GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Well i been doing a lot of mods lately and i read about the brass shifter bushings for my 6-speed. Installation was easy, the shifter linkage is right underneath the cruise control. I don't know how, but similarly to the motor mounts i just did, this cheap mod really helps alot. It takes out any guesswork in the 6 speed on my vibe gt which was sloppy at times and I didnt know what gear i'm going into etc.Basically it gives it a much more positive feel, and you definitely know what gear youre going into. It's a much more mechanical feeling. I definitely reccomend it if you like shifting alot or race some pics of another guys bushings are at http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4287660609

why would i want to see another guys bushings??? actually, i have no idea what those are.

Hey dmitri, I haven't heard of those before either. But they sound good. I was wondering if you knew of any bushings available for the 5speed?

I've been thinking of trying these out, but I wanted to get the short shifter first.Here is a link with some great info on these. Further along in the thread, installation on a Matrix is discussed.http://newcelica.org/forums/sh...18326

Where'd you get 'em, and how much?

Just ordered a set from http://speed-source.net/ Was $27.89 w/tax and shipping

so it helps get rid of some of the clunky feel??? smoother shifting or what?

Here's the description from the site I ordered them from:This shifter bushing kit will help to tighten the feel of your shifter by eliminating the stock rubber bushing in the shift cable. After a few years, the stock rubber and metal sleeved bushing will wear and deteriorate, making the shifter feel less precise and slowing down your shifting times! These CNC machined solid brass bushings give you back your shifter feel, and really connect you to the transmission. Installation is simple, and takes about 30 minutes

very cool! i may have to think about that... relatively inexpensive and if it helps w/ the shifting then that's not bad at all.

I like that alot, i think i'm going have to get a set.

Well, I installed mine last night when I got home from work (only took two days to receive the parts. Probably because I'm only 3 hours or so away from speed source). Definitely took a lot of the "rubbery" feel out of the shifter. Well worth the money, in my opinion.

How difficult were they to install? I looked for the bushings the last time I was under the hood the other day and they looked like they were hard to get to. It looked to me like you would have to take the driver's side tire off. BTW....how long did they take to install?Jim

They can be a bit of a pain to get to. Wasn't that difficult for me, because I'm 6'3" and around 155 pounds (read: Long, lanky arms lol) so I was able to reach them from both above and from below without much of a problem. The biggest pain was getting the C-clips on the new bushings. Not much room to get a pair of pliers in there. Took me about an hour or so to replace both of them. Mind you, one of the old bushings was stuck on the pin, so I had to wait a bit for the lubricant I sprayed on it to loosen it up enough to pull off.Didn't have to take the tire off. I did turn the tires all the way to the right to give myself a little more room though.

it took me 15 mins. u forgot to take the cruise control off the cruise control is bolted on with 2 bolts, to get to the bushings just unbolt it and move it and you'll have all the room you need.

*shrug* guess I like doing things the hard way

Just installed mine yesterday, very easy and quik to install, and didn't even have to remove the cruise control. I guess being and electriction on 1F-16's finally help me in a real lfe situation. . . . LOL

I'm definitely interested in this. Nice find!Do these come with instructions? Do you need anything besides basic hand tools?

just a needle nose to pull the pins thats all it took once i moved the intake

I installed a set about 2 months ago and it is the best thing I have put on my Vibe GT so far. It really takes that rubbery feel out of the shifter. These are a must for any GT or XRS owner. It makes it alot easier to shift from 1st to 2nd without the quessing. This is what GM and Toyota should of gone with to start with, but I quess rubber is a hell of alot cheaper than brass. Not a expensive mod to put on and worth every penny!!!!!!

Well, I was sceptical but figured what the hell it's only 20 bucks. All I can say is "WOW". The shifts are much more precise. I had problems downshifting from fifth to fourth but not anymore. Shnick, shnick. Also reverse is much easier to engage than before. Definitely a recommended, cheap modification. It took about 40 minutes and I only drew blood once when I bent my left thumbnail backwards trying to put on a circlip. The OEM rubber bushing which faces up showed considerable wear already with only 12,500 miles.

I just changed the shifter cable bushings on my Vibe GT yesterday, and as everyone before me has stated, you definitely feel a difference at the shifter. I tackled this mod from both the top and bottom of the car. I moved the cruise control box out of the way and replaced the bushings from the engine bay. This took about 30 minutes. Then, as suggested on the Speed Source directions, I got under the car and removed, checked, lubed and replaced the actuator arm for the upper (horizontal) cable. This also took about 30 minutes. This step helped even more in my opinion. I ran through the gears after changing the bushings but before servicing the actuator arm, and the shifter's left to right motion was not as smooth as after I serviced the arm. As everyone before me has stated, changing these bushings is well worth the money.BTW - You can get these bushings (and the shifter base bushings) on ebay now for 1/2 the price as Speed Source for those of you who still haven't done this yet. Just search under "toyota bushings".

Quote, originally posted by drunkenmaxx »why would i want to see another guys bushings??? actually, i have no idea what those are.Haha. Sorry to interrupt the thread, but that was pretty funny.

I have the bushing and short shifter installed. There is way more tightness in the gearbox now. The bushings were great first but the quickshifter just added to the better feel of shifting.

I'm glad to hear that. I've already bought the TWM short shifter. Just havn't put it in yet. Other than a few cosmetic mods, these are the first things I've done to improve the "performance" of the Vibe. Because I drive the car everyday, that loose shifter had to be taken car of, especially since my last car was a 240sx se 5 speed. It's shifter was smooth and tight. Hopefully these improvements will get the Vibe near that, which should make everyday driving more tolerable and fun!

I find more effort to shift but short throws. I have the TRD quickshifter and had to cut up my dash to make it work, but in my opinion its well worth it.

I know it's more effort with STS, so I got a weighted TWM shift knob also. Hopefully that will help out some. Even still, I'd rather have to exert a little extra effort on a smooth, tight shifter than continue to be annoyed by the sloppy (although effortless) stock one.

good find, when i get money i think i'd wanna do some stuff like this, the brass shifter cable bushings aswell as the brass base bushings and also polyurethane engine and tranny mounts

You should do the the cable bushings. It's really easy and gives much bang for the buck. Motor/tranny mounts are in my future at some point too. Definitely motor mounts forst, as they are only $30 or so. Everyone seems to say the same thing about them also being a great bang for the buck!

PS - I've got an extra set of the shifter base bushings if you (or anyone is interested). Just let me know.

BTW, did you get another shift boot for your STS? If so, was it from Redline? If so how much shorter did you order it to compensate for the STS length?

Do u still have the extra set? Would be interested if you wanna sell them.Thanks !

Sorry. They've been sold. I should have posted that info.

no prob

Which version of these did you order?[QUOTE=AKLGT]

Is their more than one version of them now.