As some of you may know, my '75 (aka The 'BB') was butchered by a previous owner. The car had a tail-shift transaxle in when I acquired it

Even though we converted the car back to the correct side-shift transaxle, there is a shift-rod pivot assembly from an early [tail-shift] car riveted to the firewall. To make matters worse, it isn't even square (not installed quite 90 degrees to the firewall). I was able to bend it somewhat and its straighter than it was, but I still can't install an OEM side-shift type of rubber shift-joint cover on it

Since the drive train is still out, I'm thinking of drilling out the rivets, removing the incorrect shift-rod pivot assembly and installing a PMP shift rod bearing.

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1. It looks like the PMP bearing will accept the OEM side-shift shift-joint cover, but PMP's ad doesn't mention anything about it,
... so I thought to ask here, if that is true?

2. How is this bearing installed? (it appears to bolt in)

3. Do you guys shave the OEM shfit rod down to the correct OD to fit the bearing's ID, or just purchase one of PMP's special shift rods? (PART#PMP914RSR)

I did this on my last 914. It was easy to do and worked really well. You will need to maching down your rod to go through the bearing. To install it you need to do some minor grinding but that's really all that is needed. I did all of it with the engine in the car on jack stands to give you any idea how simple it is. However, I would suggest you put it on a lift or having the engine out.

If you ever want to talk about the install I'm happy to talk.

I did this but used the same bearing. Got mine from speedway motors for $25
Bob

The bearing we sell doesn't require any modifications to the rod or the firewall.

I have Foley's bearing on 2 cars. Extremeley simple to install, no modifications needed or work to shift rod. It makes an AWESOME improvement to your cars shifting. Comes with everything needed to install, can't go wrong.


Shoe



This is a non paid endorsement but I will make Chris buy me a beer at Hershey if you buy one.

If Chris has one I would go with his. The Patrick one is easy enough to install but you do need to modify everything a little.

Thanks for the replies, guys.


Chris, will the OEM shift boot fit over the OD of your bearing housing? (this is a DD/street car application). I like the idea of not having to turn down the stock shift rod.

You offer World members a 10% discount too, right?

I did this but used the same bearing. Got mine from speedway motors for $25
Bob

Funny, you re-posted at 9:14

I looked at their site, but didn't find it.

There's no interference with the stock boot.
The bearing ass'y fits either early (converted to sideshift) or late cars.

Edit: I just re-read your situation. The bearing housing is smaller than the boot.
In order to use it without the metal boot flange on the firewall, you might need a spacer ring to fill the gap, so the boot doesn't fit loosely.

The worst case scenario is that the engine might need to be moved rearwards on its mounts by up to 1/8" if you can't select 1,3, or 5th gear.
Sometimes the knuckle bumps the bearing if everything isn't just right.
There isn't really any length adjustment to the stock shift rod under the engine, and I didn't want to force people to modify their firewall, hence the occasional need to reposition the engine slightly.

I have the Patrick motorsports bearing on my car but i am also running 100% custom built shifter and linkage (similar to the old jwest kit setup) I have not had any complaints with it besides the fact i found out months later that speedway motors carries the same part labeled as a steering shaft bearing for much less money. The quality of it seems quite good, but given your situation Chris's bearing may be a better choice for you.

My forward shift rod has a splined solid front section, then a section of hollow tube, and a short solid section at the rear end where the shift coupling attaches with the cone screw.

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I don't see how one could turn down a hollow tube (from 20mm to 18.87mm) when the wall thickness appears to only be a mm or so thick to begin with

Did the early side-shift cars have a different shift rod (completely solid rod) and the late ('75/'76) cars have the hollow tube center type?

...

The early shift rod is completely different for sure.
But I think it's actually larger in dia. than the late shift rod you already have.
That's why there's a special adapter bushing for early cars converted to sideshift.

I know the early cars ('70~'72) that had tail-shifters had a larger diameter rod. When we installed a side-shift transaxle in this particular car, I purchased one of those special 'conversion' firewall bushings from GPR.

I guess maybe my question was a little corn-fusing - I was wondering if any year from '73 through '76 possibly had a shift rod made from a solid bar from end to end (no hollow tube section in the middle)?


I'm just another CSOB, so I was leaning toward the Patrick style of bearing ($25 from Speedway Motors), however, either one requires the shift rod be turned down to .743" (18.87mm).

The hollow tube section is 20mm outside diameter and the tubing appears to only be about 1mm thick. There's just no way this shift rod can be turned down to that dimension.

Since I can't modify the shift rod I have, I may end up going with one of your bearings, Chris ...

I read your earlier question too quickly I guess.
The answer is no. All the sideshift cars used the exact same shift rod assembly.
I agree that turning down the shift rod isn't a great choice.

My firewall bearing came about because at my shop we have installed both Patrick's and the nla JWest shift bearing products.
All products are a compromise between cost, convenience and functionality, and I didn't like the balance of those 3 factors with either of those products.

We use a cheaper spherical bearing made of plastic - that way we can machine it so you don't have to modify the shift rod.
We use a different support frame - one that mounts on the firewall easily so you don't have to modify it, and the rubber boot over the knuckle still attaches to the firewall flange.
(BTW, there's a simple mod for early cars converted to sideshift so the boot will attach to the firewall.)

Someday the plastic bearing will probably wear out.
We'll have replacements at a very reasonable price, not much more than the price of a standard oem style replacement bushing.

Done deal, Chris ... I'll be calling you in a minute


EDIT:

On it's way

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OK, Chris's shift rod bearing arrived a couple of days ago (in record time, I might add), and I went to work on correcting the screwed-up shift rod bushing modification a PO had made.

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After surveying the firewall from inside the tunnel area, drilled out the rivets that were attaching the tail-shift assembly to the firewall ... (all 26 of them)

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Fabricated a plate from T061 to fit in the small recessed area surrounding the shift rod orifice.

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Drilled the necessary holes, secured the adapter plate to the firewall and installed the new bearing.

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The OEM shift coupling boot does fit around the circumference of the Tangering bearing's housing. It's a tight fit, just stretched it a little to get it on

Thanks Chris ...

Richard wasn't happy with the shifter travel, so I removed the bearing and mounting plate, and took it to a friend's shop to discuss modifications.

We decided to take a little over a 1/4" of material off of the back side of the bearing's housing and increased the diameter of the hole in the mounting plate, then recessed the bearing into the mounting plate.

Click to view attachment

I did need to hog out the shifter hole in the firewall a little bit

Reinstalled everything and it works great


Chris, this modification eliminates the need to move the drive train rearward

Mark, I was thinking you might have trouble with the way your firewall looked.
The coupler normally sits in the depression right where you had that big hole.
Your flat repair patch moves the coupler rearward about 1/4".
Modifying the coupler as you did is a good solution.

Question: What’s involved to move the motor/trans rearward 1/4” ?
@euro911
@ChrisFoley

My six conversion is running the PMS bearing, but back in the day Thomas was doing this mod for us locals. He worked at a machine shop and would turn down the shift rod to fit. I also bought the cheaper part from speedway. This was way before CFR had there stock size bearing. Since all my shift rods are turned down to 1/2” I’m stuck with it. My V8 914 has the CFR bearing. I would recommend the CFR option over the PMS bearing, so you don’t have to turn down the shift rod to 1/2”. The speedway bearing was also designed for a steering shaft, not metal on metal shift rod that goes in and out and spins. Curious if this will eventually wear down the shift rod versus Tangerine Racing Plastic on metal like the factory bushing?

Jim, just assume you won't have to move it rearwards for now.
It isn't difficult though. The mounting holes are slotted.

Thanks. That’s good to know. A Tangerine shift rod linkage was installed last year.

My front shift rod u-joint has more clearance than the factory knuckle
+ I revised the firewall bearing shortly after this thread was started in 2012.
Now it hugs the firewall more closely than before.

Thanks Chris; good to know