A few issues here , after the bushing disintegrated I ordered new stuff, a new firewall bushing from RIX914PARTS and other goodies from 914rubber.com, and a new brass bushing for the coupling, however I can’t get the pin out, and I’m going to mess up the pin end and it’s not going to slide thru if I do that- so I’m going to have to find a press I guess somewhere?
1. Should it be that tight ?
2. Is this a normal weld end?

lube the pin, support the coupler in a vice with wood to cushion and drive out the pin, Replace the coupler bushings with the special delrin variety with the completely round hole

That was one of the more frustrating tasks I've had to do. Getting the pin out was surprisingly difficult. I think I ended up putting it in a vice with a drift and using the floor jack handle as leverage on the vice handle. Penetrating oil, heat, and crank a little on the vice. Lil' bugger finally let go.

My bushing disintegrated at VA state safety inspection when the guy at the garage couldn't figure out how to get into 1st gear and ended up man-handling it. I've got the brass one now.

Good luck, Phil.

You will never regret getting a press. It’s one of those things you didn’t know you needed until you have one.

This effort may have been what convinced me to finally get one.

2. Normal

The coupler is not that strong. It's better to support the rod. I like to use a long socket under the pin - basically hammer or press the pin into the socket.

I was just thinking that’s what I would do. I do see that George at AA and Sierra Madre have new couplers if I damage mine but let’s try not to do that- AND you guys are right, on my other thread I posted the demise of the coupler bushing, someone noted the firewall bushing looked like there was some space and indeed there is some play so I called Rick earlier in the week and have brand new one of his firewall bushings. I know Chris Foley makes great stuff but for now I am staying closer to stock. If I were autox this car I would do his whole system, but for now I think this will all be fine.

+1!

I've done a bunch of those. I use two sockets, one for a "cup" and the other for a pin. Make sure the pin isn't pitted badly or it can chew on the bushing.

Dr. Phil,

A couple of links I found helpful:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...56765&st=20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0I5HOBvQbg

I used the vise and socket method....

From the pictures the pin ends look pretty distorted. That won't make the task any easier.

Good point. So you want to make sure the pin doesn't have any burrs on it that would give you trouble pressing it through. If both sides have boogers, you can get by cleaning off the press through side.

Only one side is like that, so should be able to press it thru on other side.
I don’t think the pins are available. There are several different couplers on line, not sure any but the OEM one from Sierra Madre is the correct length etc.

https://sierramadrecollection.com/Shift-Cou...-88-p22232.html

Any reason why these could not be used, looks like comes with coupler bushing and pin

Why replace a perfectly good part ?
You still have to press the shaft out of the old assembly.
We had looked at making these but got down to that question.
Perhaps we make an entire assembly?
Easy swap out.

Six inch vice, the two socket method....and that would be my go to even though I do have a press.

1/2 step forward and 4 steps backwards with those fancy ones. Cutting, welding?, tapping?, ruining a functional rod? Dress the pin with a file, put in the new bushings and be done with it. Put glycerin on the pin and bushings.

DrPhil, if all fails, I do have a nice one for sale $75.00. MarkClick to view attachment

Personally I’d replace it since if the repairs are not spot on it tweak the alignment of everything.

Not that expensive...

911 has an oval hole in the bushings that won't work with the 914. You will still have to change bushings on the new unit

I appreciate the offer, if I mess anything up I will get in touch. For now the plan when I get back tomorrow is to attempt pressing the pin thru, and reassembly with either bronze or stock bushings I have both. I forgot to order new cone screws so I am hoping some red thread lock would be ok.
Mark is right no reason to reinvent the wheel here- I guess I am curious about that one aftermarket coupling, and feel like it could be used if the stock one were damaged in removal. You’d still use stock bar but no sense spending $$ where I don’t need to.

Next issue is to fix oil leak I am getting from the oil pressure relief valve plug- I am otherwise leak free.

Ok tried getting the pin to move with clamp press method , no-go.

Take it to your regular auto repair shop. They should be able to press it out and in in 5 minutes.

Posting an update! I had given up after taking my bar to 2 different places that didn’t want to mess with it or were worried about messing up the coupling, so I mad arrangement to get a nice bar from Bruce Stone, and send it to Rauch and Spiegel in Co. you 911 and 356 guys know them as the company that makes the billet coupler unit that is a replacement for stock, btw this is identical to stock spec wise and is same as ours, the only difference is end of the bar on ours is welded to the real linkage bar, on 911 it is not as you can see in the pictures. Anyway Rauch will install their coupler, bushing and pin on our bar. The pin is different in that it has 2 cone screws that retain it rather than depending on the splines that’s are in a stock pin that hold it in place. So they will still and tap our bar end to be secured with their coupler!!
Now I suppose one could have them just send me the coupler and use the stock pin with any bushings desired as well, but I am having mine done by them, and will post the pictures of this when it come in. Rauch has been super cool to work with and amazing to offer to do this for just one person!
Meanwhile back at the ranch, I went out a bought a big heavy duty bench vice and after soaking my bar/pin in pb blaster , using the socket method I finally got it to budge!!!, and once extracted thru a 1 hour process , I cleaned off all rust from the pin, and using the bronze bushings reinstalled the bar to the car. I also got the bronze console bushing from 914werks and a firewall bushing from RIX914PARTS, and the new rear and feont covers from 914rubber.
Here are a couple pictures. Shifting is super tight and smooth, I would liken it to the Boxster for tightness now.
Bruce has a jig to align the bars . I think most people that have issues still have the issues due to bent or miss alignment of bars!
I have to thank Bruce for taking time to talk on the phone and help me out. I will be getting the other bar later on and will install it to compare the feel of these.
I think it’s great to have an option for a super nice coupler replacement.

Phil

i wish I had taken better pictures of the pin to show how the 3 spines are. its like they made a little cut and it causes it to bow out just enough that this is why it is hard to get them out. With mine it was original and never out before, so I had a good bit of rust holding it in as well. Once I had it out and cleaned it up with some 1000grit sand paper, it was much easier to press it into place, but still not easy and this is good. I also had to file smooth the ends since I had marred the one end from trying to strike it with a hammer. anyway if you do this and it is really easy to press it into place, you might want to do what Rauch and Spiegel does and drill and counter sink and tap for a threaded set screw to make sure the pin does not come out.

Here is mine using the later stouter 911 coupler. 911 has extra gussets. Used anti-seize compound on pin because of difference of metal.

I saw those on like and wondered how they fit, looks good! I probably should have used one of those rather than the weaker stock cast one. Good to know we do have a few options if the original is damaged or lost. The bronze bushings make it super tight don’t they!

Update:

Just got a couple pictures of that shift linkage and coupler that I had done at Rauch and Spiegel in Colorado. I did this when I was having difficulty getting the pin out of mine and thought it was not going to come out clean, so I started to research the 911 couplers that are available. There is the factory one that 914sixer used pictured in a previous post in this thread, and this one here by Rauch. I bought the powder coated bar from Bruce Stone, @bdstone thanks Bruce!! He sent this to Rauch for me and they installed their bushing(round derlin) and their coupler and pin system. This requires drilling a tapping the end of the bar for the set screws that hold the pin. So if this were ever to be replaced it’s as easy as removing the set screws and not having to press the pin out like in the stock application. The factory never intended these to have to be replaced so once pressed out and in again it’s possible it will not stay,
Especially under heavy load and use like DE and racing. I was able to get my other one out so I installed the brass bushing and I have to say it feels very tight!
Once I get the new bar and coupler from Rauch next week I will install it and see how it feels and report back.

George at Rauch said he has done others for 914 owners but I have not heard of anyone to this point around here that has used this coupler on their 914. I though you all would appreciate knowing there is an alternative out there .

Phil

That s the first time I have seen the bronze coupler bushings. Who sells them?

I already have the bronze shifter console bushing. and it was a little stiff until it wore in some.

I bought them on E-Bay.

They are tight.

Pelican Parts has them listed.

https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperC...T_pg2.htm#item5