Any tips on installing the busing into the firewall for the shifter rod?

I tried warm water, and a big hammer, that was a no go (guess I know why it is completely missing)

I assemble a device that pulls it into place when I screw in on a nut.

Basically get a piece of all thread and cut it into a 8-10 inch piece. Get some fender washers (larger than the hole) and jam one of them on one end with two nuts. Stick it through the hole from the passenger compartment side. Get under the car with another fender washer and a nut. Place the lightly greased shift bushing into the hole. Line it up and place the fender washer/nut onto the all thread and start tightening away. This will pull it in when you start threading the nut on. After you get it into place unbolt the device and pull it out.

Obviously the shift linkage cannot be in place.. but this is easy.. undo it from the shifter and slide the rod forward into the tunnel.


B

You can thank me later..

I might still have one assembled that I can shoot pics of for you.


B

Cool I'll give it a shot friday (asuming the doctor doesn't do me too bad thursday) after the Mercedes Brake job.

(Is there any thing that is going to fall apart when I take the shifter lose like more 30 year old nylon bushings?)

The 73 and up cars only have 5 plastic bushings and two of them are located on the tranny. The only other plastic in your car is that firewall bushing and the shift rod coupler.


B

That is an awesome tip Brad. I installed one for a friend last summer using a set of ratcheting clamps turned inside out..... I could have used that tool.

When I did my car, the bushing wasn't there. I didn't even know if it should have been there, but I put a new one in anyway. You can never have too much support for a long rod.
It was a bitch to get in but about 15 minutes of "pursuation" and voila, it was in.

I took mine to a machine shop and they pressed them out and in. Changed me way too much.

Paul

I reccomend changing the 2 bushings and the spring in the shifter, since a lot of slop exists there too.

Or get a rennshift

Early in my 914 days, I changed the bushing with the shiftrod in the firewall, by cutting the bushing in 1/2 and install an upper and lower bushing.

Worked just fine.

Here's my method:

I use HOT water. Nuke the water and drop the bushing in, then bring it out to the car. Get underneath, get your hammer ready and take the bushing out of the water (with pliers, remember the water is HOT).

The bushing will cool down fast, so grab it and get one side into the hole, then smack the other side with the hammer. Don't be shy with the hammer, the bushing is flexible.

I sliced it once and folded it in on itself.....inserted in hole and inserted the rod....

I had a problem aligning the shift rod back through a new bushing. My son came up with the idea of attaching a string/cord on the end of the shift rod going through the new bushing while outside of the firewall. This allows for easy alignment after the bushing in.
L. McChesney

For me I tried and tried with a hammer, the hot water trick, grease with no luck. Let's try a bigger hammer I say to myself.

So I took a 2x3, got one end pressed on the bushing (it was greased to hopefully hold in place a bit) and the other end of the 2x3 exiting at the rear of the car, took my sledge hammer and wacked the 2x3. Bushing pressed in on the first try. Tricky part is to hold the 2x3 pressed against the bushing while getting ready to smack it.

Marc-André