[Sweptwing]

Originally Posted by buckwam

Is replacing the stock plastic bushings with these aluminum pieces an easy process if one was already going to swap in a short throw shifter?

Tell me if I’m wrong but it looks like installing the Hurst or OEM short-throw shifter does nothing to address the bushing wear problem! It appears the bushings should be changed regardless.

[Mellowjive]

Originally Posted by buckwam

Is replacing the stock plastic bushings with these aluminum pieces an easy process if one was already going to swap in a short throw shifter?

If you are already going to do the GM short throw then yes it's extremely easy. The new GM Performance short throw usually comes with the whole assembly and you can just pop out the factory rubber ones and insert the metal. If you want to be really thrifty then you can wait until the factory wears down around 25k miles and then do it later. If you are only getting a short throw because of the worn out bushings, then I recommend to do the metal replacements first and see if that makes you like your drive again. It will save you a ton of money and time and it provides better mechanical feel than the stock ones. If you then still want to get GM short throw, then the metal bushings are still good to be used in it whenever you want

If you buy the Hurst short throw then it doesn't come with the linkage or bushings. Hurst short throw will not fix a floppy shifter and actually you probably won't even be able to get into reverse after installing the Hurst with the old factory worn bushings. This is because there's no leverage to move the transmission gear selector block over to reverse when the bushings are gone. There's nothing to "push" it over there.

[Mellowjive]

Originally Posted by Sweptwing

Tell me if I’m wrong but it looks like installing the Hurst or OEM short-throw shifter does nothing to address the bushing wear problem! It appears the bushings should be changed regardless.

You'll still have the problem with the Hurst. It comes with the shifter only and doesn't address the disintegrated bushing problem. See my other post above... Hurst with broken bushings might prevent you from even getting into reverse.

OEM short throw from GM Performance authorized sellers SHOULD come with the whole assembly that includes new rubber-coated bushings. Those will last about 25-30k miles until they break down again. Then you'll be visiting fullmetalbushing.com to bring it back into service. Some customers just prefer the mechanical feel of the firmer metal though. There's less "mush" in the travel/gates and you use it literally non-stop so it's an important part of the driving experience. GM really screwed up on that one.

[buckwam]

Thank you for clarifying that.

[mattceeee]

Wanted to give a full update on the Full Metal Bushings and the installation. Overall, I definitely recommend doing it if your shifter is sloppy. Mine started to give out 2 months ago and it was so frustrating. I have shifted into the wrong gear probably 10 times in the past month. Not to mention the moments where I clutched in and shifted into gear and had to second guess and then re-shift just to make sure, all while riding my clutch for several seconds in traffic. Very frustrating. If you can relate to this, I recommend doing the upgrade.

Now, skill level involved…Honestly, this repair isn’t as much about skill as it is having the right tools and taking the time beforehand to understand how the parts operate and what the fitment looks like. I was able to do this repair with some $55 ramps from Harbor Freight, a jack, and 2 jack stands (make sure you have the pinch weld braces). That's about all you need as far as tools. The rest is your hands and brain, unless the bushings are too wide for your car, in which case, you might need a file. I recommend you do a lot of research about replacing shifters and look at pictures of camaro transmissions to understand where everything is located. I’d watch this video around the 9:00 minute mark ( ).

Once you have the car lifted, feel around until you can find it. Sometimes your left hand works better, sometimes your right. I’m a medium sized guy, and I was just able to get my left hand in on the left side and touch my right hand on the right side just barely. Locate stuff and get familiar with it. Stick a phone with a flashlight on and record a video up there to help you visualize it. You don’t have to have a car lift and you don't have to take off the transmission brace if you get familiar. You will be essentially working blind though so familiarity is key.

Make sure you let the car cool for like 2 hours. The transmission gets hot and its a pain when you’re working to get poked by pieces or touch hot parts that cause you to flinch. The C-clips aren't super hard to get off if you can spin them around enough to get the right angle. I just used my fingers. Be careful not to drop them up there. I wasted 45 minutes trying to find one. After I found it, my hands looked like I had fought a cat. Also lost one of the new bushings and that took about 15 mins to find. Once you get them off, you can start the install. The shifter is pretty flexible and can be pulled down into the left cavity where your arm was to remove it. That's the easiest way to get the new bushings in. If they fit over the transmission rod like that, great! If not, measure them with a caliper and compare to the old ones. My old measured at 10.99 mm and the new were at 11.42 mm. I had to file them down for over an hour to like 10.85 mm to get them to work. Try shifting the rod and the shifter and manipulating it to get it to fit snug. I had a hard time getting the pin back in place. I got it through driver side of shifter and eventually the rod, but it was so hard to get through the passenger side. Had to get someone to gently move the shifter in the car around until itd slide through. Don't forget to lube the pin. From FMB: “For lubrication, bushings do well with dialectic grease, graphite petrolatum, most anti-seize mixtures, or even standard “shop grease.” If you have it around you can even use a dry silicone lubricant. No WD40 and do not recommend regular engine oil.” Put the c-clamps back on and you should be good to go. Fixes it so well. It does rattle a little bit but that's fine for me because mine rattled before with the OEM bushings. So much for Vibration/Roughness Chevy…But the ride is much better. It instantly makes your car feel so much newer.
Also, I’d like to thank FMB for their help. USPS lost my package and they went through the process of contacting them and helping them get it delivered. Only issue I had was the new bushings were a little too thick. I think that if they based their dimension off of OEM, it might not work because if the material in the original can compress at all, you might be able to get that dimension to work, but the aluminum won't compress at all so you have to file it down if it doesn’t fit. I could be totally wrong on that though, its just a thought. Still want to thank the guy (Mellowjive) that took the time and energy to come up with FMB because otherwise I’d be stuck with a shitty shifter as I’m not paying Chevy thousands to fix it.

[Mellowjive]

Thank you for the time spent on a thorough review. It's recommended if anyone gets stuck to email or call fullmetalbushing. Info on the website. Every bushing is carefully measured and 100% guarantee FMB item is shorter than the OEM unit. The old rings you'll find left over on the shifter are without any of the plastic/rubber coating that disintegrated. OEM is 11.80MM and FMB is 11.40mm +/-0.03mm. If it was too long you wouldn't be able to get the C clip back on. The area there can be minor fitment concern is on the flared end, but FMB cannot go thinner on this. It's better to have a customer sand off a tiny fraction of material and get a tight fit than to receive a loose fitting product. The metal can't go back on once it's gone! With the last update made, most customers will have a smooth drop in with proper lubrication. If not, 410 grit sandpaper from a HW store is enough to remove a TINY amount of material from the "mushroomed" end. Alternatively, any shop will usually install these for $100 labor and will have a grinder if needed. A customer even had a Chevy dealer install for him, which was surprising to allow after market. FMB is open to suggestions on this process if you or anyone has alternative options to consider. Happy driving all!

[Wiskey]

I had NO idea this thread kept going!!!! I was coming back to bring it back to the surface because now I've lost the factory one on the other side and it's almost impossible to get into reverse.

Thank you so much for making this part!!! I'm buying now. Not worrying about this anymore will be the best $100 I ever spent.

Whiskey