How do i disassemble shift coupler

[carmaneddy]

I have new bushings and have removed the shift coupler. But I cant figure out what to do next. I have searched the site for diagram or pics and cant seem to find any. Do i drive the pin out? I have tried already with a light tap and nothing happened.
Thanks in advance

[Eugene at Pelican Parts]

You can use a vice and two deep sockets. One the diameter of the pin, and the other about the size of the bushing. You want to exert the forces on the bushing because if you do so on the aluminum housing, it will deform and render it useless. A hammer will most likely be too destructive to drive the pin out.

[filou]

you need to use a hydraulic press to get out the cross pin.
That's what i did !!!
Good luck. Filou.

[kach22i]

For $30 more you could of got the whole coupler.

Now for 3,000 more if I could get a whole new car, I might go for it.

[Zeke]

The vice or a large C clamp is the hot ticket. No hammers like Eugene said. If you've ever done a drive shaft u-joint, same thing. At least you could look up u-joint reapir and see how it's done.

BTW, the process is in 101 Projects.

[carmaneddy]

THanks all,
I did what EUgene said, cause "I aint got no stinkin press" and am shifting like a champ

[MMARSH]

Originally posted by carmaneddy
Do i drive the pin out? I have tried already with a light tap and nothing happened.
Thanks in advance

You can do what I did this weekend and just wait intil the first lap of a 35 min race, then it will just dislodge itself and leave you with no ability to shift gears and about 35 cars screaming past you at 100mph. So much for a sucessful start to a new race season.

[chrisp]

I did mine without a press and yes, with a hammer.

Here's the deal.

Yes to the socket. Get a socket that is not as large as the aluminum but larger than the pin and large enough to support the bushing.

With a drift, really small socket, or some steel rod. Hammer out the pin. Hopefully the socket you chose to support the bushing is deep enough to get the pin fully out. If it's not then put the whole set up over some open vice jaws supporting the socket. The pin can then drop through.

When I say hammer, I mean HAMMER! It takes a lot of force. Probably 20-30 whacks with a decent sized hammer. You may trash a socket in the process (I didn't for what it's worth).

Now hopefully it's apart. You should have the aluminum body, two black bushings, and the pin.

The bushings go in easily and are pretty idiot proof due to their shape.

Now for re-assembly. Lube it all up in some sort of synthetic grease. Non-synthetics break down rubber and plastic. I think Wayne recommends white Lithium. I used Red Line synthetic since that's what I had.

Now you will need the vice. Using the same socket-supporting-the-bushing technique clamp the socket, coupler, and pin (aligned over the pin hole) in the vice jaws. Start to crank the vice closed. You will find that the pin wants to fall off line as you tighten the vice. What worked for me was to line it up perfectly by hand, begin to tighten the vice while smacking the vice with a hammer. The hammering effect wiggled the pin into place. Once it catches the first 1/8" or so you don't need to hammer it anymore it will find it's own line.

Then I just tightened the vice down and it all pressed together. At the very end don't get the vice jawss anywehre near the aluminum body. Take it out and perform the same hammering you did to get the pin out to get the pin in the last 1/4" until it's centered.

Three tips:
1.) Never press against the aluminum coupler body. This part should never see any compressive forces using the above technique
2.) watch the pin. It's softer than the vice jaws. The serration on my vice chewed up the pin a bit. The hammering of the pin also dented it a bit. Ideally you want something between the jaw and the pin.
3.) The pin has rounded ends. Anything you put on it to hammer with will want to slide off. Keep an eye on that.

good luck.