[Wiskey]

Hello all!

I'm having a situation here. I was on a work trip and one of the bushings for my Manual Transmission linkage broke and fell out. This has made my shifter very sloppy, although it actually does still work (until I loose the other one).

It's a little plastic part, probably costs $0.30 but I can't find it anywhere.

Have you guys run into this? What did you do to replace it? I don't want to drive it too much like this because I'm sure it will wear the aluminum shifter linkage eventually.

Bonus points if anyone out there has a diagram of this thing.

Thank you!
Whiskey

[Gen6cyl]

I know you have to drop the exhaust and drive shaft, lower transmission to change shifter.

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by Gen6cyl

I know you have to drop the exhaust and drive shaft, lower transmission to change shifter.

That is true, I've been checking those videos out hoping someone says something helpful like "While you're in there use this rebuild kit to replace these bushings" no luck yet though.

I'm hoping that since I'm just replacing a bushing on the shifter linkage, and I don't need to remove the whole assembly I can get my hands in there and swap it without doing that, it will be tight though, and I'll do all that if I need to.

Whiskey

[Wiskey]

For now I made this spacer out of an old TV installation spacer, it will get me to work, but I'm sure it won't hold up to the heat of a long drive.
IMG_4569 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

I've seen posts about the "Home Depot" mod, which is basically this, I've also seen people making custom brass bushings. I only have one car so I can't have it apart for the time that would take for a hand made replacement. While I had it apart I noticed that the back side of the 'good' one is full of cracks, it's about to let go too. I called Hurst and they have bushings for the 1LE or the V8 but not mine.

If anyone has an idea I'd love to hear it!

If they both let go I'm going to be left with 3rd and 4th only.

Whiskey

[Gen6cyl]

Did you do that through the shifter boot or did you remove center console? I think metal bushings would be good. If I went from under car I would get the gm replacement 1le shifter , about $ 280.

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by Gen6cyl

Did you do that through the shifter boot or did you remove center console? I think metal bushings would be good. If I went from under car I would get the gm replacement 1le shifter , about $ 280.

I went under the car, but I was able to get my hands in there and didn't have to take down the exhaust or transmission because I didn't remove the assembly, just the linkage.

I was considering that as an option! But every picture I see of it doesn't include the bushings. I'm assuming they expect you to use them off the current assembly.

Whiskey

[Gen6cyl]

All I can think is to ask Chevy dealer or find a machine shop to make metal bushings. I think the harder the bushing the better.My shifter is to soft I would like to know what harder bushings would do. I changed out shifter cable end bushings on my last car a focus st. Their are so many parts for the st and the focus fourm is full of helpfull info. That's not the case with the gen 6 v6 although it is probably a better car.

[ctrlz]

That black plastic sure looks like Delrin.
So I googled "delrin shifter bushing" and came back with all kinds of shapes and sizes. Maybe you can find a match.

[Gen6cyl]

Originally Posted by ctrlz

That black plastic sure looks like Delrin.
So I googled "delrin shifter bushing" and came back with all kinds of shapes and sizes. Maybe you can find a match.

Good idea , gonna try alloy shifter bushings.

[Wiskey]

If you guys can find out what ones fit please post back here! It's hard to get an exact size, and I only have one car so I can't take it out and go to the store.

It looks like the inside of the factory bushing was about 0.38 and the outside was 0.64 ish? But these are very ruff numbers using a caliper on the plastic factory part.

I don't seem to find a good close fraction fit for the inside, but in metric the outside was almost exactly 16mm. It might be a metric bushing, but there's not a great metric size for 0.38 either. That's like 9.65mm and I don't think that's a size, so it makes me question my measurements.

Whiskey

[Gen6cyl]

The gm 1le shifter says it fits ls ,lt and ss models. Makes me wonder what is the difference between ls ,lt and ss shifters. I have driven a lt1 and it shifts way better.

[pwj155]

When I had the c6 corvette I found shift cable bushings on ebay cheap. I never used them but had them on hand as this is a common problem on c6s. I put them on the glove box when i sold the car.

[Hotwheeltat]

Not sure if she is still making/selling them, but look up Jessika Joy Johnson on FaceBook. She made and sold delrin shifter bushings.

[Mellowjive]

Originally Posted by pwj155

When I had the c6 corvette I found shift cable bushings on ebay cheap. I never used them but had them on hand as this is a common problem on c6s. I put them on the glove box when i sold the car.

Suppose it's "possible" a shift cable bushing may fit, however, you'll know it's not feeling right. On the manual transmission it's solid steel/aluminum rods that pin to the transmission. The pin rides on the metal bushing, while the outer rubber coating of the bushing holds it seated in the right place and absorbs NVH. These bushings are a 2 piece design.

My bootleg version currently uses a shop stock rubber/nylon bushing drilled out to fit the pin through it, with washers on each side to keep it in place. It's still shifting sloppy but it's something for now, which is better than nothing there.