ako
09-10-2005, 05:55 AM
Ok - try this.
Go out to your car, with the engine off put it in gear, now push / wiggle the gearstick around.
Fair bit of play there isn't there?
So, heres how to get rid of a whole sh!tload of it. Pull out your centre console (its just little phillips head screws round the bottom normally). The shifter itself sits on a cradle, which has 4 bolts around the outside of it. Unbolt all 4, the whole lot will be free now. Then press out the rubber mounts.
Now get yourself some great huge off washers large enough to cover the whole hole left. I found a 50c piece is exactly the right size, if that helps.
Use the original bolts with these washers, blot the cradle back down - and you'll be amazed at the improvement it has on the accuracy of your shifting. Its a massive improvement, trust me. You get a bit more vibration (hardly any to be honest) through the gearstick, but other than that there's no other side effects apart from NOT MISSING 3RD GEAR ANYMORE!! (which is the reason my damn car only ran a 13 flat :( ) Once in gear, thats it, theres almost no play in the shifter - it gets even better if you change the material used in the bushes at the other end of the selectors.
And to anyone who bring up "This is why an auto is better" - sorry, but it just doesn't sound any good :p
Go out to your car, with the engine off put it in gear, now push / wiggle the gearstick around.
Fair bit of play there isn't there?
So, heres how to get rid of a whole sh!tload of it. Pull out your centre console (its just little phillips head screws round the bottom normally). The shifter itself sits on a cradle, which has 4 bolts around the outside of it. Unbolt all 4, the whole lot will be free now. Then press out the rubber mounts.
Now get yourself some great huge off washers large enough to cover the whole hole left. I found a 50c piece is exactly the right size, if that helps.
Use the original bolts with these washers, blot the cradle back down - and you'll be amazed at the improvement it has on the accuracy of your shifting. Its a massive improvement, trust me. You get a bit more vibration (hardly any to be honest) through the gearstick, but other than that there's no other side effects apart from NOT MISSING 3RD GEAR ANYMORE!! (which is the reason my damn car only ran a 13 flat :( ) Once in gear, thats it, theres almost no play in the shifter - it gets even better if you change the material used in the bushes at the other end of the selectors.
And to anyone who bring up "This is why an auto is better" - sorry, but it just doesn't sound any good :p