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.



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.



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



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).



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



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.



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.



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.

Originally Posted by mwiener2

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