AshesToArmor
New member
I went ahead and bought the DDMWorks Shifter Bushings a week ago or so and was finally able to put them in over the weekend. I just wanted to share my install experience and driving impressions after the first 100 miles.
INSTALL: Easy, with one exception (I'll get to it). Popping out the shift boot and trim panel was as easy as you can imagine, but then I noticed the foam piece that is supposed to surround the whole assembly was already missing a huge chunk (probably from one of the two transmission replacements the car has already had). This wasn't an issue and actually made the install easier since I didn't have to fidget with taking it out and could just work around the piece that was still in there.
The four bolts were easy to take out using a socket wrench, 6-inch extension and 10mm socket. Then came the exception - taking out the stock shifter bushings. From what I understood reading other people's experience doing this, it was supposed to be simple: just take needlenose pliers and pull them out. Well I pulled all right. I ended up tearing the rubber on all four bushings trying to pull them out, which obviously isn't a problem since I'm replacing them anyways. It just turned what I thought would be a 10-minute job into a 30-minute one. But once they were all out the rest of the install was a breeze.
IMPRESSIONS: If I'm being honest, I didn't notice much of a difference right away. Maybe because I hadn't been paying close enough attention to the crispness of my shifts with the stock bushings. But the more I drove the more I noticed how the shifts were cleaner and more defined through rapid acceleration. Is it something that's going to make a huge difference driving to work or home from the grocery store? Probably not. But if you're ripping through the gears you'll definitely see a change, however slight. Not to mention the quality of the bushings is great and they are incredibly affordable. I recommend them for anyone looking to improve the quality of their driving experience without breaking the bank.
INSTALL: Easy, with one exception (I'll get to it). Popping out the shift boot and trim panel was as easy as you can imagine, but then I noticed the foam piece that is supposed to surround the whole assembly was already missing a huge chunk (probably from one of the two transmission replacements the car has already had). This wasn't an issue and actually made the install easier since I didn't have to fidget with taking it out and could just work around the piece that was still in there.
The four bolts were easy to take out using a socket wrench, 6-inch extension and 10mm socket. Then came the exception - taking out the stock shifter bushings. From what I understood reading other people's experience doing this, it was supposed to be simple: just take needlenose pliers and pull them out. Well I pulled all right. I ended up tearing the rubber on all four bushings trying to pull them out, which obviously isn't a problem since I'm replacing them anyways. It just turned what I thought would be a 10-minute job into a 30-minute one. But once they were all out the rest of the install was a breeze.
IMPRESSIONS: If I'm being honest, I didn't notice much of a difference right away. Maybe because I hadn't been paying close enough attention to the crispness of my shifts with the stock bushings. But the more I drove the more I noticed how the shifts were cleaner and more defined through rapid acceleration. Is it something that's going to make a huge difference driving to work or home from the grocery store? Probably not. But if you're ripping through the gears you'll definitely see a change, however slight. Not to mention the quality of the bushings is great and they are incredibly affordable. I recommend them for anyone looking to improve the quality of their driving experience without breaking the bank.
