1993-1997 Mazda MX6/626 Manual Gearbox linkage Bushing Replacement HowTo

[Slonman]

This is the other bushing that you need to replace if your shifter is still loose even after changing the shifter bushings. These bushings won't alleviate a lot of wobble, they will make shifting smoother though. To get rid of the amount of wobble that you have (and I
used to have) I installed an Integra STS and put washer where it connects
to the shifter linkage on either side. Or if you want to stay stock there
are bushings you can buy to attach at the linkage. There is a write-up
about these and I think the guy said they only cost about $20. Even these
repairs won't get rid of it all, to do that you would probably have to
tighten something where the actual shifting takes place.

This installation and write up was preformed by Renboy and is continuation to Jasonius Gear shift replacement.

After doing a thorough search the only advice I found was that ‘it’s only one bolt to replace the bushings.’ Unsatisfied I decided to do a complete write-up.

Required Tools

17mm socket
1/2" ratchet with cheater bar
2-14mm wrenches (to pop the new bushings into place)
Pliers
3" long bolt with big washer to get the old
bushing out
2" long bolt with matching nut to push new bushings into place
9mm socket to push grommet out of old bushing

Required Materials

rr-racing.com bushings cost $25, shipping was included

Time

It took me about 2 1/2 hrs, but I didn't have a write-up and had to find
out the hard way how to get things done easily....with the write-up it
shouldn't take more than an hour.


Procedure

1)Jack the car up, I would recommend ramps, but if those are an unavailable option a normal jack will be sufficient.

2)Before you do anything else, remove the cross-member, I tried to skip this but after some cuts and scratches (one good one) I ended up having to take it off. There are six 17 mm bolts in total holding it on—3 on the left, and 3 on the right. Put something underneath it to prevent it from falling to the floor (won’t damage it, just loud) If after you’ve removed the bolts the cross-member doesn’t simply fall off, then just pry it off with a screwdriver.

3)The picture below was taken looking at the stabilizer bushing from the front of the car. As you can see the stabilizer bar connects to the transmission almost in the center of the car.


4)Remove the 14mm bolt that connects the bar to the transmission. Now the bar should just drop down giving you access to the old bushing.

5)Because I didn’t remove the cross-member this next part was a pain in the hole. If however you did remove it which I very strongly recommend it shouldn’t be as bad, by no means easy, but not as bad. The bushing in the stabilizer bar is one piece and has a brass grommet running through it. You can either remove the grommet now or after you take out the bushing. I did mine first but I don’t think it matters. To remove the bushing take a fairly long bolt and put a wide washer on it. Now feed the bolt through the grommet (if still there) or hole where the grommet was. Take a pair of vise grips and tightly clamp around the thread of the bolt, twist and pull until the bushing pops out. This picture should give you an idea of what I mean. You can’t really tell in this picture but the screw is bent to hell. The bushing fits quite snugly in the stabilizer bar.


6)Remove the grommet, if you haven’t already done so, and put it into one of the new bushings. To remove the grommet I put a small socket, 9mm I think, against it and pushed on the socket which pushed on the grommet.

7)Take another bolt, put one of the washers that was around the original bushing on it, and slide the new bushing (the one with the grommet) on. Line it up as best you can with the space in the stabilizer bar, and put the other bushing on the other end with the other washer and fasten a nut to the bolt. Tighten until both bushings slide into place. If one or both of the bushings go in on an angle loosen the nut a little and try to straighten it/them with a pair of vise grips or pliers by squeezing the bushings together at the edges. It’s hard to see but there is a nut and bolt in between the two wrenches in the picture below.


8)Once the bushings are in place bolt the stabilizer bar back to the transmission.

9)Put the cross-member back on the car, it’s easiest if you have something holding it up for you; I put a brick underneath mine so that I could put the bolts back. If you didn’t notice when you took the cross-member off, there is a nipple on both sides to help line it up so the bolts go in properly. Tighten the six bolts to 69-96 ft-lbs. If you don’t have a torque wrench just tighten as much as you can.

Finial Result

It is a bit more crisp and smooth, my old bushing was still in really
good condition though-really the only reason I changed it was because I was
ordering new engine mounts and for $25 I figured I would order these also.
There is still some wobble, I'd say I have about 3/4" of play left.