Looking for input:


For a while now I have not been able to move my shifter side-to-side in neutral very easily - I literally have to put my knee into it. Assuming it might be seized bushings causing the issue, I decided to install some Torque Solutions shifter cable bushings, but I was never able to get the old bushings out.


I guess the PO had aluminum bushings installed, and the corrosion between the steel and aluminum has the bushing stuck to the cable collar and also to the post on the linkage. If I push/pull too hard, I fear I will bend the linkage...So far I have only soaked it in some WD40 since that is all I had at the moment.


Has anyone had to deal with this? What do you suggest? Am I going to have to remove the whole linkage and cables, heat the bushing and go from there?


Thanks!

 

You should be able to get the post from the linkage out of the center of the bushing by sticking a big flat head screw driver between the two surfaces and twisting. You might have to use a vice grip to twist the screw driver. Try switching from WD40 to PB blaster. PB blaster is smelly stuff but I found it to be stronger and more effective than WD40.

This is starting to sound like double vice grip work. Best to take your time.

-pal215

 

I had one stick so bad I had to take the select lever off and use a die grinder to cut a slot in the bush before it would give.
Either way, be happy it is the select bush and not the shift one, at least you can easily remove it from the transmission for work.

 

Yes same problem here on both bushings. I ended up using heat, pb blaster, then a combo of pliers to twist them to break the bond then two small flat head screwdrivers to slide them off by twisting the screwdriver handles.

It happened with the stock parts so not sure what the root cause is. The shifter posts still look corroded or galled. I put grease on them often now.

I have been researching sealed bearing options off and on. A little overkill maybe but I just don't feel like experiencing that issue again.

 

I need to search for this easy removal method. Looked difficult to me. Got a link?

 

The selector lever is just 2 12mm bolts and it comes right out. this same thing happened to me a while back where I had to use a big screwdriver to get the bushings off come to find out the post was slightly bent.


My guess is it got bent when the PO removed the transmission and wasn't careful enough.

 

Just remove the nut holding it on and tilt it off. Or as mentioned above there are two 12mm bolts holding the bracket on you could go that route too probably.
This is only acceptable for the select lever though; the shift lever goes internal to the transmission, you don't want to try taking it out.

 

I had to heat mine up and cut off

 

Ah... Thanks... see I thought you meant you could take both shifters off. I misread your post. Yes I tried to take the one nut off but it seemed stuck and didn't want to put to much torque on it unless I was prepared to replace the whole shifter.

 

Thanks for the input guys! Sorry for the late response.

For the smaller bushing I ended up having to drill tons of holes in it in order to get it off the post. Sadly I ended up squaring the post off, but I do not feel it will damage the delrin replacement bushing or catch on anything.

I am still working on the larger bushing, which came off the post fine but refuses to come out of the collar. I have begun drilling it and I have made 2 relief cuts, but still not having luck with it.

I have been avoiding using heat because of the relatively close proximity to the fuel line.

 

I had this happen after I picked the car up from a shop after they swapped a new engine in... took me 2 hours of messing with the bushing to get it out... replaced with a torque solutions derlin bushing and now it is back to normal...

 

Hmmm I wonder if this is what's happening to my IX now, Just started having trouble moving the shifter around yesterday. I'll have to check and see if the bushings are OEM or not.

 

Having the same problem with my car as well. I cannot get the OEM busing off. It's stuck on the post. I tried everything. Tuesday I'm going to take the lever off an use a dremel to grind it off.

Seems like the transmission I bought already had the OEM bushing on and my shifter cables has an aftermarket metal on. Second pic is before I did anything and 1st is, well I destroyed the bushing lol but it didn't matter since I'll be using that metal aftermarket one.

 

I'm having this issue too. I got one off, but can't get the other off. Is the nut you're talking about the one with the blue washer in the above pictures?

 

I took that one off and couldn't the lever out either...