Aluminum shifter base bushings and brass shifter cable bushings Install
 

I recently installed the speedsource metal shifter bushings with the intention of writing a DIY afterward. There are little bits that got left out of the pics due to the fact that I forgot about the camera at various points and had very messy hands near the end. So here it goes.


Start by removing these two screws from the armrest console and pulling the console up and over the emergency brake.

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Then remove the two screws and unplug the harness. Remove the shifter knob too.

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Remove the ash tray (I hope you don't smoke) and remove the screw underneath it.

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On the drivers side there is a screw type panel latch(whatever) that you take off by unscrewing the middle before pulling it free.

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The first panel on the passenger side just pops off.

On the passenger and drivers side underneath the first kick panels are these push in type panel latches. You push in the middle to take them out. When you get them out push the pin out the other way so it is protruding from the top. Push it back in and push the middle level with the top and it will lock. pretty nifty.

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Once you remove all this you can take the front of the console area out too. Underneath are the four screws holding the shifter base to the car and circled in green the cotter pin to the shifter cable that's in the way of the northwest bolt.

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And here is a closeup of the cotter pin on the shifter cable, for the n00bs

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because of the cap on the end of these metal shafts(whatever) you have to push them out through the bottom.

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I used a flat head screwdriver to push one side of the rubber bushing out first. Remove all four.

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This is the first time I lose track of the camera during the install.

The shifter bushings have ridges on one side. The ridge faces up underneath the shifter and fits right into the shfiter base. It faces down on the top of the shifter and fits right into the shifter base. After making sure they were all lined up properly and tightening them down I reconnected the shifter cable and it looked like this.

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You have to take the air tube from the stock airbox to the manifold off to gain access to the shifter connections. I don't have a stock airbox, and the tube was in the way regardless, so I don't really know if you have to take out the airbox or not, but I don't think so.

And here is the second time. I didn't expect it to go quite as smoothly as it did. I took off the old cotter pins, pulled the top cable off and then got the bigger bottom one off. The rubber bushing came out with just a little bit of force. The other one, on the other hand, took a pair of vise grips and plyers to get off. It wasn't difficult with those tools though.


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The E-clip goes on the topside of both shifter cables

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And because of how messy the anti seize compound I slathered all over the place I didn't get very many pics of the underhoods steps, but it's very simple. I put antiseize all around the new bushing, I pressed it into the pin hole, and I used the supplied sandpaper to clean the shifter cable ends. Some people have been having issues with these seizing up so I am going to monitor mine every oil change or two, and I recommend anyone else to do the same.


The E-clips are facing out and the new cotter pins are in the slots.


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Finally did this, it's been a couple of weeks.

I put them in together and it was a pretty dramatic change in shfit feel. The shifter communicates with your hand much more with the metal bushings. Crisp and precise, i haven't made a mistake yet with them in, not that I'm prone to grinding gears but I get a little overexcited sometimes in the twirties:D In any case worth the money. I don't feel the need for a short shifter any more, becuase I like it just like this.

Closed. Discuss HERE.