Help!? Soon!? Please? Shortshifter install

jomotopia · 06-24-2006, 12:23 PM

sorry if this is the wrong place but i am at a stand still and was hoping to get responses as quickly as possible.

i am trying to install the Cobb short shifter in my 04 STi, following the HSPN video. however i just simply CAN NOT get the little pin for the reverse lockout OUT of the original shifter. the stupid punch i bought is too small so i was trying to use a drill bit. it came out a little bit but not enough to get loose from the reverse lockout cable. and i broke a little piece of the drill bit off in there :\

i don't know what to do. i am about to just give up and put all the crap back together, except now i can't even seem to get the reverse pin back in fully.

help? please? any suggestions?

vermilion · 06-24-2006, 01:16 PM

Go buy a correct size punch for it.. I BELIEVE the correct size is 5/32. If you think getting the pin out is a ***** just wait until you try and push and hammer that little pin back thru.

jomotopia · 06-24-2006, 01:29 PM

i finally got it out, i think i was afraid to beat on it as hard as needed. yeah i am not looking forward to putting it back in

thanks

jomotopia · 06-24-2006, 03:18 PM

GRRR this is really pissing me off. i have all the trim pieces etc installed on the cobb shifter and have it in the car. i simply CAN NOT get the reverse lockout cable to go high enough into the shifter to where it will line up with the pin. it just won't go high enough. it's like the hole in the shifter is not big enough for the largest part of the reverse cable. can anybody give me any suggestions? this is getting really frustrating and has already made me decide that i will never try to work on my car again

but now here i am with my car undriveable. the only solution i can think of is to finish putting the shifter in without the reverse lockout, leave the console out, pull on the wire with my fingers when i need reverse, and take it to a shop on monday and pay them to finish it.

anyone? please?

***snorky*** · 06-24-2006, 05:34 PM

Did you stake the reverse lockout cam under the car with an allen wrench or nail? When i put mine in, i left the height adjustment and throw length loose until i had everything lined up. Another tip, use an allen wrench to line the shift lockout head to with the notch hole in the shifter and to "lead" the pin back into place. Tap the pin back in by holding the pin with pliers and hitting the pliers with the hammer. This keeps you from hitting the plastic parts and knicking/scratching them.

jomotopia · 06-24-2006, 06:09 PM

i did block the reverse lock out under the car. i had the throw and height adjustments set to their minimum making the shifter as short as possible. here are pics i took during the install. if anybody has an idea how i can get the reverse cable in there that would be great. just can't get it high enough but i don't think i have the patience to keep trying on it. i may have another brief go at it tomorrow.

the short shifter installed (mostly). you can see the reverse lockout cable hanging out.

here's the other side of it

the reverse lockout cable and the pin on the shifter. it looks like it's long enough, barely, on the outside but getting it up in there just wasn't happening.

when i look through the hole at the bottom of the shifter where the reverse lockout cable is supposed to go, it lookslike a big hole, then a smaller one, and a smaller one, all lined up.

this is the fat part of the reverse lock out cable. what i think is going on is that i can't get this part to go far enough up. it gets stuck when it gets to the 2nd smaller hole. the top part of the cable is fully extended as i blocked the lock under the car.

and here is the current state of my car. you can see my center console trim on the floorboard lol

wjc04wrx · 06-24-2006, 09:28 PM

Hmm, if you locked the reverse lockout cable, it should be long enough to reach. I think that what your problem is that you can't see the hole of the lockout cable once it's in the shifter. What you need to do is turn the cable until you see the hole. Once you see the hole, put a pin/allen wrench/nail through the hole and hold it in place. I'm sure that you do not have the pin in there before sending the cable through the shifter right? If so, take it out. Once you have a hold on the cable, beging putting the pin inside slowly, making sure that you don't move the cable. Double check everything and once you go deep enough, you will no longer need to hold the cable because the pin would have caught it.

I know it's a pain in the ass install, but it's doable with patience. If you have someone to help, it will be helpfull. If you need more slack, have someone pull on the cable underneath and hold.

wjc04wrx · 06-24-2006, 09:30 PM

Question, does the Cobb SS have the plastic pice that the stock one has on the SS shaft in order to prevent the clicking that I'm having with the KB SS?

***snorky*** · 06-25-2006, 01:33 PM

from the look of your pics, you don't have the height adjustment all the way down.

***snorky*** · 06-25-2006, 01:40 PM

The part marked with the green arrow should be pushed down to where the red arrow is. Loosen the top allen screw on the shifter and push it down in the direction of the blue arrow. This is the shortest shifter height. I can take a pic of mine if you want.

http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=6/17517383227.gif&s=f5

ebo03 · 06-25-2006, 02:53 PM

i installed the cobb short shifter last week with no problems. i was adjusting the throw length today and after putting it to the desired length, i broke the bolt in half when tightening it. i guess i over tightened it. the end of the bolt for the allen key came out with ease but the other half is stuck in the threading. i'm trying to glue a smaller allen key to the other end and i'm going to attempt to twist the half out when the glue sets. any other ideas in the mean time?

***snorky*** · 06-25-2006, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebo03

i installed the cobb short shifter last week with no problems. i was adjusting the throw length today and after putting it to the desired length, i broke the bolt in half when tightening it. i guess i over tightened it. the end of the bolt for the allen key came out with ease but the other half is stuck in the threading. i'm trying to glue a smaller allen key to the other end and i'm going to attempt to twist the half out when the glue sets. any other ideas in the mean time?

Here's mine... priceless: http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...TOOL&ihtoken=1

neal0124 · 06-28-2006, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebo03

i installed the cobb short shifter last week with no problems. i was adjusting the throw length today and after putting it to the desired length, i broke the bolt in half when tightening it. i guess i over tightened it. the end of the bolt for the allen key came out with ease but the other half is stuck in the threading. i'm trying to glue a smaller allen key to the other end and i'm going to attempt to twist the half out when the glue sets. any other ideas in the mean time?

get a bolt extractor from sears. You drill a small hole in the broke peice and then use the extractor to back it out. It looks kinda like a drill bit but the cutting edge is reversed.

neal0124 · 06-28-2006, 04:11 PM

jomotopia. I threaded a thin peice of string through the cable and pulled it up into the shifter. I then fiddled with it till the holes lined up and then stuck a real thin allen wrench through both holes. I then pulled the string out and lined the original pin back up. As I hammered the pin back in I pulled the wrench out. I have the kb ss. I don't know how different your install could be. It should be almost identical to mine.

wsirianni · 12-07-2007, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jomotopia

GRRR this is really pissing me off. i have all the trim pieces etc installed on the cobb shifter and have it in the car. i simply CAN NOT get the reverse lockout cable to go high enough into the shifter to where it will line up with the pin. it just won't go high enough. it's like the hole in the shifter is not big enough for the largest part of the reverse cable. can anybody give me any suggestions? this is getting really frustrating and has already made me decide that i will never try to work on my car again

but now here i am with my car undriveable. the only solution i can think of is to finish putting the shifter in without the reverse lockout, leave the console out, pull on the wire with my fingers when i need reverse, and take it to a shop on monday and pay them to finish it.

anyone? please?

you may have to cut the zip ties under the car near the drive shaft that holds the rev. cable and rezip tie them when your done

06-24-2006, 12:23 PM	#1
jomotopia STI Driver Car: 04 STi - Aspen White Fav Mod: Cobb Short Shifter Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 261 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	Help!? Soon!? Please? Shortshifter install sorry if this is the wrong place but i am at a stand still and was hoping to get responses as quickly as possible. i am trying to install the Cobb short shifter in my 04 STi, following the HSPN video. however i just simply CAN NOT get the little pin for the reverse lockout OUT of the original shifter. the stupid punch i bought is too small so i was trying to use a drill bit. it came out a little bit but not enough to get loose from the reverse lockout cable. and i broke a little piece of the drill bit off in there :\ i don't know what to do. i am about to just give up and put all the crap back together, except now i can't even seem to get the reverse pin back in fully. help? please? any suggestions? This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

06-24-2006, 01:16 PM	#2
vermilion Professional STI Racer Car: 05 Subaru WRX STi Location: Mississippi Posts: 668 Join Date: Aug 2004 Trader Rating: (0)	Go buy a correct size punch for it.. I BELIEVE the correct size is 5/32. If you think getting the pin out is a ***** just wait until you try and push and hammer that little pin back thru.

06-24-2006, 01:29 PM	#3
jomotopia STI Driver Car: 04 STi - Aspen White Fav Mod: Cobb Short Shifter Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 261 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	i finally got it out, i think i was afraid to beat on it as hard as needed. yeah i am not looking forward to putting it back in thanks

06-24-2006, 03:18 PM	#4
jomotopia STI Driver Car: 04 STi - Aspen White Fav Mod: Cobb Short Shifter Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 261 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	GRRR this is really pissing me off. i have all the trim pieces etc installed on the cobb shifter and have it in the car. i simply CAN NOT get the reverse lockout cable to go high enough into the shifter to where it will line up with the pin. it just won't go high enough. it's like the hole in the shifter is not big enough for the largest part of the reverse cable. can anybody give me any suggestions? this is getting really frustrating and has already made me decide that i will never try to work on my car again but now here i am with my car undriveable. the only solution i can think of is to finish putting the shifter in without the reverse lockout, leave the console out, pull on the wire with my fingers when i need reverse, and take it to a shop on monday and pay them to finish it. anyone? please?

06-24-2006, 05:34 PM	#5
*snorky* killer ants in your pants Car: OBP05MURDEREDOUTFTW Fav Mod: Fullerton's Qrack on my car Location: Chicagoland Posts: 3,369 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (21)	Did you stake the reverse lockout cam under the car with an allen wrench or nail? When i put mine in, i left the height adjustment and throw length loose until i had everything lined up. Another tip, use an allen wrench to line the shift lockout head to with the notch hole in the shifter and to "lead" the pin back into place. Tap the pin back in by holding the pin with pliers and hitting the pliers with the hammer. This keeps you from hitting the plastic parts and knicking/scratching them.

06-24-2006, 06:09 PM	#6
jomotopia STI Driver Car: 04 STi - Aspen White Fav Mod: Cobb Short Shifter Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 261 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	i did block the reverse lock out under the car. i had the throw and height adjustments set to their minimum making the shifter as short as possible. here are pics i took during the install. if anybody has an idea how i can get the reverse cable in there that would be great. just can't get it high enough but i don't think i have the patience to keep trying on it. i may have another brief go at it tomorrow. the short shifter installed (mostly). you can see the reverse lockout cable hanging out. here's the other side of it the reverse lockout cable and the pin on the shifter. it looks like it's long enough, barely, on the outside but getting it up in there just wasn't happening. when i look through the hole at the bottom of the shifter where the reverse lockout cable is supposed to go, it lookslike a big hole, then a smaller one, and a smaller one, all lined up. this is the fat part of the reverse lock out cable. what i think is going on is that i can't get this part to go far enough up. it gets stuck when it gets to the 2nd smaller hole. the top part of the cable is fully extended as i blocked the lock under the car. and here is the current state of my car. you can see my center console trim on the floorboard lol

06-24-2006, 09:28 PM	#7
wjc04wrx Junior STI Driver Posts: 88 Join Date: Oct 2004 Trader Rating: (0)	Hmm, if you locked the reverse lockout cable, it should be long enough to reach. I think that what your problem is that you can't see the hole of the lockout cable once it's in the shifter. What you need to do is turn the cable until you see the hole. Once you see the hole, put a pin/allen wrench/nail through the hole and hold it in place. I'm sure that you do not have the pin in there before sending the cable through the shifter right? If so, take it out. Once you have a hold on the cable, beging putting the pin inside slowly, making sure that you don't move the cable. Double check everything and once you go deep enough, you will no longer need to hold the cable because the pin would have caught it. I know it's a pain in the ass install, but it's doable with patience. If you have someone to help, it will be helpfull. If you need more slack, have someone pull on the cable underneath and hold.

06-24-2006, 09:30 PM	#8
wjc04wrx Junior STI Driver Posts: 88 Join Date: Oct 2004 Trader Rating: (0)	Question, does the Cobb SS have the plastic pice that the stock one has on the SS shaft in order to prevent the clicking that I'm having with the KB SS?

06-25-2006, 01:33 PM	#9
*snorky* killer ants in your pants Car: OBP05MURDEREDOUTFTW Fav Mod: Fullerton's Qrack on my car Location: Chicagoland Posts: 3,369 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (21)	from the look of your pics, you don't have the height adjustment all the way down.

06-25-2006, 01:40 PM	#10
*snorky* killer ants in your pants Car: OBP05MURDEREDOUTFTW Fav Mod: Fullerton's Qrack on my car Location: Chicagoland Posts: 3,369 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (21)	The part marked with the green arrow should be pushed down to where the red arrow is. Loosen the top allen screw on the shifter and push it down in the direction of the blue arrow. This is the shortest shifter height. I can take a pic of mine if you want. http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=6/17517383227.gif&s=f5

06-25-2006, 02:53 PM	#11
ebo03 STI Driver Car: 06 WRB STI Fav Mod: XX protune Location: Pearisburg, VA Posts: 232 Join Date: Mar 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	i installed the cobb short shifter last week with no problems. i was adjusting the throw length today and after putting it to the desired length, i broke the bolt in half when tightening it. i guess i over tightened it. the end of the bolt for the allen key came out with ease but the other half is stuck in the threading. i'm trying to glue a smaller allen key to the other end and i'm going to attempt to twist the half out when the glue sets. any other ideas in the mean time?

06-28-2006, 04:11 PM	#14
neal0124 Senior STI Driver Car: 05 STi Fav Mod: Whiteline sways, ohlins coils, cusco motor mounts Location: Castaic, Southern Califor Posts: 310 Join Date: Dec 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	jomotopia. I threaded a thin peice of string through the cable and pulled it up into the shifter. I then fiddled with it till the holes lined up and then stuck a real thin allen wrench through both holes. I then pulled the string out and lined the original pin back up. As I hammered the pin back in I pulled the wrench out. I have the kb ss. I don't know how different your install could be. It should be almost identical to mine.