Heads up to anyone replacing shifter bushings

[PorscheAmateur]

Hello eveyone,
For anyone planning on replacing you shifter bushings, I would not recomend replacing the 2 on the shifter coupling yourself. It is much easier to bring to a machine shop where they have a press than to try and punch it out yourself (like I did). The coupling, according to 101 book, only cost 50 dollars, but it is actually around 120. So, if your doing the bushings, go to a machine shop or be VERY CAREFUL.

[tobluforu]

I take it you broke it like I did about 12 years ago when I tried?

[fastfredracing]

The magic trick is to use an air hammer to push the pin out , way easier , faster, and safer than doing it in a press. I have not used a press for this in years now. You will never break one doing it this way, and the only downside is a small divot on the end of the pin where the chisel bit touches it . Try it , you will like it ...

[Walt Fricke]

Can't say I have ever had a problem doing this, and without a chatter gun (although that sounds like a great idea, and is how I get the fan off the alternator shaft) or a press.

I would also encourage anyone replacing these bushings to purchase ones with round holes whose ID is the OD of the pin. Most of the irritating 915 slop comes from the oval holes in the stock replacement bushings. Removing all of it, but using a polyurethane bushing for a tiny bit of give and vibration isolation, works great. There is close to zero angular movement between the shift lever long shaft to the rear and the shift shaft coming out of the transmission as you shift between gears, so having the pin tight won't cause issues in that way. What little there might be is easily accommodated no matter how tight the cross pin is in the poly bushings.

I made my own bushings, using a drill press as a kind of lathe, and not any kind of precision one at that, from some red bushings designed to stiffen older Detroit iron where the body is isolated from the frame chassis. I just happened to have them. But someone sells round hole ones ready to install, which makes a lot more sense.

[Josh D]

Originally Posted by PorscheAmateur

For anyone planning on replacing you shifter bushings, I would not recomend replacing the 2 on the shifter coupling yourself. It is much easier to bring to a machine shop where they have a press than to try and punch it out yourself (like I did).

There is a wide range of skill level on this board, from those that pay someone to do everything to those who won't let anyone else even touch their car.

There are methods, as described by fastfredracing, and others, on how to perform this task easily. I had no problems changing these bushings on my car years ago after reading a thread here on Pelican on the BKM (best known method). In fact, it was one of the first projects I did after buying my car.

If we all came on here and just recommended to have someone else do the work, rather than share solutions that make tasks possible for the average DIY'r, where would we be?

[kodioneill]

Vice and punch does it for me.

[tazzieman]

Being VERY CAREFUL is always good advice to anyone playing home mechanic. Even real Porsche mechanics are VERY CAREFUL.
The shifter bushings job I found very easy. But it's always worth looking up the cost of the piece at risk before tackling any job.

[KerryM]

I recently used a hammer and a punch to drive the pin out. It took a lot of effort and when I replaced the bushings I discovered I had bent the aluminum coupling.

It was a good excuse to buy the Wevo coupler which is a fantastic piece of engineering. In the end I am happy I bent the stock piece.

[uwanna]

Ah, how soon we forget about folks we haven't heard from in a while. Ed Mitchel, the celebrated "Coupler Whisperer" has this video on his website and in a thread on the forum. Follow his pin knock out procedure, and you'll never break one!


forum thread: The Coupler Whisperer

[dicklague]

Originally Posted by KerryM

I recently used a hammer and a punch to drive the pin out. It took a lot of effort and when I replaced the bushings I discovered I had bent the aluminum coupling.

It was a good excuse to buy the Wevo coupler which is a fantastic piece of engineering. In the end I am happy I bent the stock piece.

I have rebuilt them.....but the last time I put in a Wevo......MUCH MUCH better, and that is an understatement. The OEM design is embarrassing IMHO.

[redranger]

I couldn't get the bushings out of mine after a few days of trying and don't have a local machine shop. Didn't want yo damage it so I Sold my old coupler for I think about $60 and bought a new one.

[Kool-aid-82]

timely Post as I will be doing mine this weekend, I will let you know how it goes.
I am usually careful but at times my temper gets the better of me.
Young children are not allowed in the garage when I am working on my 911.

[cabmandone]

I did two of them last fall. That makes #1 and #2 I have done. It's not that hard if you watch the video Ed put on youtube.

[Trackrash]

I machined my own bushings out of aluminum. I welded them in place, which also fixed the cracked coupler. No play, no problems, 5 years and counting.

[Driven97]

I did mine the second day I had my car using the video posted above. Total piece of cake.

Getting the thing adjusted properly after re install took me a flipping hour though.

I'm convinced that with this forum, if you're smart and think about what you're doing, you can handle just about any project on these cars.

[afterburn 549]

Not sure what to say here....maybe it was said.=.different skill levels=. I think the rear wheel bearing is a little harder..LOL
No one touches my car(s) I am not going to pay for someone to screw stuff up.
If you need a little prees you can make one or even buy one pretty cheap these days.,

[70basket]

I just completed this project. I found that the coupler shaft fit nicely into a 1\2 inch pipe nipple which I clamped in the pipe jaws of my bench vise. This held the coupler well while drove the pin out with drift and hammer. I purchased bushing from our host but found they did not fit in my coupler without extensive modification. I see now that Ed mentions aftermarket bushings in his video I think I should have purchased bushings from him in hindsight.

[scottrx7tt]

I just did mine, and had no problems at all.. I used a vise, a 5lb sledge, and a bolt that was about the same size as the metal rod. If you take your time, and have the right tools, it should only take about 10 minutes from start to finish

[aquazulu2]

By the time most complete their rebuild I believe it is fair to say they have a machine shop in the garage. Nice DIY clip on the coupler, I have to do that. Luckily I just bought a nice large vice. Thanks for the warning. And uwanna, thanks for showing me how to DIY..

[mochaSC]

Hello,
I wanted to add another way to remove the coupler pin so that others may find bushing replacement easier. Using a socket that approximates the bushing diameter (~14mm) I was able to keep all of the pressure on the bushing, and not the housing. The other socket head was small enough to only place pressure on the pin itself. Slow pressure on the vise and it came out amazingly smooth. I hope this helps!