10, 2011)

The procedure for aligning your shifter cables is typically done by locking both the in-cabin shifter and the transmission into a mutual "home position" — likely chosen by some _very_ anal retentive and detail-obsessed German engineers. 

Supposedly, it isn't quite neutral on either the shifter or gearbox, but somewhere vaguely between neutral and in-gear (very slightly so, or at least that's the impression many of the DIYs give you). In the scope of tolerances, maybe the VW engineers decided that was the best place for orienting the cables. 

Diesel Geek has a couple of how-to's on YouTube for aligning your cables if you happened to have sheared the small rod in the bellhousing for locking the transmission. It happens often enough I guess. It's just done by engaging 1st or 2nd (I can't remember which right now) at the transmission directly to align one cable and then back to neutral to align the other (again, check the video, I may have those wrong). 

Locking the shifter up in the cabin might not be for some super-precise specific aligning point (although you're not moving much, aligning the cables just a few mm off could mean serious fubar stuff for you), it may simple be to keep the shifter from moving while aligning the cables in the engine bay — since you'd be tugging n' jiggling them about.


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

Scigano said:


> The procedure for aligning your shifter cables is typically done by locking both the in-cabin shifter and the transmission into a mutual "home position" — likely chosen by some _very_ anal retentive and detail-obsessed German engineers.
> 
> Supposedly, it isn't quite neutral on either the shifter or gearbox, but somewhere vaguely between neutral and in-gear (very slightly so, or at least that's the impression many of the DIYs give you). In the scope of tolerances, maybe the VW engineers decided that was the best place for orienting the cables.
> 
> ...


 Thanks for the break down.


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## 20v master (May 7, 2009)

warranty225cpe said:


> Explain..


 Exactly what I said, it's not in the "neutral/home" position. If it were, after releasing the cable ends on top of the trans, you wouldn't have to move the shifter in the cabin to insert the alignment pin/nail/allen wrench/whatever you use, but you do have to move the shifter slightly to the left and slightly towards 2nd gear/down to get the pin in right. I always use the biggest pin possible relative to the hole because if it's too smal, it allows the shifter to be out of the correct position. 

FYI, for anyone who wants to attempt to make your own short shifter, you can grind off the rivets on the back of the pins on the front to back linkage on top of the trans, drill a hole closer to the rotation point, and reinsert the pin. You need to either A) have the exact right drill size relative to the pin diameter and use locktite on it, or B) you can tap the pin from the back side and put a bolt/washer on it to secure the pin. The same can be done for the side to side piece (I had this welded by a buddy), but this can cause issues with one of the cables hitting the other front to rear piece. To overcome this, I simply used a bench grinder to remove a lot of mass from that front to rear piece to give clearance from the cables. Seeing it in person makes this really self explanatory. All that's required would be a set of drill bits, a drill press, a micrometer/caliper, some loctite/a set of taps and a matching bolt. 

Stole a 42DD pic. 









The cable in the pic is the side to side cable, and all you'd need to do to reduce throw length is move that pin closer to the pin that is the point of rotation. Doing this causes the cable to hit the mass/arm on the other linkage piece, seen below the cable in the pic, but like I said, easily remedied by cutting off that mass and/or grinding down the contoured shape to allow cable clearance. :beer: Much cheaper than all these $200 short shift "kits". :thumbup:


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