Loose gearstick

[Durty-Sanchez]

Hi all,

Interesting problem I've got here - hoping it's easily solved! My gearstick started making quite a decent rattling noise around a month or so ago, kind of like I had coins stuck down it chattering away together. Just in the last week the gearstick has become increasingly loose to the point now that when it's selected in 3rd the stick wobbles from side to side quite freely (in some cases just slumping to the bottom left corner). It's still able to select gears but with increasing difficulty, especially for the middle two (3rd and 4th). Any ideas? It sounds to me like something's just got ridiculously loose and needs tightening up.

Will be taking off the plastic covers and stuff tonight for a look, but any hints are most welcome!

Thanks,

DS

[funkytown]

there are some bushes in the gear linkage that go all nasty. left to long im fairly certain they arent good for the internals of your gb.

Was a long time ago when i had that replaced in my old legacy.. didnt get as bad as you describe.

[Durty-Sanchez]

I suspect not either.. it's booked in for a fixup on monday, but that's still 5 days, in which time it will most likely go tits up completely

[Guest keltik]

If the bolt that holds your shifter rod onto the linkage to the gearbox is loose, it will rattle like hell and get all sloppy on ya. Dead easy to fix tho. Just pop the center console and rubber boot off and youll immediately see what the problem is. 90% of the gear linkage can be seen through the hole and its only 6 screws to pop off so id have a go at it if youve got spare time.

[Guest]

Im having the same problem with my R but i have a GFB short shift kit.

I pulled off the shift boot and everything is nice and tight. I think the rubber bush is gone on the shaft which connects the shifter to the box.

[Scoobydoo]

Yeah I had the bushes replaced in the Legacy when the clutch got done, maclennans did them as they noticed they were worn. It tightened up the gearstick no end!

[Guest boostin]

Common fault, and a relatively easy fix. You just need to get the car up on stands to do it.

[Durty-Sanchez]

Couldn't be bothered DIYing it, turned out to be the bushes though. Holy crap what a difference it makes though, even from before it went ultra sloppy

[log1call]

Hell yeah. And there is no point having a nice motor if the gearchanges are ****. Really bad look doing the big fumble for the next gear between bursts!

Edit: Hey, who the **** keeps putting those ******* asterixes in my text?

[Guest boostin]

 log1call said:

Hell yeah. And there is no point having a nice motor if the gearchanges are ****. Really bad look doing the big fumble for the next gear between bursts!

Edit: Hey, who the **** keeps putting those ******* asterixes in my text?

That would be your friendly neighbourhood swear filter. Kills all the fun.

[Guest]

I'm having the exact same problem too, and was wondering what the bushing kit cost? Just to confirm we're talking linkages under the car attached to the gear box and not in the cabin?

Easy job? I was putting it down to my 'I'll get around to it' list until I saw this post. How so is it damaging to the gearbox? I swear when it's in gear, the stick feels like it's designed to stir the oil!

[dubbedup]

bushing help, but i think you may need to replace one of the linkages that have bushes that cant be replaced.

[Hailz]

I've not long had my BG Leggy booked in for the same prob, my mechanic told me its the wee universal that links the leaver to the gearbox, you may be able to just replace the bushes but I had him order a whole new universal as it looked pretty shagged, cost $100 for it direct from Subby in Chch but its still on the boat apparently and it'll be about an hour labor also, so for about $160 it should be all good for another 100 thou.

[Wiretap]

 gadget said:

I'm having the exact same problem too, and was wondering what the bushing kit cost? Just to confirm we're talking linkages under the car attached to the gear box and not in the cabin?

Easy job? I was putting it down to my 'I'll get around to it' list until I saw this post. How so is it damaging to the gearbox? I swear when it's in gear, the stick feels like it's designed to stir the oil!

I paid around $20 for a pack of four bushes for mine, took a fair bit of effort as the ones that had gone, were the ones that were welded in... it does no damage to your gearbox at all as the problem is completely unrelated to the gearbox itself (the shifter lever slops around, but nothing in the gearbox even moves)

[BC5RA]

 Wiretap said:

I paid around $20 for a pack of four bushes for mine, took a fair bit of effort as the ones that had gone, were the ones that were welded in... it does no damage to your gearbox at all as the problem is completely unrelated to the gearbox itself (the shifter lever slops around, but nothing in the gearbox even moves)

I think the potential for damage lies in missing a shift or damaging the synchromesh.

[Guest boostin]

Maybe, but it defaults to 3rd/4th, so not much can go wrong there. If you're shifting that hard to damage synchros, then worn linkage bushes won't make it any worse.