Is there a counter weight shift knob that is wrapped in leather. The only reason i ask is the counter weight knob i have gets very hot in the day time and is almost un-drivable.

 

throw a towel or something like that over it during the day....works for me.

 

Are you resting your hand on it? The knob should only be touched when shifting - 1 sec or less.

 

that one sec will burn the **** out of your hand when its been sitting out in the sun all day in 100+ degree days

 

Leave a towel, glove, clean sock in your glove compartment so you can just take it out on hot days.

 

I've been driving with aluminum shift knobs for more than 20 years. Hell, I've had one in my GTI for almost 15. Many times the cars were parked in the hot sun and reached very high internal temperatures. Yes, the knobs do get hot, but for the life of me I cannot understand how anyone can "burn" his hand while using a proper shifting technique.

This is a very good book that illustrates in detail many important aspects of high-performance driving, including shifting:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/076...023352?ie=UTF8

 

maybe his knob isnt aluminum......alluminum disipates heat alot faster than most metals....when i had my gready counterweight i couldnt evn touch it for a split sec in the middle of summer.....especially when the heat index is around 120ish......

 

+1 The greddy knob gets MAD hot. I actually used a sock in the summer time which is kinda ghetto, but Im from the ghetto so its OK

 

Aluminum's forte is distributing heat evenly relative to its mass, even though it tends to retain it significantly longer than copper (for example). I cited aluminum as a generic reference. In reality, any commercially available metal shift knob should not be burning one's hand if he shifts his car correctly. You must have seen people walk on coals. A participant's feet don't get burns due to the oils and moisture on the skin, which take a bit longer to expire than the time spent on the hot coals. The same principle applies here, but to a lesser degree; a shift takes a lot less time than a walk on the coals.

 

Ok, try driving with the shift knob that's in my WRX right now after it's been sitting outside all day while I'm working. I only touch the gear knob to shift and it still hurts like hell. Maybe I don't necessarily get burned, but it does hurt and it sucks. I usually have the AC blasting and one vent pointed at the knob to cool it off as quickly as I can.

 

How long does it take for you to make sure it's out of gear before you start it up? Then you have to put into reverse, which takes just long enough to burn the holy hell out of you.

I don't know about you guys, but with the 115 degree heat we've been having lately whenever I grab a hold of my Razo 340g my hand burns like that dude from Raider's of the Lost Ark.

 

I have a clutch.

Less than a second, using the palm of my hand.

Please don't miss my point. Just because one drives a manually transmissioned automobile, doesn't mean that he does it well. This is why I suggested a good book that addresses the subject directly.

 

+1....its been so hot here right when i get in my car i dont even want to grab the steering wheel (the stock momo one.....)

 

I know what you mean.

We'll watch FJF change his tune as soon as he comes on out to the Valley of the Sun in summer time.

 

Yeah that Greddy knob really gets hot. I just unscrew mine after getting to work and screw it back on after the work day.