KartBoy STS & front bushings install.

The preceeding is a walk-through of the KartBoy Short Throw Shifter and Front Bushings (In that order) for the 2005 Legacy 2.5GT MT.

Photos should be viewed as 1 being the first, then followed by 2 and so fourth, for reference during walk-through.

Tools Required:
Ramps.
SNAP RING PLIERS! <~~~~VERY importante!
12mm Box end wrench x2 or 1 in combination with a crescent.
Q tips.
Flat tip screwdriver.

Start off by making things a little easier on yourself by pulling the car up on some ramps prior to doing the short shifter. While you're installing the shifter, it will give the engine & exhaust time to cool down.

Step one: Remove the shift knob by twisting counter-clockwise (see photo 1). HaHa! Sorry.... had to. Once it's off, you can retract it from the leather grommet that holds the boot to it by sort of prying it off.


Step two: Place your fingers under the trim panel (see photo 2) and gently lift up untill you pop the trim panel off. It's attached in a few locations, so work your way around until you have them all un-hinged. Note: Be mindfull of the way the panel slides toward you and down (see photo 3) at the point of contact with the climate controls. It's not that big of a deal.... but you don't wanna cause any headaches.



Step three: Gently move the panel & shifter boot off of the shift lever and over to the passenger side of the car. Here you'll find the harness for the cigarette lighter. Take a glance at it and you'll see that it comes apart fairly easy with one hand. (See photo 4)


Step four: You'll notice the two white plastic screws (flat tip) at the top right & bottom left of the inner shift boot. (See photo 5) These two hold the inner boot to two metal bolts. Go ahead and unscrew these till they recede no further, then simply pop them off the bolts by hand.
Note: It'll take some manipulation to remove this shroud....but don't get frustrated. Take your time and work it out safely. Then pop the colar (HaHA!) off of the neck of the lever and set the shroud out of your way!


Step five: With the shroud removed, you'll see the bolt (see photo 6) that's holding the shifter mechanism to the shift lever. All this is....is a bolt with a nut. Place one of your 12mm box end wrenches on one end, and the other opposite. MARK how much force is required to remove this nut *there isn't much* so you know how much to use upon bolting up the KB STS


Step six: Grab a Q-tip and remove the grease at the base of the lever BEFORE prying up on it! Place this grease on a rag to be used later! Sorry....no photo. Somehow....I lost it.

Step seven: Grab your snap ring pliers (see photo 7) and remove the now visible snap ring that holds the lever in the grotto (joke). You may need to use one finger to hold the lever suspended to get it out of the groove. THEN, you can simply lift the lever out of the *grott* with minimal force....seriously....it comes out like butter! (See photo 8)



Photo 9! This is a comparison of the factory (top) & KartBoy (bottom) shifters side by side. I laid out a Leatherman for shits & giggles.

Step eight: Remove the basket from the factor shifter *CAREFUL* of the o-ring and place it on the KB STS. (See photo 10) **Place the snap ring on first....to avoid doubling back.


Step nine: Remove the silver bushing insert from the center of factory shif lever (see photo 11) and set it aside for a moment. Next, remove the two plastic bushing inserts from both sides of factory shifter (see photo 12). I used the back side of a knife (the DULL side) to gently wiggle them out a bit.... then used my nails to pry them the rest of the way out. Place these plastic bushings in the KB lever, followed by the silver bushing through the center of them.



Step ten: Now grab your assembled KB STS and place the basket back in it's ..... grotto. (See photo 13).


Step eleven: Before grabbing the snap ring pliers....put your finger down there and feel for the groove that the snap ring will fit into. This way... you'll have a better idea of where you're trying to put it. NOW... grab the snap ring pliers and squeeze the snap ring together and gently guide it into the groove. Use another finger to ease the opposite side of the snap ring into the groove. You'll know when it's seated, as for me it gave a slight *click* kind of noise. YMMV. Sorry.... no photo on this one.... I slipped up.

Step 12: Now that the snap rin is firmly in place, grab the bolt and nut you set aside earlier and slide it through the center of the shifter connecting it to the shift arm with the nut on the RIGHT side of the deal. Using your 12mm box end wrenches.... go ahead and apply what force you marked when removing said bolt! It won't be but a couple of ticks past hand tight I reckon. (See photo 14).



Step 13: (Almost there.) Now grab a 12mm socket w/ an extension and un-bolt the four bolts holding the metal shroud around the shifter to the base. (See photo 14 again). Remove this plate.... rotate 180 degrees and re-bolt it up. This way....the shifter will clear the plate for 1st & 2nd gear. Note: Unless of course you have a Dremel and you'd rather just cut away some of that metal!

Step 14: replace everything in the order as you had removed it....and voila! You've got a STS baby! (See picture 16).

Now for the front shifter bushings.

Tools necessary:

Ramps.
12mm socket.
Many swear words……you’re favorites!

Step one: If you haven’t already, put the car up on the ramps. (See photo 1.)


Step two: If you haven’t already, let the damn thing cool off!

Step three: Crawl up underneath the car (after cooling) and take a look-see to view what you’re gonna deal with. It’s not really technical….but can be a slight pain in the neck! Pull yourself just past the tranny and look just before & above the second catalytic converter. (See photo 2.)

Step four: Using 12mm box end wrench, remove the nut holding the plate over the bushing. *MARK how much force is required to remove the nut. Remember to use this much when re-applying nut later on. Also note that the prong on the washer plate is facing the same direction as the nut is.

Step five: Set plate & nut out of the way and slide bushing with housing off of bolt. (See photo 3.)

Step six: Here comes a slightly tricky part that requires some dexterity, patience & those swear words I advised you equip in the “Tools necessary” section of the walk-through. I basically used the bolt itself (the one the bushing slid off of) to move the lip of the bushing inside the bushing housing….then using some strength to use the bolt and push the bushing as far out the other side as possible. This is going to take some grunting. So take your time….breathe….and don’t throw the wrench at anything of value…..or the dog!

In luei of Step six*: Since I have some gorilla type Popeye fore-arms….it made it kind of difficult to reach above the heat shield located above the cat to grab the linkage for better leverage in the prying. So…. I decided to remove the two front bolts (See photo 4.) so that my arm would fit in easier!


Step seven: Compare the two. You’ll notice that the stock bushing is spongy….as the KB isn’t. (See photo 5.)

Step eight: Now….slide back under the car….place one of the bushings on one side of the housing….one on the other and slide the bushing back over the bolt.

Step nine: Prolly not necessary at this point, but go ahead and slap the washer back on, followed by the nut and tighten to the force you used to remove. (See photo 6.)

**Yes...there will be a slight gap. This is normal.**


Voila….j00 done maing! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I’m not a mechanic. Simply a do-it-yerselfer who enjoys working on his car. I wrote this little deal in hopes that it may help those who become intimidated by the task…..as I was! As always.... you perform these actions at your own risk, assuming full responsibility. By reading this, you acknowledge that I am NOT responsible for YOUR actions beyond such.

Many thanx go out to those who contributed information, either on the board, PM, or otherwise.

Thanx go out to Tom @ Kartboy.com. His customer service is more than impeccable and will without a doubt bring me back for future business.

Awesome write-up. I actually read each step. I'm definitely referring to this in who knows when, when I get my Legacy and short-shifter.

The rear bushing to follow hopefully. As soon as I can find time to do some more wrench work.

Nice right up, I didn't feel like being under my car so I had Kingpin put the busing on for me. It made a huge difference having the KB bushings.

Great write-up, MUD !

An advance "thank you," as I will be putting in my KB front bushings in the next few weeks, pending arrival of my Crucial DP (since I wanted to do the UP and DP at the same time), and this makes the whole process even easier, to have an LGT-specific write-up.

From the various other write-ups posted on-line in other communities, it seems that the magic number for torque for thenut securing the bushing is 18 ft.-lbs. via the WRX folks. I'll see if I can find the specs for our LGTs. Most of hte write-ups also recommend a dab of "medium-strength" (i.e. hand-tool "breakable") threadlocker solution to ward against vibration-induced back-outs.

Thanks again for the great write-up!

Hey TSi+WRX. Hold off for just a little bit.

I've read that it's much much easier to slap the rear bushing in when you do the front in conjunction. I didn't read this till AFTER I had ordered the front.

The rear bushing write-up won't be far off if you can wait a little while.

Excellent Writeup - great pictures to boot.

Now you've convinced me.. I think I've got the confidence to put one in myself.

MUD,

You've got me convinced, too ( albeit in a different manner than Claw above ) - thanks, bro, for that grea little tip.

I can definitely hold-off, as I'm part of the second 6 on the Crucial DP GB, so I'm awaiting the DP, anyway. And even when it gets here (*NOT* a complaint!), I think it'll push it too close to our road-trip schedule to get an install going (in case something goes awry), so I'm currently lining up these mods (UP/DP/bushings) until just after Labor Day weekend.

Thanks agian for the tip, and hey, looking forward to your write-up!

WOW!!!!!!!! I am really impressed with the write-up.... Congragulations and thanks for being so kind and providing all of us these instructions, step-by-step literally...

Cheers,

Flavio Zanetti
Boston, MA

great write-up. One question I have is that in your pic of the bushings it looks like there are three different pieces there. How do they all go in? On the car I can see the "black lines" above and below the "goldish" metal thing under the bolt. This would make me think that only two of the three pieces were used.

I hope my question isnt too vague..

Thanks..

MUD,

Hey bruddah, hurry up with that rear install walk-through (, just kidding on the "hurry" part - well, maybe not ) !

Just ordered rears to go with my front. I should be doing an install day on my Crucial UP/DP combo and the Kartboy front and rear bushings in about another two and a half to three weeks or so.

You don't want me to beat you there, do ya?!

What the.. how'd I miss this?!??! Awesome writeup!!

Just got done installing my KB based on the write-up. Very easy. I ended up grinding down the metal surround plate with a dremel tool.

Everything feels so much better now. I'll probably install the front bushings this weekend. Thanks for the write-up. I never would have bought it and jumped right in.

Btw, it only took me an hour or so to install. I fought with the snap ring for a bit..