couple questions on shifter bushings

[206er]

I want to do something about the shifter bushings on the trans I'm going to be swapping since the general consensus is that they are a bitch to do with the trans/shifter in the car. my goal is to get the most solid feeling shifter I can.
1. has anyone seen a poly or delrin legacy shifter-body mount (like part # 35036) for sale? I havent. they are all for a WRX on which the body mounts and the shifter mounts are perpendicular like this one
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 06636&rd=1

Ive got an idea, but it might have some problems. I was going to try and cut that bushing out of its mounting bracket, drill and tap the body end of the shift linkage for a heim and bolt it up solid, but keep the big rubber bushing at the trans end.
2.does anyone think that would be too harsh a setup?
3.might it cause issues with restricting trans movement? I thought of mounting it solid, but with stock tranny mounts that might be hard on the shift linkage and even the transmission itself. I also thought about a heim at either end of the shifter support linkage but that would surely cause a lot of stress and excessive NVH(which generally I dont mind increasing, but to a point of course).
4. will the big bushings intended for a WRX like this one
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 04182&rd=1
work on my legacy shifter(I think the part # is 35035<NO.2>)? they sure do look like a bitch to put on. are there 2 piece bushings for this mount? in the first auction I posted there are 2 bushings that look like they may be the 35035<NO.2> but I may be wrong. also in the diagram in the sticky on WRX shifters 35035<NO.2> looks 2 piece.
sorry for the long post and maybe Im making this more complicated than it needs to be.
unrelated question: Ive heard that overfilling the trans can be a good idea. how many quarts should I use exactly?

[Legacy777]

Actually....that first link with bushings looks pretty interesting.

The rear bushing however really doesn't flex that much or affect shifting IMO.

The ones in that joint however do affect shifter slop. The stock bushings suck, and moosh very easily.

However....the big problem with the WRX setup is the joint piece can't be taken apart, and you can only replace one set of bushings. So you're still left with slop in the joint.

I was probably going to do some sort of custom thing, probably drill out the rivot and use a nylon sleeve or something like that. There's a guy/company on nasioc that is trying to come up with a solution to the 5spds as well. They came up with something for the 6spd setup because their joint can be taken apart.

If you haven't seen the new joint setup, take a look at these pics
http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/ima ... P_3298.JPG
http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/ima ... P_3297.JPG

[BAC5.2]

1) There IS a significant amount of slop associated with the rear lower link mount. I know, I built my own custom bushing. It's a lot firmer.

That's a custom solid shift bushing.



2) The big bushing you posted WILL work for our cars. I'm running one now.

Josh - That is very odd. I got the WRX shift linkage from the Boostjunkie Legacy, and it unbolted from the "knuckle" that is roll-pinned into the shift rod. I don't have pictures on hand, but it DID unbolt. Are you saying that the whole gold peice is rivited together and inseperable?

I wonder what the hell WRX my shift linkage came out of then....

With the Legacy shift linkage, the GG-Short-shifter, and the Energy front bushing and custom rear, my shifter feels tighter than almost any new car I've driven. The gates are defined and easy to feel. It "thunks" in and out of gear very confidently, and my synchro grinding is nearly all gone. I expect the whole thing to be solid as a rock when I can do the WRX top-end swap. I'll be using all custom bushings, and the only real rubber damper will be in the stock 2005 WRX lever that I'll be using. Should be a killer setup, I'm pretty excited.

[206er]

1) There IS a significant amount of slop associated with the rear lower link mount. I know, I built my own custom bushing. It's a lot firmer.

That's a custom solid shift bushing.

yeah, I suspect that a worn out rear lower link mount bushing is one of the biggest causes of slop in the shifter.
that solid mount setup sounds pretty sweet, can you describe how you made it or post up some pics? I'd definitely like to make one of my own, and it appears that there may not be enough room to do a heim joint like I wanted to.
Is yours two pieces of aluminum sandwiching the lower link end? totally solid or does it pivot?

[BAC5.2]

The tranny mount bushing did a LOT for slop. The rear mount was the icing on the cake. All play lies in the shift linkages poor bushings, which will be fixed with more custom work .

My setup is simple. I used some solid plastic stock I had lying around (which I still don't know what it is), a wood boring bit, and a bandsaw. I measured, drilled a hole, cut it in half, drilled holes in the bracket and through the plastic, and bolted it all together.

It's totally solid, the link can still rotate and slide in the bushing, but when you push down on the lever (or try to pull up), it's solid. When you push the shifter all the way over, or in gear, all the way over, there is a definate stop instead of that mushy feeling that occurs when the stock rearward bushing is crappy.

My rear bushing was actually falling apart. I cut it out with a bandsaw, and when I tried to squish it with my fingers, I could completely collapse the hole in the middle. I'm glad I decided to build the bushing.

[206er]

I think Im going to do something similar to yours, but I have no idea what Im going to use for the bushing material. I dont think that there are any plastic supply places near me. I may modify the polyurethane WRX bushing that I bought to bolt into the legacy bracket.

[Legacy777]

Josh - That is very odd. I got the WRX shift linkage from the Boostjunkie Legacy, and it unbolted from the "knuckle" that is roll-pinned into the shift rod. I don't have pictures on hand, but it DID unbolt. Are you saying that the whole gold peice is rivited together and inseperable?

I wonder what the hell WRX my shift linkage came out of then....

Yup....it's all one piece, check out these pics

http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/ima ... P_3132.JPG
http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/ima ... P_3133.JPG
http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/ima ... P_3134.JPG

I wonder if yours is an older style or something.

[BAC5.2]

Well, mine appeared to bolt to the stock "fork" on the shift linkage. Well, whatever, as long as it still works. I'm not gonna complain. If it lets me use WRX shifter bits, then I'm more than happy with it. Perhaps mine is something from an older JDM WRX?

If I had a lathe, making the bushings I need would be so much easier. I'll probably just end up using a hole-saw. Harbor Freight is having a sale on a big setup of them, so I'll go there today after class and buy them. I'll also pick up some drill bits, so I can use metal sleeves in the bushings so I don't risk deforming the bushing. Surprisingly enough, Home Depot carries the proper sleeves in the bolts isle.

206er, search online for lexan dealers. If a place has lexan, they will probably have this stuff. It's sorta like a nylon.

[professor]

PM me for your small-scale plastics needs...most things I have sitting around here and they get thrown out daily

alternatively, www.mcmaster.com has anything you need, for sure

[206er]

well I just finished making my bushing. I found a great plastic supply place right by my house, and the guy gave me the piece I needed for free. he had a huge shelf full of everything from ~4x4" to 1/8" round. I think it is delrin. the bushing came out real nice. no idea how well it will bolt up to the car though.
the place I went to has a ton of round stock which would be ideal for making bushings. I bet they have pretty much every size, in everything from poly to delrin to lexan. I'll have to look into it for some other bushings.
Additionally, its possible to use a drillpress to machine them too, since its such a soft material the drillpress can handle the side load. a few years ago I made a chainguide for my DH bike and I machined the rollers out of lexan on my drillpress with a bastard file. of course it is not as nice as a lathe, but for something like a bushing it gets the job done.
All I need now is for my front bushing to come, get my flywheel surfaced, get the throwout bearing clips/clutch fork boot, and I'm ready to go.

[BAC5.2]

I made a bashring with a jig-saw and a cutting board. It was dope.

Hmm, good call about the round stock! I might have to see about finding some of that stuff! I need to make 2 bushings. I'm just worried about drilling the hole straight through it properly, and it needs to be flanged properly to snug the peices. It might just be easier to do a 2 peice style bushing and sleeve it so I know it's pretty straight on.

I figure I can step the flange with a hole saw. Like do the insert portion, then use a larger holesaw to make the flange. I think that would be the best way to do it.