How do you stiffen up manual shifting?

[SWRT]

I figure there's quite a few bushings worn out on mine after
166k miles, but are these parts even accessible anymore? I
had trouble finding the front emblem, so I'm hoping these won't
be a nightmare.


Can anyone possibly tell me what bushings, springs or rubber
mounts will stiffen up the shifter and reduce the play (even while
in gear) to give me more crisp shifts?

Also, I suck at using the search on here, apparently. It seems like
it brings up 100 unrelated topics. I even tried "shift" "bushing" to
see if it'd be more accurate, but no luck.

[n5554t]

I ordered mine on eBay. Also made bushings out of hose for the shifter. Made a huge difference.

[drddan]

As for your searching, I tried "shifter bushings" .... and got all kinds of results.

Heres a couple

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...ifter+bushings

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...ifter+bushings

[TominMO]

They are available from any Kia dealer. About $2.75 apiece, but you may have to buy a whole bag of 10 if it's a special order, i.e. they don't keep them in stock. No biggie, they will come in handy. It normally takes four, two up by the tranny and two at the shifter. I just put two on my 323 (where the shifter itself connects to the bar); it was super-sloppy and now it shifts like new. (The two front bushings seemed to be in good shape, visually, so I left 'em alone.) Same part # as for the Festy and Aspire. I'll go out to the garage tmw and get the part # off the bag, or someone else can chime in.

It's maybe a 5-minute job under the car to do the two rear ones, which seems to make the biggest difference, IMO. After you get 'em on the shifter, squeeze them with a pair of pliers to make sure they will fit into the bar that connects it to the tranny. I found that just squeezing them in with my fingers was not sufficient. Use Loc-tite on the nut.

Notes:
a. The remnants of the old bushings will still be inside the shifter; just push them out with a flat-blade screwdriver.
b. It's helpful to have a friend hold the shifter steady while you work under the car, but you can do it without any help.

[SWRT]

Ah, I see. You don't need the quotation marks then.

Wow, thanks for all the help guys I've never had a crisp shifter
before and this is my third manual car.

And thanks, Tom. That would be awesome!

[bravekozak]

I prefer using a nyloc nut to make sure it stays in place.

[Team Lightning]

SWRT, here's another writeup for you to read. I'm planning on doing this to mine very soon.

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?39051-Advanced-Shift-linkage-write-up&highlight=shifter+bushings

[bravekozak]

Least sloppiness.

[navdoc101]

Mazda dealer.
Part #' : 4 B001-46-62 bushings
2 B001-46-133 bolt
1 B09246047 pipe
1 GJ2146041 bushing

Search for skimsuckas post "Shifter sloppiness solved!! no Austrailia nonsense"

[TominMO]

I prefer using a nyloc nut to make sure it stays in place.

Right; in fact I use both a Nylock nut and threadlocker. Anal I know.

[TominMO]

@ SWRT: the part # for the Kia bushings is KKY01-46062. Package of 10.

The nylock nut for the two stock shoulder bolts is M8x1.25. You can get a small package of them in stainless at the big-box hardware store nearest you. The head on mine is 1/2", but you can use 13mm, since 1/2" is 12.7mm.

There are many ways to do this job. On Matthew, Greg ground off one side of the non-servicable joint to get it out, installed the nylon bushings, then welded it back up again. World-class shifting. I am partial to Advancedynamix' solution for the non-servicable joint only, and the usual route for the two bushinged joints with bolts. I like nylock nuts with blue loc-tite.

I tried using a small zip-tie in the nonservicable joint on the Aspire, to take up the side movement. I found it makes shifting up into third gear a little notchy sometimes, perhaps because it is now not centered. I might try two thin paper clips instead. Just experimenting.

[eurotiva]

I keep plenty in stock, make it down here sometime, and I'll redo all six for free!

[SWRT]

Ah, thanks man. I PM'd you

[sc72]

SWRT, here's another writeup for you to read. I'm planning on doing this to mine very soon.

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...ifter+bushings

Team L, I did this mod not long after Charlie put it on the site, it shifts like a champ, I have done this mod to all of my cars. I thought I would keep the bushings just in case, but there is no need, so I will put them in the for sale section probably $1.50 each.