Ultimate FREE short shifter!

[scottahicks]

So I have had my 1990 Legacy AWD Wagon for 4 days and cannot stand that floppy useless flacid shifter. I read through the threads about upgrading the bushings etc. I decided to take off the plastic and check out the shifter mechanism in my car. This is what I found...



I started messing with the linkage and the actual shaft. I realized that the shaft that the shift knob goes on to is not actually attached to the shifter linkage. So with a lot of wiggeling and pulling...



And eventually...



So upon inspecting the rubberized shaft, I realized that the metal part of the shaft it is rather similar in diameter to the original threaded shaft that the shift knob screwed onto, just a little smaller. the length is also just slightly longer than the depth of the shift knob. so the lightbulb went on...

Get out the knife!!!



Start hacking away the wretched mushy rubber.



Cut away most but not all of the rubber, you need a little to create tension and keep the knob from spinning.



Make sure you test fit before you cut off too much rubber to get the right fit. Next push the shift knob down as far as it will go. and it will look like this.



Now you can find a drill bit that is the same diameter as the shaft and drill out the threads that are in the knob to get it to sit lower, but I found that without drilling it is at the proper height for me. Once you put all the plastic back and pop the boot back onto the knob in neutral it will look like this...



In 1st it will look like this...



In 2nd it will look like this...



The differance in the shifting was AMAZING... Dont get me wrong its not a race shifter, but it is certianly WAY better. the shift is short and relativly crisp. I will be attending to the 200,000mi+ worn out bushings in the linkage later, but this was FREE!!!!! I still can't belive they used a rubber mounted divorced shifter but whatever it worked out for a quick fix!

Price Free, Time about 30 minutes.

[gijonas]

That is not the idea behind a short shifter.The whole premise is to raise the linkage point and therefor altering the geometry so that less travel is needed to engage a gear.What you have done may feel better but it is in fact a "short shift"....lever.Not bashin ya, just saying.

I did this a while ago and am amazed by the difference.

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=44385

[scottahicks]

I understand the idea behind a shorter throw by mechanical advantage. I was not trying to make a thread that was an end all be all upgrade shifter, but rather a quick, cheap, anyone can do it remedy to the STUPID original shifter.

The throw is still shorter just by reducing the length of the lever 4 inches or so. But the best part of this cheap simple fix is that when you pick a gear... belive it or not, it's in the same place every time! and it is much more solid..

Thanks for the link, I may duplicate what you made...

[Legacy777]

The biggest slop is likely from the bushings underneath. I highly recommend replacing the shifter stay (support) bushings with kartboy poly bushings.

[scottahicks]

Actually instead of paying for kartboy bushings, I am going to make some out of brass. free is free.. I would rather use the money for gas.

[beatersubi]

Actually instead of paying for kartboy bushings, I am going to make some out of brass. free is free.. I would rather use the money for gas.

I've made some out of delrin. Its harder and lighter and, most importantly, was free-er. It made for a noticeable improvement.

[scottahicks]

I have delrin at my disposal as well... so that sounds like a plan.

I am back in college right now going through a manufacturing / engineering program so I am spoiled to have mills, lathes, EMD machine, etc at my disposal... so I might as well make all the parts I can. Dont have the money to spend on upgrade parts, wife and kids come first..

If anyone has any suggestions of other parts I should make for my 90 awd wagon please let me know. there are a lot of free materials at the school including bronze, brass, delrin, HDP, some aluminum and plenty of steel. I am also minoring in welding, and have an extensive fabrication background so I am up for anything.

Next build is a Push bar / light bar.

[beatersubi]

I've toyed w/ the idea of delrin suspension bushings, as I've a good supply of delrin scrap at my disposal. I'm not sure it would be suitable for street use, though.

[94LegWagon]

Tried to do this to my '94, and it doesnt have the rubber portion. just one solid piece of metal. Guess they changed shifters mid generation?

[n2x4]

The change was made sometime in 92 or 93, around when the facelift was done. Depending on the shifter design you have, you could make a TRUE short throw with it:


If you cut off the bracket and weld it back on about an inch higher you'll have significantly reduced the throw. In the picture, the red lines show where the bracket was originally attached. I also cut some of the threads off the length of the lever making it shorter.

[BA-RU]

I did this Mod today and was very happy with the results! Makes the car even more fun to drive. Thanks