Short Shifter Warning!!!!

[stick]

This is a picture of the rubber isolator that goes between the Shift arm carrier and the shift spacer ( or what's left of it ).

I installed the kit last tuesday, and we left for a short trip on wednesday. During a routine check of the truck I noticed a small oil drip on the bottom of the transmission, and figured my RTV must not of held. So I was worried during the whole trip, and checked the fluid level three times.

When we got home this evening I pulled it apart and found the isolator was the cause of the leak.

The kit has no instructions for drilling out the isolator, but I saw no other way for the bushings to be installed. It appears to me what happened was when I drilled the isolator it left the rubber on the corners very thin and this is where it failed. I did torque the screws to 8ft. lbs.

I AIN'T HAPPY!!!!!!!



Stick

 

[smartineau]

stick,



this does not sound good. I plan on putting my short shifter in on Saturday. Did you call BD prior to drilling? If so they may help you out.



Try a search on short shifters, as I recall someone had a recent problem like yours and drilled out the spacer also.





The picture with the instruction manual shows that there are 4 bushings, along with the mounting screws, square riser piece, and the arm piece. When my kit arrived last week it did not have the bushings, so I called BD and they said that the bushings are no longer needed because they changed something in the design.



He assured me that I had all of the parts, so I guess I'll find out for sure in two days.

 

[stick]

smartineau:

Your kit doesn't use the bushings at all? You just have the aluminium block,four bolts, and the shift arm? Does the instructions still say to use the isolator?

I'm calling BD in the morning!



Stick

 

[smartineau]

stick,



yep, four bolts, a square spacer block with a hole and a shifter arm about 8 inches long. When I called BD they said that is all I needed. I specifically questioned them about the bushings in the picture and I was told I don't need them now due to a design change.



BTW the holes in my spacer plate are about 3/8 inch all the way through no shoulders for a bolt to seat up against.



steve

 

[Cooker]

bighammer had some issues with his leaking after the install as well. Maybe he will chime in.

 

[krabman]

You will reuse your stock bushings. The spacer goes first then the rest of it just as you took it off with the replacement shift arm in place of the old.

 

[Duck]

Originally posted by krabman

You will reuse your stock bushings. The spacer goes first then the rest of it just as you took it off with the replacement shift arm in place of the old.

This is how mine went in as well.



Sounds like they had some design issues in the very beginning. The least they can do is send you necessary parts to correct the original poor design. Let us know.

 

[krs]

Hmmm,



I'm not sure but this seems to be a result of a change to the OEM spacer isolator piece made sometime after

2001 ?



On my 2001. 5 (built 05/01) I used the bushings with no need to drill out anything. The bushings went right in, as did the rest of the kit, with no modifications required of me.

 

[rmcnamee]

I'm a little confused. I installed mine the other day and didn't drill anything, nor do I remember the instructions telling me to drill anything.



This how my install went:

1. Removed floor console & shifter

2. Removed rubber boot that is screwed into the floor

3. Removed the (4) 10mm bolts that mount the shift tower to the transmission (with the stock isolator between them) and removed the shift tower from the transmission

4. Removed the (4) Phillips head screws on the corners of the shift tower and pulled the stock shift rod out of the shift tower

5. Transfered the plastic shift rod bushings from the stock unit to the BD unit, applied grease to same and installed BD shift rod into the stock shift tower using the (4) stock Phillips head screws

6. Transfered the plastic piece from the pivot area on the stock shift rod to the new BD unit

7. Cleaned, prepped and applied new silicone to the top of the transmission, both sides of the riser block, rubber isolator and bottom edge of shift tower

8. Installed riser block, then the rubber isolator, then the shift tower and installed the (4) new T25 Torx head bolts that mount the assembly to the transmission

9. Replaced the shifter boots, shifter and console.



Again, I didn't have to drill anything out. The (4) replacement T25 Torx head bolts fit no problem. Good luck to you and I hope everything gets straightened out for you.



Ryan

 

[bighammer]

I have installed mine a few times and still had leaks. The first time was clearly my fault as much as I hate to admit it. I used Permatex and put a small bead on both sides of he aluminum spacer. I didn't realize that the mating surface of the shift tower was right at the outside edge, so there were a couple spots with no sealer.



Took it all apart to fix the drip a couple days later. This time got it in the right spots. I also took a couple burrs off the bottom of the shift tower casting. (Pretty rough looking) About a week later I had another drip starting. This time I went to the auto parts store and asked for something good to seal it with. A couple guys said they prefer a gasket sealer/weatherstrip adhesive stuff. Yes, I was sort of skeptical, but I never really had good luck with the RTV stuff. (My old 390 big block was ALWAYS weeping a bit) Well guess what? Another little drip.



I have a couple things I need to ask the dealer about, so I just took it out for now. I wanted to see if it leaks without the kit to try to rule out a problem with the shift tower. When it goes back in, I'm thinking I might put the spacer UNDER the rubber spacer and it will probably be fine.



Funny, it's not as noticeable a change taking it out as it was puting it in.

 

[stick]

My (4) new mounting bolts are Allen head bolts! Is every one of the kits different or something?



Stick

 

[bighammer]

yup, mine are allen head screws as well.

 

[stick]

bighammer:

I'm thinking the isolator should go on first, then the aluminium spacer then the shifter. Then it " might " not leak!



Stick

 

[CHansen]

I received my Kit yesterday. It included Spacer Plate, Shift Arm, and 4 Allen Head Screws. The picture in the instruction showed the 4 bushings. I called BD today and they said the bushings were not needed. They sent me an updated instruction sheet. Here is a link to what they sent me:



Chad



BD Short Shift Kit Instructions for NV5600 for 2003

 

[stick]

Well here's the latest after just getting off the phone with BD. It seems the kits have been changed since I got mine ( I got it about 2 weeks ago from Geno's ).

The aluminium block ( mines blue ) should have just been drilled for the bolt to go through. You use the original bushings and don't drill the isolator plate.

I talked to Christian at BD and he was very helpfull. He is sending me the new style block, and will pay for my isolator that I ordered from my dealer this morning, but will not be here till Monday.



Stick

 

[FM]

I had the same problem and drilled my isolator ( posted more detail in another thread). In the end I was not happy with the setup. The bushings that came with the kit are 4mm too short and the shift tower is not true due to deflection from the factory assembly so I couldn't reverse the spacer and isolator. So I got a new isolator and cut the bushings BD sent in the kit and JB Welded them in the new spacer then reassembled using the factory bushings. So far no leaks or problems.



I have to say this pretty well torqued me off. You shouldn't spend that kind of money and have to buy replacement parts and have to jury rig it. I got a call back from BD last week and they offered to send me a new isolator but I had already ordered and paid for a new one. They said they'ed make things right but I've not heard back from them. Other than all the above the new shift pattern is great.

 

[stick]

FM:

Really sucks don't it! The only good thing is i'm about to get good at takeing it in and out.

I made a temporary plate out of aluminium with a gasket to replace the isolator. It seems to work fine, and no leaks.



Stick

 

[nickleinonen]

is the isolator just there to reduse noise/vibrations from the trans to the shifter?

 

[stick]

Nick:

That's what i'm wondering now! Because mine doesn't have one in it now, and I can't tell much differance in the vibrations, and I think it even shifts a little better!



Stick

 

[TheWolf]

So how can I tell if my shift kit is correct or not? I got the instructions with the picture of the bushings on it, and my spacer is BLUE also.

Haven't checked anything yet because I don't have my new truck yet. Can anyone help me out. I haven't called B-D yet to find out why I don't have any bushings so what is going on???



THANKS