1995 3000GT VR-4: Solid Shifter Bushing Upgrade

• Why Do I Want To Do This?

  • Excessively worn shifter bushings can result in excessive play in the shift lever assembly. This can lead to inaccurate shifts and a sloppy-feeling shift lever. The OEM shifter cable bushings in the engine bay are made of rubber, which will deteriorate with time. The shifter assembly in the interior of the car is mounted to the chassis via rubber bushings as well. While these interior bushings are not likely to deteriorate as rapidly as the underhood bushings, replacing them with solid bushings will make sure there is no movement of the shift assembly during a gear shift. Ultimately, it's a personal preference. If you want more of a luxury car feel, keep the OEM rubber bushings and replace them if they become worn; if you like more of a "racecar" feel, then solid bushings are probably the better option.




• How Long Will It Take Me To Do This?

  • Plan on about an hour for the shifter cable bushings in the engine bay.
  • It took me about 45 minutes to replace the shifter plate bushings in the interior of the car.




• Anything I Should Do Prior To Attempting This Procedure?

  • For the underhood bushings, I removed my air filter, MAS housing, and "T" pipe. I also disconnected the compressor-side of the "y-pipe" and rotated it up out of the way. You may find you need more or less clearance to get at the bushings, so remove only what you feel you need to remove.
  • For the interior bushings, remove both of the carpeted trim panels on the sides of the center console, and pull up (or remove) the shift boot.




• What Mitsubishi Parts Will I Need?

  • None.




• What Other Parts Will I Need?

  • Solid Shifter Cable Bushings
  • Solid Shifter Assembly Mounting Bushings




• Where Can I Get the Stuff To Do This?

  	Part	Company/Contact	Part Number
  	Solid Shifter Cable Bushings	Don Green
  	Solid Shifter Mounting Plate Bushings	Don Green





• What Tools May/Will I Need?

  • Small Needle-Nose Pliers
  • Small Vise-Grips (optional)
  • Small bearing/gear puller (optional)
  • Snap Ring Pliers
  • 12mm Wrench (ratcheting type preferred)
  • 10mm Socket
  • 12mm Socket
  • Socket wrench and assorted extensions and universal joints
  • #2 Phillips Screwdriver




• Erik's Review

  • This modification cleaned up most of the free play in my shifter. The shifter action is very solid and precise now; no guessing if the shifter is fully engaged or not. There's not too much extra noise or vibration over the stock setup.
  • One thing this modification didn't do; however, is resolve my issues with getting the shifter into 1st gear when the car is stopped. Occasionally, it still feels like the shifter is "blocked" about halfway through the travel to the 1st gear position. As best as I can tell, this is due to play in the actual shifting mechanism in the transaxle in my car.

The Procedure

	Remove Cotter Pin from Shifter Cable
	I found it easiest to clamp a pair of small vise-grip pliers onto the cotter pin, and then use them to pull the pin out while pulling the clip-part of the cotter pin outward with some needle-nose pliers. The vise grip keeps the pin from flying off once it comes free. Take care not to lose the washer that's held on the shaft by the cotter pin.
	Slide Cable Off of Shifter Shaft
	With the cotter pin and washer removed, the cable end should just slide off of the shaft.
	Remove OEM Rubber Bushing
	If your rubber is still relatively soft, this may be really easy - as in press the bushing out with your fingers. I tried that, and then I tried pliers, screwdrivers, and a bunch of other stuff. My OEM rubber bushings were hard as rocks, and they just weren't coming out. Then I decided to work smarter, not harder. I grabbed my battery terminal pullers (similar to a small gear puller), and within a few seconds the bushing came right out. Sometimes having the right tool means a whole lot less swearing and less blood in your engine bay.
	Insert New Bushing
	Slide the new bushing into the hole in the end of the shifter cable, and then slide the cable end onto the shifter shaft.
	Install Cotter Pin
	Get out your snap ring pliers and set the jaws to the external-type if applicable. Get the snap ring ready to install onto the bushing. Now go get the washer that goes on before the snap ring. Yeah, the little black one that you left on your workbench with the OEM bushing and forgot about. That one. Good thing you remembered, or you'd have to take the snap ring back off and then put the washer on. I wouldn't have done that or anything :-) If you find that there's excessive play in the cable end with the new bushing and snap ring in place, you may want to put an extra washer on before reinstalling the cotter pin. I had some extra 1/4" washers lying around that did the trick.
	Locate and Remove Shifter Assembly Bolts
	There are four 12mm bolts that secure the shifter assembly to the chassis. Locate and remove them. This will probably require a bit of creativity with your wrench or ratchet. You may find it easier to get at some of them from the sides.
	Remove and Replace Shifter Plate Bushings
	After the bolts are out, just push the metal insert (far right of picture) out of the OEM rubber bushing, and then the bushings should just come out of the plate when you push with your fingers. Unlike my hard-as-a-rock bushings in the engine bay, these bushings were still very soft and pliable. After removing the OEM bushings, position the two halves of the new metal bushing on either side of the holes in the shifter plate. Align the holes in the plate with the holes in the chassis and insert the bolts back into the holes. You may find you need to thread in all four bolts a few turns before tightening any of them down fully. That's it - put everything back together and you're done!