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Est Short Shifter Repair


gdizzle

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Ok, so the EST short shifters shaft if adjustable and is tightened by a set screw on the ball. For those that have installed this shifter, you know that you have to pull the ball seat to access this set screw. If you have installed this shifter, then you also know that it is almost impossible to get the ball seat with out breaking it. If you break it, you're gonna have a hell of a time driving your car with out buying a new ball seat and a ball seat is around 50 bucks from your local dealer (not usually a stocked item either...). So, when I installed my shifter, I set the height I wanted and put some blue locktite on the threads of the set screw before tightening it down. A year and half later on my home from work last week, I almost yanked the shifter out of the floor while pulling out into traffic.. :angry: The friggin set screw came loose. :angry: So, I tack welded it in place to get me home and that didn't hold for very long since I couldn't get a good weld due to the ball being covered in grease. So, first take the knob, shift boot, and rubber boot off. Then use a center punch to mark where to drill, then set the shaft to your desired height. I then, drilled a .128" hole in the ball about 1/8" back from the shaft at a 45* angle and at a depth of a .5". Vaccum the mess up and then knock in a 1/8" x 1/2" tension pin to hold the shifter in place. After the pin is installed, wipe the ball down as best as you can and re-lube. It took me about 30 minutes to take everything apart, install the pin and reassymble everything. It cost me about $.17 for the repair and it shouldn't ever come loose on me again, if it does, I'm ripping it out and throwing it in the chesepeak bay.

Tools and crap needed:

  1. Centerpunch
  2. hammer
  3. small drift punch
  4. .128"(#30 in the index) drill bit
  5. drill
  6. what ever you need to take your shift knob off, in my case it was a 3mm allen wrench IIRC.
  7. Vaccum
  8. 1/8"x1/2" tension pin

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I had to do this the first time I installed my EST shifter. That thing is a piece of crap. I ended up trying to drill in the same spot you had to Greg and broke the freakin drill bit right off :o Just my luck it made a hell of a good set screw :lol: , cause there was no way in hell I was going to try and get that out, hasn't moved since!

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that blows but i think Red Locktight might have been the solution from the get go

red locktite should never be the solution from the get go. I shouldn't have to use redlock tite on a friggin set screw.

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so as per performance gains... nothing really?

NO, there is 0 difference between the addition of the EST shifter and when I cut the stock shifter.

honestly, after doing a few of these installs, you end up getting pretty good at it. My write up from a year ago really helps.

My main goal was getting rid of the stock knob, and I've had no troubles with the ball coming loose from the shaft. lol..

Yet.

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