# Is TWM the best shift knob on the market?



## batmans (Aug 16, 2007)

After reading reports of nasty bacteria on leather shift knobs ( and steering wheels) I started searching around for after market knobs for both the NSX and GTO.

Back in the day I used nothing but Momo since it was the "best" knob maker.

But there was something about the after market knobs that I felt was missing. I remember all of the ones that I have used were lighter than the factory knob.

So I after searching around I came across TWM shift knobs.

Here's an excerpt from their site:

_A TWM shift knob is made of the most dense material readily available, stainless steel. More dense materials exist on earth, however for this application stainless steel is ideal since it is very hard, unlike lead, and not absurdly expensive like platinum, gold, or depleted Uranium. A material's density is a measure of it's mass per unit volume, the more dense, the more a given volume of the material weighs. This allows a TWM shift knob to retain stock, comfortable dimensions but weigh a great deal more than a stock shift knob. Many other aftermarket companies produce shift knobs as well, however they are often made of very light plastic or aluminum which offer no benefit of added weight.

Why is a heavier shift knob better you may ask yourself? The answer is simple and relates to basic physics. A heavy shift knob carries with it more kinetic energy and has greater momentum than a less massive (lighter) shift knob travelling at the same speed. Kinetic energy is defined as the energy possessed by a body because of its motion, equal to one half the mass of the body times the square of its speed. Momentum is defined as the product of the mass times the velocity of an object. Since kinetic energy and momentum are directly proportional to an objects mass, the more massive (heavy) an object is the more kinetic energy it carries with it through it's movement, and it has a greater momentum than a less massive object travelling at the same speed.

This theory applies to a shift knob in the following manner. While shifting, the shift knob is set in motion by the driver. While the shift knob is travelling between gears, it has a certain velocity and carries with it kinetic energy. The additional kinetic energy the heavy shift knob carries with it helps it to engage in to the next gear. Essentially, the shifter with a heavier shift knob is more "difficult" to stop because of the added kinetic energy, which actually helps it engage in to the next gear with less direct effort from the driver. The net result is a smoother engagement in to the next gear with less effort put in from the driver on the shift knob to get it in to gear. It is for this reason that a heavier shift knob feels much smoother to shift than a shifter with a stock shift knob.

Once you try driving with a weighted TWM shift knob, you will never want to go back to stock. The difference is quite simply amazing. _ 

I'm torn between these 2 knobs:










TWM Performance Weighted Shift Knobs - Bombshell Shift Knob

or this style that is used in Ferrari's, Lambos, Carrera GT, etc.:










A6 Leopard Shift Knobs - TWM Performance Weighted Shift Knobs

Do most of you grab the knob from the top or the side?


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## 87GN06GTO07IRL (Aug 10, 2009)

batmans said:


> Do most of you grab the knob from the top or the side?


top.


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

Usually when I grab my knob, I'm just happy I'm grabbing my knob.


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## batmans (Aug 16, 2007)

I just got the leopard for the NSX.

And wow. The quality is A+. Service A+. and the weight really makes the shifting much smoother.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

So, what was the HP gain? Does it go around a corner better? Or is this for road courses? :confused


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## batmans (Aug 16, 2007)

just better shifting......


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