Acuity plus Raceseng Weighted knob?

JD9

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Hey guys, I have a 2018 Si Coupe and this past summer I purchased a Raceseng slammer weighted shift knob that weighs 635g and have been running it since then. It has been great, but now I am looking into Acuity parts such as their short throw adapter, base bushings, shift rocker upgrade, and centering spring. The problem that I am running into is that I am worried these two sets of products counteract each other. My weighted knob is great but the whole point of a weighted knob is to get rid of feedback from the gearbox and all of the stiffness and notchiness. On the other hand, all of Acuity's products are focused on feeling all of the feedback from the gearbox and making your shifting experience as crisp as possible. Does all of this mean that if I run Acuity parts with my Raceseng knob, will it be a total waste of time and money because they will just go against each other to create a driving experience that is barely different from where I started?

The obvious answer to this is to get rid of my Raceseng knob and replace it with an Acuity knob that is not weighted (probably for this exact reason). However, I would really like to keep my Raceseng knob for multiple reasons including the price I paid for it, the fact that I love the way it looks, and that someone very close to bought it for me as a birthday present so it holds sentimental value to me.

Please share any experiences that you guys have had and if any of you are running a weighted knob with Acuity parts I would love to know how it feels for you!
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Definitely hold out for some end-user anecdotes, but our feeling is that weighted knobs are not a bad thing, especially in moderation. Our general preference is to maximize (useful) feedback from the gearbox, and we generally find that light to medium weight knobs do that, but you will still get the benefits of reduced play and reduced compliance from our shifting upgrades when you use a heavy knob with them. So you'll still notice reduced play, the shifts will still feel firmer, you'll just have a slightly different load profile to the shift feel. A light knob will let you feel the gear engaging (which is a combination of the feeling of the detents and synchro, largely) with lots of detail and feedback. The heavy knob will slightly dampen feedback, but it also provides inertia that evens out the whole shift feel, which some people do like. It really all comes down to end-user preference and what helps you to shift most consistently. We wouldn't say one way is right or wrong. :)

~Russ
 
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JD9

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Definitely hold out for some end-user anecdotes, but our feeling is that weighted knobs are not a bad thing, especially in moderation. Our general preference is to maximize (useful) feedback from the gearbox, and we generally find that light to medium weight knobs do that, but you will still get the benefits of reduced play and reduced compliance from our shifting upgrades when you use a heavy knob with them. So you'll still notice reduced play, the shifts will still feel firmer, you'll just have a slightly different load profile to the shift feel. A light knob will let you feel the gear engaging (which is a combination of the feeling of the detents and synchro, largely) with lots of detail and feedback. The heavy knob will slightly dampen feedback, but it also provides inertia that evens out the whole shift feel, which some people do like. It really all comes down to end-user preference and what helps you to shift most consistently. We wouldn't say one way is right or wrong. :)

~Russ
Thank you for the response! I have had multiple people say that they love their Acuity plus weighted shift knob so now I have your stage 2 kit on the way! Super excited to install it and hopefully, it complements the Raceseng knob.
 

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Thank you for the response! I have had multiple people say that they love their Acuity plus weighted shift knob so now I have your stage 2 kit on the way! Super excited to install it and hopefully, it complements the Raceseng knob.
I think you'll enjoy it. If you can, post your findings here after you try it out so future people wondering the same thing can find some feedback. Enjoy!

~Russ
 
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I think you'll enjoy it. If you can, post your findings here after you try it out so future people wondering the same thing can find some feedback. Enjoy!

~Russ
Hey guys I've had the Acuity Stage 2 kit installed for a week now and I have to say I absolutely love it. My previous concerns thankfully were not necessary at all as the Raceseng shift knob pairs perfectly with the Acuity upgrades. My shifts are now short, precise, firm, and at the same time so smooth. I definitely recomment the Acuity products to anyone with any shift knob. The one downside is after some research I ended up paying an extra $80 on a Perrin shifter cable lockdown so that I didn't get the annoying noise that most people report when shifting into even gears after installing a short shifter adapter such as Acuity's. I wish that Acuity provided a product of their own or at least made that clear on their product page. They did make a YouTube video about this problem and p provided a zip tie solution but I did not find that video until after I had already purchased my parts. Overall, still a great mod for a daily or track car. Here are some pictures of how it came out on my car!

Honda Civic 10th gen Acuity plus Raceseng Weighted knob? J2D_1879


Honda Civic 10th gen Acuity plus Raceseng Weighted knob? J2D_1884


Honda Civic 10th gen Acuity plus Raceseng Weighted knob? J2D_1887


Honda Civic 10th gen Acuity plus Raceseng Weighted knob? J2D_1889


Honda Civic 10th gen Acuity plus Raceseng Weighted knob? J2D_1886


Honda Civic 10th gen Acuity plus Raceseng Weighted knob? J2D_1893
 


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My opinion is that all the shifter add ons are "okay" at best with a real heavy shift knob like that, the only difference you will feel is in the throw length and maybe some stiffness in side to side movement. I would spring for the Acuity complete shifter. Not only does it feel way better, you can really play with the settings you like. I have the Raceseng Sphereology and the PolyTi. My favorite to daily has been the PolyTi, with the shift knob height at the highest point, and middle point for throw/gatespacing. I have some light shift knobs (hybrid racing, battle craft, spoon, etc...) that I swap to when I want a real "racecar" feel, because you get more stiffness and a lot more feeling in your shifts with them.
 

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Russ said it best! We've been trying out a mix of knobs, including ACUiTY's ESCO and POCO that we also carry, and it just comes down to personal preference :)

Light weight knobs under 75grams give you a real tactile feel as you slot the lever into each gear, but they're also require the most effort day-to-day. Mid-weight knobs under 150grams strike a good balance between tactility and ease of daily use, and then the 175grams and up knobs just make it super easy to row through the gears but take away a good amount of feedback.

However with an adjustable shifter like ACUiTY's where you can set the height on the shift rod, having the rod at its highest with a light shift knob can feel similar to having the rod at its lowest with a heavier shift knob. If you have the budget, ACUiTY's short shifter is one of the top mods on the 6MT Civic platform. It's a delightful piece to just look at, let alone installing it and then adjusting it till its right for you :)
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