shift coupler bushings: when to change?

[Will98D]

I have the shift linkage out right now... the rear bushing is shot... must be 16mm hole for the 13mm rod to go through. Anyhow, the coupling in the middle is nice and snug, but the plastic bushings are showing effects of heat aging: cracking and little bits coming off them. Do these things tend to flake a bit even though they're still OK, or do they need replacing as soon as they get to this point? I have read a bunch of accounts on this BBS about how hard it is to change them, so if I can avoid for now I will. {If new bushings are required, I'll be calling Pelican when they open to see if they just sell the bushings, as their catalog shows the tapered pins and the bare coupler, but no bushings}.

[SteveStromberg]

Fresh Bushing = Smooth Shifting I would replace them All, It makes a big differance in the shifting.Steve

[DSPTurtle]

PP does sell the bushings but rumor has it there are some brass bushings somewhere that don't wear out. (Wayne, can you get these?) Changing the bushings was not that bad... it is just like anything else that you have to do on your back under the car with oil leaking on you. Plus, it is not as glamorous. Make sure you changing the bushings in the coupler (check in the archives, I think I posted a picture)...they made the biggest impact in truing up my shifter!!!(side shifter)
Good Luck

[JmuRiz]

If I'm not mistaken the brass bushings are for the pedals, not the shift linkage. I don't know how good brass shift bushings would be anyway, might bind up.

Nathan

[DSPTurtle]

There are Brass bushings for the pedal assembly and they work great, but I had once read on a post somewhere that there were also Brass(or some metal) available in place of the plastic stuff that is in there. THe plastic ones wear out pretty quick. I have heard that they should be replaced annually. I would love to find a semi-permanent solution to this...

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Annually is a bit over the top... If the boots are in place, the plastic bushings should last a good while. The boots keep dirt out of the bushings, which should help them to last longer.

There is a bronze bushing available for the side-shift console bushing. I don't know if Pelican carries it, but I assume we can get it as we show a picture of it in one of our tech articles. I don't know of any bronze bushings for the coupler or the firewall, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. Or a particularly motivated person could make them...

Pelican has indeed sold shift coupler bushings in the past--I have a set in my living room, in fact!

Back to Will's question. First, check the coupler for play. The less you have, the better. If you have very little, and you can live with pulling the rear shift rod off the car again, just re-install it as is. If you have more than a little, or if you can't cope with pulling the rear rod again, then replace the bushings now.

--DD

[Will98D]

There are evidently bronze bushings for both. I already replaced the pedal cluster bushings with the PP kit. I've seen the bronze rear shift bushing from another CA based supplier... it's about 3x the cost. Call PP, they could probably get it, but I'm going with plastic for now. WD

[Tiramisu]

These guys sell a 914 rear brass shift bushing:

http://www.********.com/newprod/newprod-porshce.html

$25 bucks

[Rouser]

Another item you should replace with an improved one is the Ball Cup Bushing located at the tranny end.

The Weltmeister bushing is made of a tougher compound than the usual Teflon replacement; resists wear & tear, especially in the environment where it's located.

If your rear bushing area is ovaled out, it would make better sense to epoxy-in that brass item VS another Teflon/plastic bushing; this is NOT an area to cut corners/budget on.

[Rouser]

Forgot to attach these for reference:

(Also located on the shifter end in earlier 914's)


(A viable alternative if you have to epoxy-in a replacement)

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Please note that the bushing under the shift lever on tail-shifter cars is not the same as the one in the side-shifter's rear coupler. The tail-shifter part is longer. You'll have trouble with either the lever popping out of the bushing, or the bushing popping out of the part it goes in, if you use the side-shift piece on a tail-shifter.

Ask Bob Wood about it some time--or Mike Mueller, who fixed Bob's car on the side of 101...

--DD

[Will98D]

Fortunately my rear shift housing is not worn, just the bushing, so I went with the original one. At 2k miles per year or less, it will probably last a while. Maybe next time I'll go with the bronze one. And, yes, I already have the new ball cup, firewall and coupler bushings either in-hand or on order.

[avocadotom]

Originally Posted by Rouser

Another item you should replace with an improved one is the Ball Cup Bushing located at the tranny end.

What's the order of operation for replacing this?

Do you install the bushing in the metal base that attaches to the rod that goes (eventually) back to the tail shift mechanism, then pop the shifter ball into the bushing?

Do you pop the shifter ball into the bushing then push the bushing into the 90 degree angle metal piece that screws down with the set screw into the rod?

Or something else...?

Struggling a bit here because it looks like that ball should fit into that bushing (as opposed to riding on top of it) but it doesn't want to go INTO the bushing for me...

[GregAmy]

Holy necro-thread, Batman...is this a record?

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by avocadotom

What's the order of operation for replacing this?

Do you install the bushing in the metal base that attaches to the rod that goes (eventually) back to the tail shift mechanism, then pop the shifter ball into the bushing?

Do you pop the shifter ball into the bushing then push the bushing into the 90 degree angle metal piece that screws down with the set screw into the rod?

Or something else...?

Struggling a bit here because it looks like that ball should fit into that bushing (as opposed to riding on top of it) but it doesn't want to go INTO the bushing for me...

You need to use a good high temp silicon grease to help. The tight fit is a good thing! It has been a while, but you definitely push the rod onto the ball last. Rubber mallet may help...

[avocadotom]

Originally Posted by red-beard

You need to use a good high temp silicon grease to help. The tight fit is a good thing! It has been a while, but you definitely push the rod onto the ball last. Rubber mallet may help...

Thanks! That's super helpful...

And: YAY! to winning the (non-existant) Necro-Thread Award!

[avocadotom]

Just to confirm the order:

1. Take ball at bottom of stick shift and push it into the cup-like bushing.

2. Take cup-like bushing that is now attached to the base of the stick shift and push the 90 degree piece onto it.

3. Fit 90 degree piece over shift rod and install set screw to ensure it doesn't slip off shift rod. This is the set screw with the Allen head.

4. Re-install stick shift assembly (3 bolts, 2 machine screws)

5. Connect shift rod piece connected to stick shift to the shift rod piece that goes through the firewall.

6. Adjust shift settings and tighten down cinch bolt.

Sound about right?

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

The way that I've done it:
The rear shift rod is the last part on. All of the front stuff gets dealt with, then the cup bushing gets put into the T piece (called the "90 degree piece" above), then that gets pushed onto the ball lever, then the rear shift rod gets threaded through the side shift console bushing into the T. Then maneuver the front of the rear shift rod to line up the universal joint with the tail end of the front shift rod, line it up and run the cone screw in. Finally, go back to the T piece and line it up and put that cone screw in.

Finally adjust the linkage at the gear shift lever.

--DD