Cabarnak

Here is the thread that gives some background on the situation and how it was resolved.

I noticed that my bushings were dried out when the ball joint at the bottom of the shifter basically disconnected from the shift rod.

This is what my bushings looked like

For the job, you will need these tools:

- 10mm socket
- flat screwdriver
- white grease
- C clamp
- you might want to add a 19mm open wrench to pry the ball joints...but mine were in such bad shape that I just pulled it)


1. Remove the center tunnel cover.

Remove the small cover near the front passenger side that overlaps the center cover.

I also removed the front cover to get everything out of the way.

This document from FD Motorsports helped a lot.

2. Pull the rubber boot loose from the bottom of the shift box to expose the shift lever and fork.

3. If your ball/cup joints are still joined together, use a “pickle fork” or 19mm open end wrench to separate the ball/cup joint. Slip the wrench in between the cup at the end of the forward, fixed rod and the shift lever (see below). Keep continuous pressure on while prying downward and it will slowly pop off.

4. Slip the rod out of the rubber boot and take it to a work bench.

5. Clean up the dried up bushing material and make sure to reach in the small space that is on top of the cup...I used a small screwdriver and some fine grit sandpaper to prep the cups for the new bushings

6. insert new bushings (part number is 928.116.145.03). I used a flat screwdriver to pry the sides of the bushing into the channel that is on top of the cup.

7. white grease on all ball / cup surface

8. As suggested by x50type, I used a jack and large socket to press the front cup in place. Easy.

9. To press in the other bushing, I used a c-clamp. Just try to keep a steady pressure and it will slip in...I don't believe one could just muscle it. The C-clamp worked perfectly.

10. Re-install rubber boot, re-install covers in reverse order, wash the car and go for a ride!