Shifter Bushings

[91talontsiIA]

Can anyone who has installed stiffer shifter bushings in there car give me a little feedback.
I am trying to decide which kit to go with in my 91 talon?
the kit with the metal bushing like machv sells
or the urethane kit like RRE sells.

my concern with the metal bushings is the likely hood of getting that clunking sound from them.

Dose the shaft mounting sleeve in the kit from mach V make that much difference. Do I need it. The kit from RRE dosent even have one.

Thanks
Tim

 

[90GSX]

Get the symborski kit from Mach V.

 

[Bohrn]

or if you are broke, (or just cheap), you could do like me and replace the stock rubber things with large washers. thats all folks! cost 58cents I think. Alot less slop now.

 

[90GSX]

Washers help some, but the problem is that the bolt diameter is much smaller than the bore of the holes in the shifter base. If you're 'banging' gears the shifter base can still move around and cause missed gears.

 

[GalantVR41062]

What I did was got a washer with the out side diameter that matched the hole in the shifter base and the hole in the middle was the same diameter as the bolt, then one on top thats bigger than the hole in the shifter base and bolt it to the unibody directly. just dont cry about your shifter being noisy but it is accurate as can be.

 

[90GSX]

I guess, if you are serious about not wanting it to move, you could weld the shifter base to the body.

 

[MindBlowin03]

I had a 94 with the metal bushings and hated them. Clunking sounds, and not being able to get in gear were the major problems. With my 97 I bought the urethane ones and I love these ones. Not loud, and the shifting is sweet.

 

[20psi]

I have the symborski (metal ones) they clunk IMO it sounds cool.I think the energy sus. might be the happy medium between stock and metal.I wouldn't suggest the metal ones with the B&M short shifter on the 50% setting either.

 

[TsiPro16G]

I have used the all the kits and my fav. so far is the Energy Suspention kit...

 

[onegee]

Originally posted by TsiPro16G
I have used the all the kits and my fav. so far is the Energy Suspention kit...

what makes u like it better than the metal ones?

what is this clunk ur talking about? like a nasty "ooh u fucced up ur gears" clunk or a "dats a cool ass sound" kinda clunk??...i had the same question metal vs. urethane...i plan on buying them asap so any input would be GREATLY appreciated...

also is the install pretty easy if u have had little mechanical time?

 

[98RedGs]

would anyone post pics of where these install and how?

 

[neuromonic]

This is an older thread but I thought I'd bump it with my experiences.

After doing a little reading I bought the symborski kit from Mach V to alleviate some of the shifting problems I've been having with my "new" 91 Eclipse GSX. One of my biggest complaints was all the play in my shifter. The shifter felt just plain sloppy.

The instructions are found here and adjustment directions are also found here. I didn't read those. I just followed the instructions that came with the package. There are a few important facts that didn't appear in those isntructions, which I feel may benefit other DSM noobies (like me) with their installation.

1. Your shifts will be much more defined. In addition to the increased drivetrain noise in the cabin (which I barely notice, and I don't have a radio in the car) your shifts will feel different. I call them precise or defined. Others may call it mettalic or clunky. I like it. You might not. Figured I should mention that first.

2. The bolts that hold the shifter plate to the body are exposed to the elements underneath your car. Mine were rusted at the bottom. I broke one. Being the noob that I am I was ready to drill that sucker out, but my tuning partner (and father) procured a set of these Crafstman Bolt-Out drivers (Thanks Dad!). Pulled the rest of that bolt right out. If you've never heard of these things it would behoove you to check them out. (Sears item #00952162000. Makes a great gift!)

3. The bottom of my shift lever is key shaped. This piece of the shifter sits in a little round plastic piece that sits inside of the lever that actuated the leftmost shift cable. You need to make sure this is assembled properly. You will not know what I'm talking about by the way I describe it so I will get a picture, but basically when I put everything back together the shift mechanism didn't want to work. It was because the shifter bottom was sitting ontop of this piece instead of inside it. I was trying to use a mallet to make it fit until my (older and wiser) tuning partner suggested I take it out and slide it on.

Anyway, most of this is pretty basic to you old hats, but I thought it might help someone out there.

-n

 

[ericismyname]

they are just "special" washers

 

[leet]

Putting stiffer bushings on your shifter plate will make a night and day difference in shift-ability (made up word )

While you are at it, replace your shifter cable bushings (Trans. Side) with rollerblade bearings, makes shifting even more precise.

 

[Mike1992]

I got both kits, (shifter plate and under the hood bushings) For $60 a definate difference I lovem!

 

[ericismyname]

how was the difference feeling int he under the hood buschings?

 

[Mike1992]

i can feel and hear each gear go in now, sounds really kool Before when stock it was bouncing around

 

[herostar]

anyone have info on replacing the transmission bushings with rollerblade/skateboard bearings? I'm interested in this...

 

[Defiant]

Oooo, looky the sort of thing that "rollerblade" comes up with in Search:

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=88410&highlight=rollerblade

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=91694&highlight=rollerblade

Originally posted by neuromonic
2. The bolts that hold the shifter plate to the body are exposed to the elements underneath your car. Mine were rusted at the bottom. I broke one. Being the noob that I am I was ready to drill that sucker out, but my tuning partner (and father) procured a set of these Crafstman Bolt-Out drivers (Thanks Dad!). Pulled the rest of that bolt right out. If you've never heard of these things it would behoove you to check them out. (Sears item #00952162000. Makes a great gift!)

Uh.... yeah. Or, he could have given it a shot of PB, and with a drill running forward, screwed the piece out the bottom of the hole.

 

[Mike1992]

After having these installed for a while i dont like them as much they bind up 5th/reverse. Still shifts ok but I can feel it, in the shifter

 

[cbellsondsm]

jsut stick with the cheap skateboard bearings and use washers for the shifter base, mine hasnt moved at all and shifting is crisp as hell

 

[ornwilson]

I have the aluminum bushings on the shifter and some washers on the tranny and the shifter is nice & tight. There's no play front/rear in the handle and just enough side/side to bug me now that it's mega-tight the other way.

If you use washers or metal on the shifter plate, just be sure to use locktite because mine loosened up a bit at first.