[mschuep]

Not sure exactly what scenario you are describing, but this might help

Sometimes if there is air in the ball cup bushing, it will pop off unexpectedly. I would be sure that the cup bushing has ample lithium grease, and that you kinda ease it in, pushing more on one side of the bushing to slide it in, rather than popping it on. Ensure a tight seal (spin it around, put pressure on it, etc.) before reinstallation.

Also, the ball cup bushing can pop out of the shaft in 2nd if your linkage is not properly adjusted. This happened to me before I reattached the linkage; pull too far back on the shifter and you will either not be able to move it, or the bushing pops out of the shaft completely.

This could be due to the play you mentioned from the cracked joint, but I am not sure exactly which one you are referring to....you mean the 90 joint at the end of the shift rod below the shifter?