94 FWD Legacy sloppy shifter fix with part numbers

[thenicky0]

Hey guys, so after accidentally buying a FWD Legacy (FML right? I was so excited I forgot to even ask before signing the title) it's time to address the nuisances of this car. Upon driving it, I noticed the shifter is sloppier than anything else I've ever driven. Figured I would upgrade to the WRX shifter. Well, that was all for naught; putting a WRX shifter on a FWD is nearly impossible (http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2240).

Instead, I figured I'd go for an OEM upgrade replacement, except I had a really hard time finding part numbers. I could only find the 4 small bushings as noted in this thread (http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=37134). Since the FWD model is so different, I figured I'd post up my findings after my research and phone calls to the local Subaru dealership. Here we go. We'll be using the following image:



These are the parts I ordered. Again, these are all for my 1994 FWD Legacy... I'm not sure if these part numbers translate to AWD models.

35035AA030 (x4) - shifter bushings / [DIAGRAM NUMBER: 4]
33046GA030 (x1) - boss complete kit / [DIAGRAM NUMBER: 2]
35036AA010 (x1) - rear cushion (most often regarded to as the rear shifter bushing) / [DIAGRAM NUMBER: 25]
33022GA081 (x1) - gear shift spring / [DIAGRAM NUMBER: 18]
35035KA010 (x1) - front "shifter bushing" (I had a hard time finding a part number for this... thanks Subaru parts department!) / [DIAGRAM NUMBER: 24]
633042040 (x1) - metal sleeve for the above bushing [DIAGRAM NUMBER: 12]

My goal is to have an OEM shifter feeling again. In the future I may try the WRX upgrade but it seems like it's too much of a hassle for the FWD models. Hopefully this information helps anyone when looking for FWD part numbers. I'll report my findings once I get all these parts installed. Thanks for reading.

-Nick

[mike-tracy]

Nick, thanks for posting the detailed info! You are not alone in FWD-ness on this site. Be comforted that you get way more MPG than the rest of us.

[entirelyturbo]

Cancel your order if you can, because honestly, you're not going to need most of what you ordered.

If your shifter is sloppy, all you need is two of #4, which should be 35035AA030, and two of #5, which should be 35035KA030. Those are the bushings that go bad all the time and cause a sloppy shifter. Only on the new-style WRX shifter would you need to replace that whole joint. Replace those four bushings and your shifter will feel as good as new again.

#24 and #25 are mounts, not bushings, and they are very, very rarely in a bad enough condition that they'll cause the shifter to be sloppy - and if you're gonna get new ones anyway, you might as well upgrade to the Kartboy ones, and you'll only need the spring if yours is missing.

I've done these shifters multiple times on 3 different Subarus, and trust me, you don't want to give yourself any more of a headache than you need to in order to get it done.


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[rallyak]

I've done this on both of my cars and yes what DerFahrer said is true.

4 # 4s
2 # 5s

I upgraded my mounts and it made it a lot better feeling.

[thenicky0]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback. I'm curious though, quasi-mod-o mentioned a headache. Are you saying replacing all the parts I set out to replace will be a pain in the ass? From what I've researched it doesn't look like it'd be all that difficult.

I have a feeling you're advising me against the boss in order to avoid the spring/bitch pin. In which case I was gonna have my mechanic replace this stuff during the next oil change. Without the boss it seems likely and more simple that I do it on my own.

[mike-tracy]

Replacing those parts is a huge PIA on the car. However, since you are fwd, there's no driveshaft in the way, so it should be a bit easier.

[thenicky0]

Quick (and silly) question before I tackle this. Is all of the work done under the car? I'm specifically asking about the two #4 bushings that get replaced closest to the shift lever. Can that be done from inside the car or is everything done underneath?

[rallyak]

Those two #4 are accessed from the inside the car. Those are the easiest to replace. Good luck.