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Posted by: pete000 Apr 30 2014, 09:55 PM

I am replacing my shift coupler bushings.

I purchased a white delrin set and they were way too sloppy and a poor fit.
Next up is a set of urethane and they fit much tighter but the pin still floats around in the holes which appear to be oval shaped? Not sure if I would like that play due to the pin floating in the oval shaped holes.

I saw a set of solid brass bushings, these look interesting.

Has any one used them?

Are the pivot holes supposed to be oval shaped with slop around the pivot pin?

Any brand better than others?

There seems to be a lot of manufacturers out there and the prices go from $12 bucks to $40.00 for the brass ones.




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Posted by: Cap'n Krusty Apr 30 2014, 10:09 PM

The holes are oval per the factory design for 911s, IIRC. That allows a little fore and aft play and keeps the shift fingers from applying a load to the shift rails while in gear. I don't think 914s had that, but the free play is slight enough that it wouldn't make much difference. What 914 owners have to worry about is radial play. That's what cause shifting issues and "sloppiness". Brass/bronze bushings are gonna transmit noise/vibration.

The Cap'n

Posted by: 02loftsmoor Apr 30 2014, 10:13 PM

Do you just drive that pin out to service the bushings??

Posted by: pete000 Apr 30 2014, 10:34 PM

It just presses out.

I agree with the Cap'n, the stock 914 bushings did not seem to have the oval holes and no slop. Mine were just cracked to hell.

These after market ones I picked up must be for the 911 and they just sell them for everything Porsche with a coupler thus the oval holes.

I read they make non oval versions. Just have to track them down.

I also agree the solid brass ones might be a bit harsh for a street car.

Posted by: SLITS Apr 30 2014, 10:36 PM

The ones currently supplied are for the 911. 914 will have round holes if you can find them.

Posted by: pete000 Apr 30 2014, 10:39 PM

This must be the 911 bushing like the ones I got.

Thanks for the info guys !





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Posted by: Dr Evil May 1 2014, 03:54 PM

Ya, I dropped $20 on the graphite ones as an experiment....the holes are way too big. The part number was the same that I got from Pelican...not a 914 part, but a 911 part.

There is a member that makes a shift rod that uses a steering U joint. I am currently trying to score one.

Posted by: Travis Neff May 1 2014, 04:27 PM

jwest has the bushings with the circular pin holes (instead of oval)

Posted by: CMONNETT May 1 2014, 04:44 PM

I used the brass ones in my car. Works great, improved the shifting over the 1yr old graphite the car had in it. Haven't noticed any noise or vibration from them.

Posted by: Dr Evil May 1 2014, 05:12 PM

Now that I have a 914 to drive and mess with, I am trying a lot of these things to get an idea of what is good and what is shit. I just rebuilt my coupler with the black bushings. Plenty of play in those. I only found the bronze bushings at Pelican for $50 or so. Too much, IMHO. I may just make some. I am wondering if an improvement in the coupler with the little tweak that I am experimenting with in the box, will be a simple and great improvement on the shifting.

Posted by: TJB/914 May 1 2014, 06:21 PM

Dr.Evil, idea:
After you finish research, put together a kit & put me on the buy list.
I want to improve my shifting.
Tom

Posted by: pete000 May 1 2014, 06:40 PM

I spent some time on the phone this morning with Pelican Parts, they revamped their website and it too a while to dig up the part number for what I think it the poly bushing with the round hole.

I had no idea this would be so tricky. Guess so many Porsche's use the oval hole version and just the 914 did not making it a bit harder to locate.

If the one I get from Pelican is wrong I will order from Jwest thanks for the tip.

I am also considering the brass ones.


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Posted by: JWest May 1 2014, 07:57 PM

The ones I use are a tight fit on the pin, once assembled. When slipped onto the pin, they are a little loose, but the outside compresses in the coupler housing making a nice, tight fit on the pin. You can see the little gap in the pic with just the pin, then the tight fit (pin had to be pushed in and does not fall out when the bushing is in the coupler).

Posted by: Qarl May 1 2014, 08:39 PM

So what is everyone's opinion on this stock coupler, versus a universal joint (ala Tangerine or Patrick)... versus Aircraft-type universal joint

Posted by: bdstone914 May 1 2014, 09:40 PM

I think you will like the Pelican bushings. By the way they do come as a pair even though it says quantity 1.

Posted by: Racer Chris May 2 2014, 06:41 AM

The universal joint I use to replace the coupler attaches to the stock tunnel rod with a stock cone screw.
I also have a flange to hold the stock boot in place.
AFAIK, no other available upgrade offers those features.

Posted by: r_towle May 2 2014, 06:57 AM

So your solution has a new coupler and rod, with the tail shifter flange and boot?

If so, that is a solution....well done.

Please confirm, I will buy that....

Rich

Posted by: Racer Chris May 2 2014, 07:04 AM

That's a side shift flange (fabricated in-house) and (your) boot.
We don't include the boot in the kit.

Posted by: Qarl May 2 2014, 07:06 AM

CHris,

Can you please talk a little about the stock coupler, versus the 2 types of universal joints pictured above?

Educate us a little about the advantages of each in comparison to shift feel, shift accuracy, and wear over time.

Thanks!

Q

Posted by: r_towle May 2 2014, 07:16 AM

Posted by: Racer Chris May 2 2014, 07:25 AM

You can buy sideshift boots new and used.
The housing of our shift rod bushing fits all chassis years and is just the right size for the front lip of a sideshift boot.
That means, you can install our sideshift components on a tailshift chassis and use the sideshift boot without any other prep work.

Posted by: r_towle May 2 2014, 07:29 AM

no additional work except removing the tail shift boot ring on the firewall and fabricating a side shift boot flange for the firewall.

So, you can do what I did....
No boot and regular cleaning a greasing....which is not a great solution.

rich

Posted by: Racer Chris May 2 2014, 07:49 AM

In your picture,
The top piece is an Apex universal (helicopter) joint, made to military specifications. Nicely made, lightweight, and expensive. The ends are thin, made for welding to a tube.
The front of the Patrick rod is a new steering u-joint, not really made to be left out in the weather. The real problem is clamping onto the tunnel shift rod.
No matter how hard you're able to wrench on the bolt, it won't grip the round rod end very well.
The two u-joints in the pic from my website are used at the console end of my shift rod.
I offer a used stock steering u-joint for people to save some money.
Kits with the new u-joint are more popular, and I really prefer that design.
Its a high quality new steering u-joint made for race cars with two different spline patterns. Viton o-rings seal the bearing cups.
One end is the same shape as our steering shafts and the other is a proprietary design of the u-joint mfr.
36 splines at one end and 20 at the other allows rotational adjustments of 2 degrees.

Our latest development is that we now machine our own 36 spline rod ends in-house, ending my search for good used steering shafts.

The front u-joint we use is known as a "take-apart, pin and block universal joint."
We disassemble them to machine the ends, one end matches the stock tunnel rod and the other welds on a 3/4" od steel tube. An 8mm nut welded to the front end holds the cone screw. Our boot flange has a hole in the center the same size as the u-joint dia.

Posted by: Racer Chris May 2 2014, 08:20 AM

Obviously what I wrote wasn't clear enough...

If you install our shift rod bearing on the firewall of a tailshift chassis, the sideshift boot has a place to hang onto.
The OD of our housing is a good diameter, so not other "lip" is necessary for the boot.
The tailshift boot ring does not interfere enough to prevent the boot from staying on the aluminum housing.
We have done this. I know it works.

Could it be better? - sure. A groove could be machined in the housing, or a thin flange could be riveted to the outside. The boot stays in place as is, but greater security may be desired by some people.

Posted by: r_towle May 2 2014, 09:37 AM

Oh, cool.

rich

Posted by: gonzo54 May 16 2020, 10:21 AM

I just ordered all of my shift bushings, Bronze Rear Crown Bushing from 914 Werke and the remainder from Pelican Parts. I decided to go with a Brass Shift Coupler Bushings after reading about elongated holes and the plastic bushings being sloppy. The Brass Bushings are back order from Pelican until June 30 and I'm not really sure their supplier will begin machining the parts again. I want to move on with this project and not wait until mid-late summer so what is the better plastic Shift Coupler (Knuckle) bushing to install, Delrin? Poly Graphite?

Thanks-Rick

Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com May 16 2020, 10:37 AM

the originals had a perfectly round hole and no slop the supersessions were oval for a 911 356 and sloppy for a 914. The new delrin ones we have made have a perfectly round hole and restore the precise feel. Bronze will transmit noise and wear out the pin as the metal to metal contact in a non lubricated pivot point just does that.

Posted by: gonzo54 May 16 2020, 01:16 PM

Thanks Dr 914, I want to get going on replacing my shifter bushings before our So. Calif. 914 drive June 6th!

Posted by: roblav1 May 16 2020, 03:32 PM

Although expensive, the Apex helicoptor joint is the best. Wrap the joint in a wet sock before tig. The detatchable side requires a 1/4" screw through it with no threads showing in shear. The screw side tube also requires solid rod welded in the inside.

Posted by: gonzo54 May 16 2020, 05:15 PM

I'm not going to have a Apex helicopter joint TIG'd up. Just looking for the simple and reliable OEM or better bushing options that members have used.

Thanks-Rick

Posted by: roblav1 May 16 2020, 05:17 PM

I figured that Rick. Info was for anyone else considering it.

Posted by: DRPHIL914 May 16 2020, 07:53 PM

i got my brass bushings for the coupler on e-bay and they came quickly, fit is tight but smooth. they are installed in my original stock coupler. now i like it, it’s tight and some think it’s too tight.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-911-912-914-356-Brass-Shift-Coupler-Bushing-Set-Pair-/142760106420

i went another direction when i was waiting for my press i ordered to time so i could press out the stock pin that was stuck, i got a new perfect shift bar from Bruce stone, then i sent thst to Rauch and Speigel, to install their billet coupler and their pin and bushing(round hole). their system uses 2 set screws they hold the pin so that you don’t have to press it into place to hold it or to remove it, so much easier to remove with the set screws. they drilled and tapped my bar for those, you would have to do this yourself or have a shop do it. They did it for me. I currently have that for sale in the classified section.

i like the brass bushings- should last for ever lol!

Phil

Posted by: gonzo54 May 16 2020, 09:03 PM

Thanks Dr Phil for the information and ebay contact. Do you feel or hear anything different in the shift knob?