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Enlighten me about better shifter bushes and a T/E/L shifter

fuel

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 23, 2009
Messages
2,165
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
Hey guys,

So I finally want to do something about my sloppy as f**k gear shifter, it's got worse to the point where it can be difficult to select 5th gear, and will often crunch going into 3rd. The clutch master and slave cylinders are quite new, and the flexible hose going from the body to gearbox has also been replaced after it burst a year or so back.

There is quite a lot of movement in the shifter itself, so I would say those nylon pivot point bushings are flogged out, but I would say it could do with other bushes like the shifter mount to body bushes and the cable bushes.

I tried to do a search on here but could only find these topics of relevance - click and click

From the above I've seen you can buy these bushings click and click but I'm sure I saw a topic here (which I can't seem to find anymore) of a group buy of the pivot point bushes.

Also, am I right in thinking that the T/E/L shifter has a shorter throw? If so is it the 1G or 2G shifter, or both?

Thanks!
 
Last edited:

JSchleim18

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 16, 2006
Messages
4,801
Location
Long Island, NY
T/E/L shifters are just shorter. I personally don't like it. There was someone on here who was modifying the stock shifters for the actual shorter throw you are looking for. If he's not doing them anymore, JNZ makes one that is just as good and basically the same thing.

Also, try adjusting your shifter cables as well. It will help the throw and possibly solve your gear issues.
 
Last edited:

SouthCaliVR4

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 31, 2010
Messages
984
Location
North county San Diego
The 1g shifter is shorter but technically the throw is the same. I have one in mine & prefer it over the long ass stocker. I also have the brass bushings on the trans end. over-all feel is quite good.

You'll want the 1g tel boot too, the stock accordion is too tall for the tel shifter.
 

dustyduff

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 19, 2009
Messages
425
Location
Mantua, NJ
I'm in the process of rebuilding my shifter right now. I ordered new bushings from JNZ tuning two days ago. I believe Whoodoo had a group buy going on when he had access to a machine shop (I think they were delrin or some other material) and was making/selling short shifters for people. Unfortunately, he didnt' have anymore and wasn't making more either.

Just for reference, the total from JNZ after shipping to me was like $38 US for EVERYTHING(all of them including the stops and spring).

I'd highlight them in CAPS if I was on my home computer but the part number I think you're referring to in your description above (for the pivot point) is 24594B. I can take pics tomorrow when my package arrives if you'd like.
 

3rdstrikedsm

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 17, 2008
Messages
3,402
Location
32159, FL
speed-source.net has them in stock and although for a DSM they will work on a gvr4.
 

A temporary solution is to make pivot bushings out of ice cream container lids, works a treat /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

mikus

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Messages
2,763
Location
Aurora IL
I MUCH prefer the DSM over vr4 shifter personally.
As for the rest of it all, I never worried much about it but am taking my console off this weekend so figured I would throw some nylon bushings in the shifter and do metal washers on the base following this DIY page
 

RayH

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 9, 2001
Messages
2,703
Location
NJ
There are also solid bushings that can be replaced on the shifter cable standoff bracket which attaches to the transmission but not sure if anyone still makes those.
 

beaner

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 22, 2005
Messages
1,562
Location
b'ham, mi
The bearings from roller blade wheels work perfectly on the shifter cables at the trans. As for the 4 bushings at the shifter, I've used simple washers on all my DSMs for almost 10 years with no issue. I bought the symborski shift bushing kit out of curiosity and noticed zero difference with that, ended up selling it and going back to washers. On my 2g, 3/4 of those bolts snapped out! I had to weld the shifter assembly to the body of the car. It doesn't get any more solid than that, but still it was exactly the same as 4 bolts with washers.

YMMV
 

curtis

Well-known member
Joined
May 4, 2003
Messages
11,892
Location
Clarksville TN
Did this for a member a few weeks ago as i try to work the list of parts wanted down...

It started life as a dsm one and was going to weld on washers to the base but he already had the after market bushings. You can also space it up about 3/4 of an inch off the floor.

This one I cut the handle and lengthen the throw on the bottom one inch and changed the pivot point on the handle one inch and replaced the bushings from JNZ, also machined out a bracket for adjustable stops so there never any worries about over forcing the shift forks and grinding gears into metal chunks. Similar feel to a hurst shifter in a Mustang.

As said above the roller blade bearings work on the cable ends and also the cable bracket on the trans can be modified. Simply remove it and mark with a sharpie fine point marker. Then remove the middle two bolts and stupid rubber spacers and replace with just normal bolts and washers lining up the marks so you don't have to re adjust the cables. Now with it torqued down and tight take it to the welder if you have one and cook the two pieces of metal together. Makes a world of difference.




 

matt92vr4

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 3, 2010
Messages
676
Location
Venice, FL
very nice, How much would you charge to do another one of those for your close kin (474/1000) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

curtis

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Joined
May 4, 2003
Messages
11,892
Location
Clarksville TN
I charged him $140 shipped back to him. You supply the dsm shifter assembly and you pay when I'm done. I supply everything else, wear items like bushings, adjustable stop assembly, paint yadda yadda.
 

Whoodoo

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 11, 2009
Messages
927
Location
Binghamton, NY
click for my short shifter build. I only made a few of them, but I could potentially make more now that I work at a place with all the equipment I need. The biggest problem is finding a 3kgt shifter for cheap. I had gotten lucky a few times at the junk yard, most online sources want mondo bucks for them.

If you want a new shifter on the cheap with a shorter throw, get it from a 1g w/ good bushings. Some people complain about the 1g lowering the shift nob too far down, but I have seen people raise the whole shifter frame up with spacers.
 

mr.mitsu

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Joined
Apr 28, 2003
Messages
798
Location
canada
f1d7f384.jpg
 

curtis

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Joined
May 4, 2003
Messages
11,892
Location
Clarksville TN
You have a metal plate that has been twisted with two holes and the two cable slots. Then you have a small piece on the trans with two nuts welded to it. The two get bolted together with the spacers. Those two pieces are what get welded together. I'm sure its what your pointing to but can't tell for the big red box.
 

curtis

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Joined
May 4, 2003
Messages
11,892
Location
Clarksville TN
click me See the bolts take out the junk and weld.
 

mr.mitsu

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Joined
Apr 28, 2003
Messages
798
Location
canada
Ohhhh, THIS bracket!


a6c453c7.jpg


I checked mine out...it's just bracket on metal. There are no bushings in between the bracket and tranny. I may have left these out when I swapped the flywheel /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

I checked for any play, none /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif
 

mr.mitsu

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 28, 2003
Messages
798
Location
canada
Here is the short shifter Curtis made for me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worthy.gif My car is a 91 GGSX



Here is a TEL shorter shifter in my brother's 89

 

curtis

Well-known member
Joined
May 4, 2003
Messages
11,892
Location
Clarksville TN
Sweet video's glad it all worked out with the bracket. Just keep an eye on them so they don't loosen up but should be fine.

I remember once a friend of mine needed help pulling his trans because he though he broke a shift fork. I got over there and had him try to shift while i was under the hood watching and the back bolt was missing and the bracket was just pivoting back and forth and not moving the levers. I actually had him loosen some stuff up before I showed him. Figured it would be good training on how to properly torque bolts. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif
 

beaner

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 22, 2005
Messages
1,562
Location
b'ham, mi
Before welding that bracket, do you just eyeball align the bolt holes? I recall loosening that bracket and tweaking it forward before retorquing them to help with my shifting. I just can't remember if there was supposed to be any adjustability or not. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Some parts on these cars remind me how hold they're getting.
 
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