Articulating Shifter cable bushings

[Dev]

  The reason why I am making this post is many of you might not be aware of this kind of shifter bushing because people might confuse them with the roller bearing type that was popular ten years ago. The problem with the roller bearing is eventually the bearings seize up due to corrosion. 

 The OEM rubber bushings that came with the car are compliant which leads to a mushy elastic disconnected feel compared to the direct shifting feel of a MX-5 where the transmission is under the shifter. About 15 years ago a company made solid brass bushings that made shifting feel more positive but if you have a short shifter it can get harder to get into gear or you need more effort. It was still worth the trade off but it was quirky.

Sometime after that people were using roller bearings which was sourced from various manufactures that made the shifting better because they were able to rotate for better alignment but in time the bearings would corrode and lock up. These were arguably a little better.

 About a month ago I installed this newer type of articulating bushing on a local members car which I initially confused with the roller bearing type and it improved the issue with his shifter going into reverse. The other one did not fit so I reinstalled the previous bushing for the time being until I can make another attempt.

About a month back I was curious so I installed that shifter bushing on my car and it made a tremendous difference. So much so I was able to go into 2nd gear and catch lift. Prior to this if I tried to shift too fast into second the gear would grind. I thought maybe I was too fast for the synchronizer but now I think the solid brass bushings was putting stress on the arm of the shifter not being in alignment and misaligning the fork if the car is shifting too quickly. 
 I ordered another kit and installed the other shifter bushing thinking there might be more of a benefit and there is. I have cheap eBay shifter which is notorious for being notchy but no longer. It feel exactly like a MX-5 shifter where it goes into each gear smoothly but it has a solid feel behind it where you can feel the gates.

  I bought these but I found them on other places on the internet if you search. Maybe you will be able to source them locally and cut down on shipping costs but this kit is complete with the right washers and other hardware. This is the same person that has done the leg work to get AR and GR swaps kits to market which is why I do not mind supporting his efforts especially since he knows what accompanying hardware is needed.  Normally I would not post for something that makes a marginal difference but I felt it made a tremendous improvement in the way the car drives.

https://frankensteinmotorworks.squarespace.com/shop/spherical-bearing-shift-cable-end-jd7j6

 
 

[Call the midlife!]

I fitted some similar items this afternoon, not as "fancy" as those but same principle, had to shave some meat off the inside of the cable end housings though.

[Dev]

I fitted some similar items this afternoon, not as "fancy" as those but same principle, had to shave some meat off the inside of the cable end housings though.

Thats what I need to do for the local owners car. It needs some sanding so the bushing passes. It was getting stuck at an angle and since he has his OEM air box it was not enough room to work.

[Call the midlife!]

They're not the easiest thing to sand at all, I ended up using the Dremmel.

[Dev]

If it's that bad I might have to do the same but I will have to remove the air box for sure.
 The ones on my car were a tight fit but they went it without issue.

[Call the midlife!]

It was just the path of least resistance for me after getting one jammed in cock-eyed initially.

[Dev]

It was just the path of least resistance for me after getting one jammed in cock-eyed initially.

Thats exactly what happened to me and it was an absolute pain to get out so I gave up because I feared if I tried again with more force I could not get it out again without removing the air box and spending even more time trying to tap it out damaging it in the process.

[Call the midlife!]

I ended up having to put a long bar down to the ground and sitting the bearing on it while tapping the cable end with a long screwdriver and dead blow until the bearing popped out.
Luckily no damage.

[Dev]

Good thing I quit while I had the chance. If it was my own car I wouldn't mind being stuck in a bad situation but for others I back off and not as aggressive as I would be for my car. One time I was helping someone with their car and ran into a bad situation with stripped threads. I had to use my tap set and it was a delicate situation that worked out so the local member could drive home.  Since that time I don't mind lending a helping hand but I only go so far.
 

[Dev]

 I forgot to ask. how is your shifting feel after these bushings.

[Call the midlife!]

I forgot to ask. how is your shifting feel after these bushings.

Haven't been out in it properly yet to say. But any comparison I could make wouldn't really be valid as I've got a short shifter and solid gear cage mounts.

[Joesson]

@Dev ref#8 :

If I learnt one thing at the UL it is that if something can possibly go wrong it probably will.

[Dev]

@Dev ref#8 :

If I learnt one thing at the UL it is that if something can possibly go wrong it probably will.

 I will add if you don't use OEM Toyota parts. The probability is higher chance and there is always some cutting or grinding involved. 


 

 
 

[Mollydog]

I had this issue on my Lotus Elise, the engine being a Rover K series engine with Rover notorious for cost cutting had fitted rubber grommets

I bought my Elise when it was just over 9 years old in 2010, never having driven one before, I got used to the very bad difference between the MR2 and Elise gear shift

As I do a good part of services on our cars myself, when I got round to do my first service on the Elise I was shocked to discover it had rubber grommets on the gear linkages and were well past their sell by date

This was the amount of play in one of the cables

https://youtu.be/8MAm7d1Yipo

No wonder the gear stick felt like I was stirring porridge, so my first mod on the gear cables was to replace the rubber Gromit for a ball bearing ones







Fitting two to each cable end



Going through the gears

https://youtu.be/Ph01ILshIis

Very therapeutic if you watch this (a bit long but just watch a few moments)

https://youtu.be/FN_fIxRwDVo

Then after a year or so I was introduced to these bearings, I've not got round to fitting these yet








Fitting like this on each cable end, with nylon (in blue) spacers on each side on the new insert

[Dev]

It would be interesting to see how much different the articulating bearings are compared to the roller bearing type for your Lotus.

[JB21]

Just priced these from the states 

[Mollydog]

Just priced these from the states 

If you're referring to the Spherical Bearings, depending on size they aren't too much

https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/Bearings-Spherical-Plain-Bearings/c3_4545/index.html?page=1&selection=Spherical+Plain+Bearings

As I've not got round to fitting these on yet, I'm contemplating on getting stainless steel ones, now they do cost a bit more

[Dev]

I had a chance to drive my car with both bushings. I thought there would be further gains with the second one  but it was only about 10% more gain over the first one.
I think the shifter cable that is closer to you from behind the car is the one that has the most benefit.
Even so it does not hurt having the second one as well.

The gates still have a mechanical feel to them but it slips in better.
 

[Nvy]

If you're referring to the Spherical Bearings, depending on size they aren't too much

https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/Bearings-Spherical-Plain-Bearings/c3_4545/index.html?page=1&selection=Spherical+Plain+Bearings

As I've not got round to fitting these on yet, I'm contemplating on getting stainless steel ones, now they do cost a bit more

Any idea which ones to get? What is the size?

[J88TEO]

8

[Mollydog]

Any idea which ones to get? What is the size?

I don't know the size for the MR2, the ferrous metal ones I have should be OK if I keep an eye on them and keep them greased up to prevent rust

[steveash]

I wonder if these would fit?

https://www.eliseparts.com/shop/gearbox-drivetrain/eliseparts-gear-linkage-kit/

Presumably made for a Toyota connection.

[Joesson]

@steveash
If all else is OK then only spherical bearings are needed and they would be at far less cost than the £50 or so being asked for the kit.
Iirc @Ardent may have ordered some spherical bearings and may / or may not thus know the size required!

[Ardent]

Ebay GEBK8S

Also search in here for GEBK8S, as these were posted by A N Other some time ago.
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