What is a shift gate?

A shift gate can refer to one of two things. An internal shift gate is a mechanism on the shifter that controls the 'position' of each gear, and sometimes provides a 'lock' feature to prevent the owner from accidental mis-shifting. However, when most people refer to a shift gate, they are talking about an external shift gate.

An external shift gate is a guide - essentially, a thin metal plate with slots cut into it - installed on the shifter of a car. It provides a positional reference for each gear. It is usually installed in an exposed position, so the driver can see it. Some cars, such as certain Ferrari and Mercedes automobiles, come with external shift gates stock.

It is also possible, on some automobiles, to install an external shift gate as an aftermarket accessory. Owners can do this for looks alone, or as a measure to help keep them from accidentally mis-shifting the car into an incorrect gear while racing.

It is not possible to install a shift gate on a DSM without altering the shifter. The reason is that the shifter shaft overlaps the same space in different gears. For example, the shaft position in third gear overlaps the shaft position in first and/or fifth gear. For this reason, it is not possible to install a shift gate that has separate slots cut into it for different gears. The shaft is also hollow, so thinning it is problematic.

With that said, Kyle Grendall has successfully made a shift gate for the DSMs by changing the shifter shaft.

There are also several methods of making the DSM shifter feel more positive. [TODO]