How To: Install a short-throw shifter on your car properly

Watch this "Grease On Your Hands" video tutorial from the Washington Post to see how to install a short-throw shifter on your car properly.

When servicing any automobile, you should always wear appropriate eye-protection as well as ensure your working environment is properly ventilated. When working underneath a vehicle, always secure it with a floor jack and jack stands or drive-on lift ramps. You're going to get greasy as well so keep a healthy supply of rags on hand to sop up the mess!

Grease on Your Hands is an interactive online series that provides easy step-by-step instructions for simple car repair and maintenance at home. Want to make driving a manual transmission vehicle a more enjoyable experience? We'll show you how to do just that by replacing the stock shifter in a manual transmission vehicle with a short-throw shifter in a few simple steps. In this installment, host Fang Huang demonstrates how to properly install a short-throw shifter.

Before we start, always remember:

When working on a car, always wear eye protection and be sure that your working environment has plenty of ventilation.

If you're working under a car, secure it with a floor jack and jack stands or drive-on lift ramps.

Always keep a healthy supply of rags on hand in case you get greasy!

To install a shifter, you'll need a few tools and supplies:

Flat-head screwdriver, basic socket and wrench set, thin shop rag, the new shifter and, if you want one, shifter knob, thread-lock, flat wood block and hammer.