DIY DIY: How to swap out your OEM shifter linkage bushings to brass bushings

DIY: How to swap out your OEM shifter linkage bushings to brass bushings

This is for the manual transmission only. The OEM bushings are composed of hard rubber which flexes and gives you a spongy feel. This replaces those with solid brass bushings which is suppose to give you a more precise, connected shifting experience. In my opinion, I barely noticed a difference but for $10 and 20 minutes of my time I really can't complain.

Here is what the bushing kit looks like:

See the difference between OEM and brass bushings:


Materials required:
Shifter Bushings (I got mine off eBay from seller: summit-engineering)
White Lithium Grease
Flathead Screwdriver
Needle-nose Plier

What to do:

1) Open your hood and find the shifter linkage. The two round discs connected to the shifter cables with a cotter pin on top are what you want to replace. Replace these one at a time so you don't get confused. The bushings I recieved were both the same size so it did not matter which bushing went on which cable. But if your bushings are a different size and one has a 'L' stamped on it, the 'L' bushing goes on the one to the left side when standing in front of your car.


(2) Take your plier and pull off the cotter pin. The shifter cable should slide out with the bushing attached.


3) Take your screwdriver and ply the bushing out.


4) Put white lithium grease all over your shifter cable oval, shifter bushings, and the shift level assembly on the transaxle. The more grease the better.

5) Put the bushing into the shift level assembly on the transaxle. The correct direction the bushing is to go in is that the wide base goes on bottom and the top has the slot for the E-clip.


6) Place the shift cable oval over the bushing and force it down so it will fit. You may have to use the screwdriver to drive it down.


7) Get your E-clip and force it into the slot on top of the bushing so the bushing don't fall out. You may need to smack it in with the palm of your hand. Make sure that it pops securely into place.


8) Lastly, reuse the cotter pin that you pulled out in the beginning and stick it back in the hole.


9) Repeat for the other bushing and you are done!

Good write up man

If you combine this with base bushings and a short shifter and weighed shift knob there is a big difference, at least I felt that with my Civic

Yeah, I got a short shifter and weighted knob combo with the base bushings when Tweak did my transmission swap so I have no clue how much worst stock was.

I know on the 02's the shifts are pretty sloppy

my 98 has a pretty sloppy shift.

yeah it stinks in my 96


does any one know where to get a nice short shifter for 7th gens

hmmm...interesting. I always thought the shifting was crisp in my car. I guess I can contribute that to the TWM short shifter that came with base bushings and TWM weighted shift knob.

where did you get those busings for $10? I paid $22 back in the days

They are everywhere on Ebay. Made in house by Summit Engineering. Came out to be $13.95 shipped.

i still havent done this and always say i will

Shifting on the 10th gen is hell compared to my uncle's GSR and my teachers G35... Are there short shifters out for them already? time go go check...

trd one i think

http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/toyotashortshifters/toyotacorollashortshifters.htm

I have the full kit on my Civic and I love it, and the instructions are crystal clear.

i have the twm short shifter. couldnt afford it with the bushings =\

twm shifter rocks!!

true that, the ebay seller summit-engineering sell both sets of busings at $10 each and combines shipping! Less than $25 gets you everything you need.

sweet! going to buy a pair right now

edit: hmm hook me up with a linkage.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TOYO...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Toyo...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Our cars are not listed specifically but they work for 7th and 8th gens.

I ordered another set of shift cable bushings because I gave my old speed-source set to my buddy who brought my 5spd swap.. My new TRD SS came with the base bushings so I didn't need to get them

dude, sweet. thanks. early christmas for me. hopefully i can do it my self.


edit: mine came today, going to go slap them in.

edit: false alarm, tracking lied to me they werent there

Here's what I did on my Corolla.Same thing but much cheaper:
http://ae82oc.mitchee.com/showthread.php?t=974

yo I was replacing my stock ones finally today, and one of them got fucking stuck onto the rod you put it on. possibly rusted in place? I wd40'd it and will try to get it out again tomorrow. I had no idea they put stock ones back in when I did the tranny swap, I never checked it out till today.

what happened was as I was pulling it off, it ripped and left the metal middle part of the bearing in place and took up most the rubber....i nig rigged it so that it still fits and I can shift though...