[RESOLVED] Trouble installing B&M short shifter clone

[Nayr747]

So I bought this ebay B&M short shifter clone:
eBay Motors: 95-99 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SHORT SHIFTER KIT - BLUE 97 98 (item 170207835460 end time Apr-10-08 17:18:47 PDT)
EDIT: For the people that are looking at this thread a while after I posted and can't get the link to work, the ebay seller is "motorblvd".

Problem is the shifter pivot WILL NOT go onto the stock pivot pin. I've been using a 6" C clamp on it for over an hour to try to get it on. I even had to use a socket extention to get more leverage turning the c clamp because i couldn't turn it at all without it. I have been able to get it about half way on, but this just seems rediculous. It says to "slide it on," and there is no mention of anything in the tool list to get it onto the pivot pin. I didn't add any more grease to the pivot pin because there was already some on there. Also, the bearing is not in the hole that I'm trying to slide onto the stock pivot pin; It's in the pivot's other hole (the one without an arrow going to it). The hole in the shifter pivot that I'm trying to get on the pivot pin is just a straight hole.

Here's a picture of area I'm talking about:

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Can anyone please help!

 

[cotsi95]

Drill it out so it fits?

I hate to say it but thats what you get when you buy a knock off product.

 

[Defiant]

Put a strip of emery cloth in a big cotter pin, chuck it up in a lathe and sand out the inside of that fitting. It only has to get onto that stud, and never move again. It's not crucial.

 

[gsxtasy]

Is the problem that the pivot pin won't slide in(too big) or is the flat edge of that pink/puprle thing not going over the flat part of the stock shifter assembly? On mine i had to take a flat file and file off a little of the flat edge(the part that fits over the stock assembly just above the pivot point hole) of the pink/purple thing. Hard to explain, but if that's the problem you should see what I'm talking about. If not, disregard this.

 

[spectr019]

Trying to think of back when I installed mine...Think I gotta use the rule of parsimony on this one, don't think i'm trying to insult your intelligence, but make sure the purple shifter pivot is facing the correct way. I couldn't get the screw from the shifter plate into the shifter pivot because I had it upside down or something like that, and as I'm thinking about it, you can really kinda get it mixed up from the drawing B&M sent for the instructions. If that doesn't work, I would agree with above, use a flat file a little on it!! Good luck! I hope you're installing some better shifter plate bushings as well as underhood bushings as well!!! You'll really like it! I was so used to driving the car when I put the bushings and shifter on that I didn't really know a hell of a difference, but after I store it for winters and drive a honda and then go back to the DSM, I'm just like 'whooooa that's so smooth and tight!!'

Ben

 

[Nayr747]

Thanks for the input guys. No it's not the square step part that others have had to grind/file down. When I finally get it on that far I'm sure I'll have to do that too. And I do think I'm putting it on the right way, but who knows... It's exactly the same as the picture though. My problem now is I can't get the damn thing off my shift assembly so my car is imobile. My plan right now is to use a can of compressed air for cleaning electronics, turn it upside down, and freeze the *#@% out of the metal so hopefully it shinks a bit and I can use a pry bar or something to get it off. When (if) I get it off, I think I'll take Defiant's advise and see if I can sand the hole out a bit...or the pin.

Really just don't understand how they could manufacture a part that hasn't even been tested on a car to make sure it even works. I know...knockoff, but seems like they would just copy the B&M specs. Strange thing is I read his ebay feedback for the same part and it seems like the install went smooth for them (only 1 or 2 people though).

 

[Nayr747]

Well I got the shifter off using the freeze-->pry bar method. I'm in the process of sanding out the hole in the shifter pivot. I just glued a piece of sandpaper around a 1/2" wooden dowel. It's working pretty well actually. It's going pretty slow though so I'm gonna attach the dowel to a drill (dremel broke) to speed it up. Will make another thread reviewing the shifter and detailing the way to fix it (with pics).

 

[92awddsm]

Did you make sure there were no burrs or the end of the pin isnt mushroomed? Sounds like the stepped edge on the pin is slightly 'shroomed causing the adapter to bind when trying to slide it over the pin. Take a flat file and debur/bevel the leading edge on the step of the pin and see if the adapter will slide on then.

 

[Nayr747]

Did you make sure there were no burrs or the end of the pin isnt mushroomed? Sounds like the stepped edge on the pin is slightly 'shroomed causing the adapter to bind when trying to slide it over the pin. Take a flat file and debur/bevel the leading edge on the step of the pin and see if the adapter will slide on then.

The pivot shoulder hole and the pivot pin were both smooth. I didn't notice the end of the pin being mushroomed at all but I didn't really look for that specifically I guess.

So after sanding out the shoulder's hole (very hard and tedious job to do manually), it does fit now and everything works well. I would NOT recommend anyone buying this particular short shifter from this seller (blue or purple shoulder--they're both the same I believe). This is, unless my pivot pin happened to be messed up in the 1st place. But it was all sock from the factory so I don't know...

Anyways, thanks again to everyone for the help!

 

[Defiant]

Eh, I'd do that fitting job for the hundred bucks.