Little Maintenance – Big Improvement: Shift Linkage Bushings

[DaddyGlenn]

If you are like I was, you may think your sloppy shifting 911 is like everyone else’s. After all, we have all read the complaints about how badly the 915 transmission shifts. And we’ve followed the procedures to adjust the linkage, therefore, you know it is as good as it is going to get. So, like me, you told yourself that it is just one of the unique characteristics of the SC that you’ll learn to live with, right?

Wrong! The 915 transmission shifts just fine. If your gearbox is in good order and you have properly adjusted the shift linkage but it is still sloppy there is one more thing to do. It doesn’t take much to restore that new car feel to your shifts. And replacing worn shift rod and ball cup bushings will make a HUGE difference.

Changing these bushings is an easy task for anyone with moderate skills and a few hand tools. And the parts are inexpensive, too. It shouldn’t take you more than an hour. If your mechanical aptitude is high, you could do it in 20 minutes or less.

First the disclaimer: If you have something wrong in your transmission, replacing the shifter bushings won’t solve your problems.

Let’s get started….

You will need:
A Phillips head screw driver
4, 5 and 6 mm allen wrenches
Two 13mm wrenches (open end, box or socket)
New bushings from our host

Step 1 – Remove the 4 screws (two on each side) that hold the cover on the back of your center consol. This will reveal two more screws (one on each side) that hold the consol to the floor. Remove those two screws

Step 2 – Locate and remove the one screw that holds the front of the consol (towards the rear of the car) to the floor. You will need to push the carpet back to access the screw. Then lift the consol up over the shifter. This may take some finesse because the wires for the A/C controls will limit how far you can move the consol.

Step 3 – Pull back the carpet around the shifter to reveal the allen head bolts that hold it to the floor. There are two bolts on the end toward the front of the car and three towards the rear. The two smaller allen head bolts at the rear hold the shift linkage bracket. The one larger allen head bolt at the rear and the two at the front hold the shifter to the floor. Remove all five bolts and their washers. Lift the shifter off.

Step 4 – Pop the old bushing off the bottom of the shift lever and push the new one in place.

Step 5 – Move to the back seat area and lift the carpet to access the cover where the shift linkage connects to the transmission. Remove the four screws and the cover. With your 13mm wrenches loosen the pinch bolt to allow the linkage to move freely.

Step 6 – Move back to the front and rotate the shift rod toward the passenger side to get at the set screw on the driver’s side of the socket on the end of the shift rod. Loosen the set screw until you can pull the socket off the end of the rod.

Step 7 – With the socket removed, slide the bracket and old bushing (it may have broken in two pieces) off the rod. Press the new bushing into the bracket. It is a tight fit but it will go. Slide the bracket with the new bushing back on the shift rod and replace the socket, tightening the set screw firmly.
Step 8 – Put the shifter back in place making sure the ball cup bushing slides into the socket. Replace and tighten all the allen bolts.

Step 9 – Adjust the linkage. After acting on advice from John Walker, Max2.0 wrote up this procedure I snipped from another thread:

“…Then, take a heavy duty rubber band or three, like come on asparagus or broccoli (yeah, i don't like the stuff, but the better half says I gotta eat it. :<((
Wrap the rubber bands securely around the vertical portion of your shifter (after pulling up the boot!).

Align your lower shifter portion vertically, to the left of the car, and 90 degrees from the floor of the car, and secure the ends of the rubber bands under the lip of the mounting flange and over the front and rear bolts that protrude upwards from the shifter base unit. This will keep your lower shifter nice and straight and tight in the desired position.

Then you are free to go to the shift coupler in the access hatch, and grip the coupler through the rubber boot with a shop rag. Try to rotate it from side to side. You will feel it move, rather easily. Should not have to force it. Rotate it as far to the Passengers Side as you can go. Hold it there and get a wrench on the 13mm nut of the pinch bolt. I found that one of those box end ratchet wrenches worked just right for this. Snug the nut down as far as you can. Put another 13mm box end on the bolt head, and lock it against your hand, while ensuring that the shift coupler is still all the way to the Passengers side. Finish tightening the nut down until it will not move further...”

Step 10 – Close up the cover over the linkage coupler, replace the consol and its rear cover.
Step 11 – Enjoy the “like new” feel.

[SCWDP911]

Nice write-up Glenn. I have the bushings sitting in my drawer awaiting their turn on the to-do list.

Thanks!

[oregonmon]

Thanks for the write up. What did your old bushings look like? Do you have to be completely trashed to notice a diiference? I think I'll try this one.

[DaddyGlenn]

My ball cup bushing was still snug but the new one was snugger. (is snugger a word?)

The shift rod bushing was split in two pieces but I think that was a recent change. My shifter was pretty sloppy but suddenly got worse a week or two ago.

My wife had the camera out of town the last couple of days so I wasn't able to photograph my work. I did save the old bushings and my wife will be back with the camera tonight so I'll post a few pictures tomorrow.

[jester911]

Maybe it was just my car. I did this and it improved but it still felt like a stick in a bucket.
I went to the rennshift shifter and it was night and day difference. YMMV

[Blue3.2]

Great thread.

Quick question: How did you get the carpet over the shifter without disconnecting the wires to the console or removing the seats and e-brake console?

I'm in the process of doing this project, but it looks like I'll have to cut the carpet or figure out how to unplug all the wires from the console to get the carpet out of the way. Any tips?

[ckissick]

I replaced a lot of things on my 901 linkage, from the ball joint, etc. up front to the coupler in back, with no improvement. Then I replaced the shift rod with an original but good-condition one, and the little plate that the shift rod pushes against. Both were worn. That made a huge difference and now the car shifts like new.

[jester911]

The carpet shouldn't need to be moved at all other than pulling it back to expose the screw holding it down on the ebrake end. You can detach the console but leave the wires connected. You need to pull the console up over the shifter and lay it to the side. It helps to remove the shift knob so you don't have to pull it up so high. Once you got it that far you should be okay.

Only other tip is the allen barrel bolts holding down the shifter can be rusted/frozen in place. Be careful not to strip them out.

[DaddyGlenn]

I didn't have to remove the carpet. It was split (how can I explian this...) going from the shifter forward and again backward enough that I could fold it back making a diamond shaped opening that I could pull the shifter through. I think my carpet is original so yours may be different if newer. You could make your own cuts....

[livi]

Great write up! I did that on mine last year. Fun project although I was a little nervous reinstalling the coupling as I opted to buy a whole new one instead of fiddling with those bushings. Also I missed mark the place of the old one. Got lucky on first attempt and it works like a charm.

[groovin911]

I sometimes have a hard time getting in to 1st and 2nd. Will this help?

[DaddyGlenn]

Originally Posted by groovin911

I sometimes have a hard time getting in to 1st and 2nd. Will this help?

It will help if worn bushings are the cause. But you may have other problems. It certainly won't hurt to replace the bushings either way.

I would start with adjusting the coupler under the plate in the back seat area. Try that first.

[DaddyGlenn]

That would be Step 5 then pull up the shift boot and then do step 9.

[Gene Wilkes]

Glenn,
Love the your write-up! I added the Seine shift gate and replaced my rear coupling with the Wevo. Man what a difference! Definitely worth the effort and not a difficult upgrade!!

[DaddyGlenn]

Originally Posted by islandmanpa

Glenn,
Love the your write-up! I added the Seine shift gate and replaced my rear coupling with the Wevo. Man what a difference! Definitely worth the effort and not a difficult upgrade!!

Thank you. What is the difference in the Wevo coupler? I don't see much room for improvement over th stock unit. less play? is it a solid bushing?

[Gene Wilkes]

With the upgrade of replacing your old bushing, you've probable achieved what I gained with the Wevo! It's all about loosing the SLOP!

[rfuerst911sc]

Last year I replaced my shift coupler bushings with the brass bushings...............very nice improvement. Nice write up Glenn.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by islandmanpa

With the upgrade of replacing your old bushing, you've probable achieved what I gained with the Wevo! It's all about loosing the SLOP!

Even new, the stock bushings - by design - allow some fore/aft play. The Wevo/SRP/914 or some custom bushings eliminate that.

[DaddyGlenn]

Here are a couple shots of the old bushings.

[azasadny]

Glenn,

I replaced my shift bushings earlier this summer and they looked just like yours. An easy replacement and the car shifts like new!