TMW shortshifter Base bushings worth it?

[Ghoust]

I am about to buy the tmw short shifter and am wondering if I should pay the extra for the bushings kit? Is it worth the money and the efforts?

 

[Unoriginaluser]

I am about to buy the tmw short shifter and am wondering if I should pay the extra for the bushings kit? Is it worth the money and the efforts?

thats where all the goodness comes from, if i could only have one between the two the bushings would be my first choice

 

[oskinosmee]

Right i just got the bushings. When i opened the box i said WTF, then i put them on and its a whole different story. I love them, its the best 40 bucks ive spent on this car.

 

[RelliMS3]

Definitely go with bushings

 

[enganear]

I am about to buy the tmw short shifter and am wondering if I should pay the extra for the bushings kit? Is it worth the money and the efforts?

I was going to suggest you go to the How To section and try the FREE mod first. I looked and it seems that the thread has been deleted, probably taking too much easy money out the sponsors pockets.

Just pull the steel isolator sleeves out and grind 1/8" off the bottom. The rubber isolators will tighten down solid and you will have the same effect as solid bushings and still have $40 in your pocket. Quick before this is also deleted.
-enganear

I found a live link to the How To here:
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3568561&postcount=1

 

[SwampAss]

It's worth it. You could be creative and find similarly sized washers though.

Their instructions are very thorough and take about 30-45 minutes. Don't remove the console and use a wobble on your ratchet and you don't have to remove it. Takes 10 minutes.

 

[Unoriginaluser]

It's worth it. You could be creative and find similarly sized washers though.

Their instructions are very thorough and take about 30-45 minutes. Don't remove the console and use a wobble on your ratchet and you don't have to remove it. Takes 10 minutes.

wobble?

 

[wisniaPl]

I love it

 

[RelliMS3]

I was going to suggest you go to the How To section and try the FREE mod first. I looked and it seems that the thread has been deleted, probably taking too much easy money out the sponsors pockets.

Just pull the steel isolator sleeves out and grind 1/8" off the bottom. The rubber isolators will tighten down solid and you will have the same effect as solid bushings and still have $40 in your pocket. Quick before this is also deleted.
-enganear

I found a live link to the How To here:
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3568561&postcount=1

I understand what part you are talking about, but I am trying to figure out how the height of it affects the movement. Could you explain this a little more?

 

[Moonpie.Express]

If you reduce the steel isolator sleeve length, when you tighten it back down, you will compress the rubber isolator more. This making it harder/more solid.

 

[enganear]

I understand what part you are talking about, but I am trying to figure out how the height of it affects the movement. Could you explain this a little more?

Sure. The mounting screw tightens the steel sleeve down against the body. The rubber bushing is between the shifter base and the sleeve and this provides soft mounting of the shifter base for NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) reduction. Shortening the sleeve causes the rubber to be compressed solid, firming up the connection between the shifter base and the body. When I did this, I could detect no movement between the shifter base and the body during aggressive shifting. I believe the difference between this method and the use of a solid bushing would be imperceptible.
-enganear

 

[SwampAss]

wobble?

 

[Unoriginaluser]

i have that and was going to install this weekend, so how do i do it in 10min vs the 30 in the instructions?

 

[RelliMS3]

Sure. The mounting screw tightens the steel sleeve down against the body. The rubber bushing is between the shifter base and the sleeve and this provides soft mounting of the shifter base for NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) reduction. Shortening the sleeve causes the rubber to be compressed solid, firming up the connection between the shifter base and the body. When I did this, I could detect no movement between the shifter base and the body during aggressive shifting. I believe the difference between this method and the use of a solid bushing would be imperceptible.
-enganear

Oh alright. I just didnt realize that the sleeve is what the shifter base completely rests on. Now I get why the rubber is compressed more.

 

[SwampAss]

i have that and was going to install this weekend, so how do i do it in 10min vs the 30 in the instructions?

Leave the console in. Just remove the knob and shift boot. You can shimmy the new bushings in with the console in position vs. removed. You might need to remove the ashtray. It's been a year or so since I did mine so I'm a little foggy.

 

[Aadden]

I just got done installing my new base bushing yesterday and I have to agree it does feel a bit more solid. I also noticed it has a different feeling in the shifter itself. Before it seems to have felt more tight, now the shifter feels a bit more loose. I'm not sure swapping the bushings had anything to do with the alleged new feel in the shifter itself. I could be crazy too!!! Bottom line it was worth it so far. The shifts are much smoother and more exact.

 

[Tagkat]

Sure you have them tightened down? And the cables are in place? It shouldn't feel looser.

 

[GoFast]

just did the free mod on this and must say im impressed. definitely a better/solid feel

 

[Aadden]

Evereything is tight. I didn't mean that my shifter now feels sloppy just different. Like I said it could be my overactive imagination working overtime heheh. I love the more precise shifting though!