I recently purchased MMR's S5 Lower Shifter Bushing:

http://www.mmr-direct.com/catalog1/RX7FC/index.htm


I thought it would be extremely straight forward to install it but the shifter return spring doesn't clear the bushing when installed. This does not seem like it would be correct. Before I seal it back up I figured I would check to see if anyone else had this same experience and find out how they resolved.

To install I used a long small flat head screw driver to pull the shifter return spring to the driver's side to make enough room for the bushing to drop right in. Once dropped in I pushed down a number of times to make sure it could not go down farther and also felt around the bottom of the bushing from the inside to see if there were obstructions preventing it from going down farther. Everything felt correct.

Anyone else had any issues during install? My stock one disintegrated and came out in bits and pieces using needle nose pliers.


Thanks,

jason

 

The bushing shouldn't stick out. It should go all the way inside the bore and sit FLUSH with the top of the "block".

See first page of thread, towards the bottom: https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/s5-convertible-tii-extras-swap-project-pictures-877625/

I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't manufacture your bushing right, I am just going to keep my mouth shut and not say anything.... If it is slightly longer, if you can take it out, sand down the BOTTOM of the bushing. If you can't get it out and worst case scenario it's as far in as it can go, sand the top down or something similar.

 

I'll triple check tonight to make sure nothing is obstructing it from going farther in. If not, sanding it down seems like a reasonable approach. I'll post before and after measurements for posterity in case anyone else runs into the same problem and finds this thread.

Thanks.

 

Bummer, I've got one of these on the way. I hope you just have something in that socket. I'll post the measurements of mine when I get it so we can compare.

 

Did you ever get this sorted out? Were you able to measure the bushing?

 

MMR Lower Shift Bushing dimensions:

Height 19.07 mm
Outer Diameter 22.00 mm
Inner Diameter 18.00 mm
Thickness 2.00 mm

The OD and ID, and resulting thickness of course, all seem fine. It is the height that is causing issue. I fished around in the shift control ~block~ (http://www.mazdatrix.com/pictures/g-...92BotBushB.jpg) with a pick and could not feel anything obstructing the bushing from going to the bottom. Once the bushing is in, the same pick confirmed it was seated to the bottom. In other words, there were no gaps under bushing when installed.

Attached are some pictures that show:

- Two shots of the bushing obstructing the spring.
- One shot of the springs normal resting location with the bushing out.

One observation that I don't believe has any impact on the situation is the inside of the hole where the bushing goes has one step that increases the diameter of the hole about half way down. The MMR bushing is sized for the top diameter and therefore there is a small gap between the bottom half of the bushing and the metal wall of the shift control block.

I'm very interested in other people's experiences before I just jump to sanding down the bushing to be flush with the top of the shift control block.


Thanks.

 

Have you tried to contact them about this issue? They don't seem to have a phone number on their website but the one that I have from my recent order (although they have yet to return my call requesting a tracking number) is 931-249-0238.

When I get mine, I'll measure it out before I install it.

 

I have to admit that I did not. Honestly, I posted here because I did not get any response from them the multiple times I tried to reach them to confirm my order getting fulfilled. I just sent them an email on it and will see if they respond.

I have a couple of weeks before my next track event so I am going to hold off just sanding it down for the time being.

Fulfillment of my order took about 2 weeks so I can't complain yet about much beyond the lack of communication.

 

I ordered mine in july with transmission mounts.... havent heard a thing from them. I filed a paypal claim on them.

 

Just got mine, even though they've ignored all my communications. Whew! Mine measures the same as yours though. I'm going to measure, or try to, the shifter knuckle before I drop it in.

 

I measured the knuckle and it's a couple/few mm shorter than the bushing, meaning that mine will stick out too. Suck. I'd try to talk with them about it, but they don't communicate much. I'll just cut mine down before install.

 

Thanks for sharing your information. I will go ahead and shave it down this weekend so I can install. I am sure I won't have any issues after doing that, nonetheless I will put a final post on this thread with my final install.

 

Well i had to "threaten" them with a paypal claim to just get a tracking number (that doesnt work). But now i broke a whole corner off the bushing/housing and now i need a oem replacment (dont ask.....). I used some copper rings from a pluming section to band-aid fix it.
I will never order from these clowns again i will tell you that much.

PS: i didnt receive my parts yet since july and it was the factory part that broke.

 

Should of just ordered the whole O.E.M "block" that already has the bushing from mazdatrix. Only downside is it requires dropping the trans.

 

i know this.....

 

I finished the install last night. Shifter is tight again, just as I imagine it would have felt when new.

I initially thought I would have to shave the MMR bushing down to 18 mm but that was still too tall and allowed the return spring to hang up. I went down to 17.5 mm and everything works fine but the bushing still sticks out of the block a little. I'd recommend anyone else going through this to shave down to 17.0 mm. There should not be any questionable fitting at that height.

All-in-all, I am happy with the MMR bushing and would buy it again rather than replacing that shifter block which would be more time and money. Hopefully this thread will eliminate some guess work out for anyone else that pursues the MMR route.

 

Resurrecting this thread-

I broke my OEM bushing today, & decided to research, & found the MMR bushing. I made my own as I work with delrin & a metal lathe for a living.

The measurements in the thread I found to be VERY close, but a hair off. I used:

OD: .857" / 21.77 mm
ID: .712" / 18.08 mm
Height: .669"/17mm (this stayed the same)

Hope this helps- If anyone'd be interested in buying this I'd consider machining a few & selling in my vendor thread.

Good luck!

 

^This is why I constantly nudge newbies to use the search engine.

Far better to search and pull up a 1+ year old previous thread and insert complimentary or follow up information/questions. This rather than sift through a hodge podge of redundant postings for what you're looking for.

Good Job Landon303. Keep up the good work.

 

resurrecting this because i'm about to machine one. are the bushings tapered at all, or are they just straight cut?

thanks

 

Straight cut, and bevel the edges so that the insertion is easier.

 

I read a thread elsewhere on this forum that I need to find again and comment. Someone was looking for this bushing and someone else very confidently explained that this bushing does NOT exist and the slop was from wear and the bits of broken bushing was from the bushings above... so I stopped my search.

After removing all the oil from the case I discovered this bushing DOES exist, at least in my 1990 GXL, and I have a large enough broken piece to prove it. ID matches the lower ball on the shifter and the OD matches the hole in the block. Is there really no good OE replacement for this without buying a whole new block?

I'm going to try this... https://www.bronzebushings.com/sae-8...shings?cat=846 If I have to shave the OD a little and trim the length to get it to fit I will. Hoping it will be more durable than plastic.