Kartboy rear shifter bushing

Pretty simple install, much more room to work with on the LGT than the 02 WRX. However, there are 2 more steps than what needs to be done for the WRX.

 

First of all, leave the car in neutral, and get under the car using whichever way you prefer.

 

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/b534202/shifter%20bushing/DSC01125.jpg

 

As you can see, the driveshaft is blocked by a heatshield, which has the O2 sensor passing through it. Shifter is above the driveshaft. So, first loosen the O2 sensor, then unbolt 4 bolts that hold onto the heatshield. You'll have to wiggle the loosen HS to get it out of the car.

 

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/b534202/shifter%20bushing/DSC01134.jpg

 

Then remove the bolt and metal plate that you undo when you do the front bushings.

 

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/b534202/shifter%20bushing/DSC01127.jpg

 

Pull the linkage toward the driver side to loosen it. Then, as I try to show in the following picture, use something long as a lever. I used a pipe. Use the bracket pointed to by the blue arrow as the fulcrum and pull the linkage toward the front of the car (direction of red arrow).

 

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/b534202/shifter%20bushing/DSC01129.jpg

 

Very easy to pull the linkage out of the stock rear shifter bushing this way. And a lot of room to work with.

 

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/b534202/shifter%20bushing/DSC01133.jpg

 

Now that the linkage is out, you can unbolt the 2 bolts and get the stock bushing out. Grease up the Kartboy one real good, and slip back on the linkage. The way it looks in the picture is the right side up. Yes I put too much grease on, I expected it to be real tough to get on like the WRX but it wasn't the case at all.

 

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/b534202/shifter%20bushing/DSC01135.jpg

 

Then just bolt it back up to the chassis. Use the bolts supplied by KB. Note that those are 13mm, but the stock ones are 12mm.

 

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/b534202/shifter%20bushing/DSC01137.jpg

 

Done. Put everything back in reverse order. Don't over-torque the bolt on the front bushing.

review? thoughts? nice writeup!

+1

nice....thanks...i just scored a new KB SS on ebay cheap...need to find the bushings now, but this will mos def come in handy....thanks again

Further tips:

 

To remove the O2 sensor, it is recommended to use a 22mm "Compact" offset O2 sensor "wrench" (it's really just a specialty socket for your drive ratchet). Usually had for $10 at any major automotive parts retailer. Good investment if you're a regular weekend wrencher.

 

Otherwise, a locking set of vise-grips can be used.

 

Also, unless you have Popye-sized forearms, you should be able to simply remove the heat-shield bolts, and move and/or bend-back the heatshield a slight bit and get your arm to where it needs to go.

 

Heat shield removal is optional, but you'll want to be sure that the exhaust piping is cool before you do this bushing mod, either with or without the shield!

but what does it dooooo?!

^ It takes up some of the slack and makes overall shift feel more direct and more positive. Once you compare how much the stock rubber bushings deflect versus these Kartboy ones, you'll understand immediately.

 

This in-turn translates to somewhat increased cabin NVH levels - primarily vibration through the stick.

 

The stick will retain its "notchy" feel, however.

Very helpful hint --> Must tighten one bolt all the way before the other bolt will even thread. Took me 30 min to figure that out. I also didn't need any pipes or anything for leverage. I just popped out the linkage and pushed it back into the new one.

Very helpful hint --> Must tighten one bolt all the way before the other bolt will even thread. Took me 30 min to figure that out. I also didn't need any pipes or anything for leverage. I just popped out the linkage and pushed it back into the new one.

 

DOH!!!!! are you freaking serious???

 

I spent 3 hours today tring to install the damned bushing thinking that the holes were too close together. I gave up soon after.. Boy, that was a boatload of fail, if you'd say so...

Oh man this is one hell of a old thread bump....

Is it ok if we don't put the heatshield back?

For some reason it started to rattle after I put my catback on...

old thread bump...rear shifter bushing is a major pita...i've got one bolt tightened all the way down and the other still won't thread

I still haven't tried again... it's still sitting somewhere in my garage, lol

all I can say is this damn thing better do something lol...i'd rather change spark plugs on this car

ok so I had to loosen the other bolt up then after fighting with it for about 30 mins the other one threaded...i'm done and time for a beer

I know this is super old, but thoughts/impressions now that it's been installed for a while?

Doin this today, I'll try to get some impressions posted next week.

Definite difference and it's not good, imo. Feels more clunky, less smooth. This is strictly daily commuting type driving. I may pull this one out and put the stock bushing back in when I get a chance. Couple notes:

 

No need to remove O2 sensor, just unbolt heat shield and pivot it around and mostly out of the way.

I already have the front bushing swapped out, btw it did make a big positive difference.

Had absolutely no trouble getting the bolts threaded back in.

I'm bumping this thread up.

 

What a pain in the ass to install. Maybe it was just me but I had no problem getting the old one out and the new one on the shifter rod part. But getting the second bolt in and tight was a chore. For some reason my passenger side bolt was very hard to thread in the middle of the bolt threads. Once it was past there it was easy to screw in the rest of the way.

 

My thoughts on install.

 

-Jack up the whole car and put it on stands. I had mine up on ramps on the front and could used a little more room to move around under the car. I'm a skinny dude and still had some trouble.

 

-You may want to remove the heat shield for some extra room. I unbolted mine and spun it around the exhaust. Also be careful and dont over tighten the bolts for the heat shield. I stripped one that goes to the cross member some how.

 

 

 

I drove around the block real quick and I could feel a difference. I'll have to drive a few days and see how much of a difference it makes. Plus I have to go back under and make sure the two bolts are nice and tight.

Holy crap! these are much easier to get to if you jack the car and remove the front stay bolt, lower the car and take the shift assembly apart, like you would to install the kartboy STS, just remove the bottom 4 bolts and all of a sudden, there's the rear stay bushing.

 

Not to sure how this would work to remove the bushing but you could definitely install the bolts easier.

 

I discovered this when i went to install my linkage bushings... oh well, next time.

Hey TSiWRX. Hold off for just a little bit. Ive read that its much much easier to slap the rear bushing in when you do the front in conjunction. I didnt read this till AFTER I had ordered the front. The rear bushing write-up wont be far off if you can wait a little while.

Hey TSiWRX. Hold off for just a little bit. Ive read that its much much easier to slap the rear bushing in when you do the front in conjunction. I didnt read this till AFTER I had ordered the front. The rear bushing write-up wont be far off if you can wait a little while.

 

Thanks for the thought , but yep, I did this mod, back in October of 2005....

Hi all,

 

Reviving this thread from the (very) dead to add my .02:

 

If you live in an area where corrosion is a problem, I would not even bother with this mod. The heatshield bolts love to snap, and I was left with only 1 that threaded out properly. I'm now forced to drive without it. Even if only one bolt had snapped, I would have been left with (another) rattling heatshield.

 

Secondly, removing the linkage from the old bushing is a royal pain. I was able to do so only by going in through the top, and removing all the bolts/snap ring on the shifter.

 

I will say though, that the stock unit was in absolutely terrible condition.

If you have acquired that much corrosion, take it to a shop for future work so they can repair damaged threads and holes as they happen. This leaves with more of a car when you are done.

Trying to help anyone who (like me) didn't do this right away...

I *just* installed this after 4 years of living with the COBB STS and front bushings. I have to say here some things I didn't read elswhere

 

1) I needed a box wrench to remove the front 2 heatshield bolts and front bushing nut. I couldn't use a socket because the space is too narrow.

 

2) I had to wear long sleeve shirt because after 15 mins of rubbing my forearms against the heatshield I thought I was going to slice my arm open.

 

3) I researched 3 methods to get both bolts to thread. After 2 hours of swearing, the thing that worked for me was: Greasing the linkage (middle) hole and both bolts. Installing the passenger side bolt first and screwing it all the way down and then backing it out 1-2 turns. Finding the driver side hole with the other bolt and pushing while turning. I needed my long socket extension with a angle adapter.

 

I was messing with the linakge so much that I pushed the rubber boot up off the shifter. So now i gotta go into the cabin and open up the shifter area so I can push the rubber boot back down. 3 hours later and I still haven't driven it yet, I hope it's worth it.