Got my b&m short shift in the mail today.. ordered it yesterday and got it today.. very pleased with Gotham racing.. so anyways i was using these directions:

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...am+short+shift

and i came across a problem.. i don't have a tool set at my new apt so i was using a basic wrench.. (i am not car or tool savvy FYI) so i went to remove the 13 mm nuts holding the stock shifter housing down.. and they are stuck like no other... also 2 of the nuts are going to be impossible to get too.





As you can see in the first picture its underneath the metal frame.. what tools do you suggest i buy to get to that bolt and one strong enough to get those nuts outs.. thx for any help. - Eric

 

Yes, the upper right bolt is the hardest to get to.

Most people hack away at the metal part of the body just enough to get the extension on. Thats what i did, 5 minutes using the dremel and my problem went away.

Good luck.

 

Try going to sears and get a u-joint extension for a 3/8" socket wrench. Not sure if there's enough room for that though.

 

Damn how am i going to hack away at it with basic tools! blah

 

Well if you dont know anyone with a dremel you can borrow from or if you dont wanna spend about 80 bucks for one at home depot (which you should have anyway since the dremel comes in handy for alot of other things), you can do it the ghetto way. Get some sort of mini saw (you can go to any plumbing store for one, just ask for a tiny tim saw or a small metal hacksaw) and cut a slit into the metal body. Then take a flathead screwdriver and just push back and forth making the slit into an opening.

It wont look professional but at least it wont cost you much and you get the job done. I used the dremel because it makes the alteration more professional looking and i had the tool already so it came in handy.

Good luck man.

 

get an angled ratcheting wrench. allows you to get lots of leverage, and you dont have to hack your car up.

 

Well i used a wrench and bent back the metal... looks like **** but no1 looks down there anyways... now im onto my second problem... i dont have any sealer and its the 4th of july.. i was supposed to drive my car out to the beach tonight.. do i NEED to put the sealer on.. and if i do where can i get it? Walmart? Is anything even open today?

 

Got it installed... walmart was open .. but the inside of my car is MUCH louder now that i have it on.. anyone else notice this?

 

You don't need to hack your car up in order to get to this fastener. To get to that upper right hand 8mm bolt you simple loosen the 4 nuts on the power plant frame at the transmission and let it relax an inch or so. This gives you plenty of clearance, then raise it back up and tighten the 19mm socket nuts back up when you are done.

I have said this for years- if you don't have the basic mechanical knowledge, nor the tools, then you need to stay away from automobiles - period. You'll end up destroying your car or getting hurt doing it.

later

 

Lol.. i bent about an inch of metal back to get to the screw.. no big deal.. besides who the hell looks under there?

 

Nah man, you did it the right way, dont worry. Many other vets on this forum did it the same way.

Who the hell wants to do it the other way said above?? ^^

Now your 10 minute job turns into a 30 minute job. Screw that.

BUt at least now you know you should go to home depot one of these days and get yourself a dremel, cause it comes in handy.

 

just go get the ratched that can bend

 

kudos to you mate for giving it a go yourself. i am not a mech head myself and tried to self install one of these, but ended up getting a pro to do it. i also found that it was quite loud, so the mech put a lot of dense foam packing under the leather boot. sounds fine now. btw did you notice a grinding noise (cog on heat shield) when turning hard left?

to those forum members who arrogantly give "advice" by telling us novices that we should stay well away from DIY..........get stuffed!

 

I think the purpose of taking the longer route and more tedious way of doing it is to avoid bending or sawing. Going that extra step and doing it perfect is what keeps rx-7 owners and ricer owners in 2 separate categories.

 

I did the install on my car when the engine was out and the gearbox was raised up. By manipulating the height of the gearbox it was fairly easy to do the install.

 

Did you really just say that? Rice has become an all time low when bending an inch of metal under the center console makes you a ricer.

Sooooo if this is my car:

And while adding all my mods i go "the extra" step and do it perfect.. im not a ricer BUT!

If this is my car (which it is):

And i bend that 1 inch of metal im a ricer! hahah gtfo..



Anyways.. it seems to be working fine, i didn't notice any loud noise while turning hard left.. its just really loud in general inside the car and its a little bit notchy.. thx for the people supporting the way i did it, i guess were ricers :-\ haha

 

btw i know i need to drop my car, thats next lol

 

I believe some extra noise transmission is common with a SS. If you look at the stock shifter "shaft" from underneath, it's isolated in rubber. The SS kits, even my Pettit, is not. I think that may have a lot to do with it and the amount probably varies depending on which SS kit design you get.
Changing out the shifter isn't that difficult, but it's made a lot harder without basic tools. Among those IMHO would be a 3/8" drive ratchet and a set of metric sockets, a 3" and maybe a 8" extension and a universal extension. Stuff you can buy at Walmart or Harbor Frieght all day for < $25.

 

Oohh ... gives me crazy ideas for my own car. Making an FD-cab would be awesome, with half-cage sort of like the MX-5. Sweet ...

 

Making a permanent HACK into your FD when there is an 8 dollar tool (30 for an entire set that will be VERY useful for a LONG time) is asinine. And to those that are getting defensive because you hacked your car out of laziness: It is Nothing more but pure unadulterated laziness and the unwillingness to take the extra 8-30 bucks to do it right and have the tools for next time. Heck, you even have the tools to help someone else do it right next time.

Jesus people. quit hacking **** for no reason.

Do it once, do it right.

 

just go get the right tool for the job...save yourself the time and the scraped knuckles.

 

I didn't say that efrank and you know it. So stop acting your age and man up to the fact that what I said was true. Bending pieces of your car doesn't make you a ricer. But taking the easy way out isn't what the rx-7 spirit is about. We actually take pride in our cars.

 

 

Either way judging someone because of something so small is immature. You don't know what kind of "rx7 spirit" I have or don't have... My car is my pride and joy and if i thought bending an inch of metal would depreciate the car I wouldn't have done it. I don't know where you guys get off at getting on someones case about something so small. Saying i don't have the rx7 spirit.. give me a break.. and don't tell me to stop acting my age.. I pay for everything myself, I live on my own and I don't have parents to support me when I don't have enough money for a tool. You being 18 how much of your car did you pay for? Be honest..

 

BTW... this thread is COMPLETELY off topic. :-D