Just got the short shifter and like everyone else, I can't get the shifter into the socket. I tried everything suggested in the forum and others, but still no luck. I don't want to try the sledge hammer as I don't want to damage anything.

Does any of you have a better way to put this in other than justing excessive force?

 

I used a rubber mallet and it eventually went in. I bet you it will go in when you least expect it.




:banana:

 

A standard hammer against a 2x4 will also work if you're in a pinch.

-Chris

 

i had to use a rubber hammer for like 15-20 min. to get mine in.

 

for me a simple BANG straight down with a rubber mallet did the trick. Don't be too scared ..

 

I put the shift **** on the shifter and propped my back against the ceiling of the car while standin on the bottom sill, I may have put a knee on the seat and pushed as hard as all my muscles would allow and then my friend pushed on top of my hands that were on top of the ****. It was pretty exhilerating. Just be patient about it and pretend you are having fun and it will go in.

 

Haha.. I just installed mine in my '01 2.5RS this morning. I have to think this process differs car to car. There is nothing anyone could have done with a rubber mallet to get my shifter in. No way, no how. I whacked at it with my rubber mallet till I ran out of swear words and messed up the hammer. I broke a piece of 1" thick wood hammering with a 16oz Estwing construction hammer. I hammered on the shifter with a small jack handle that rested nicely on the shoulder of the shifter right below the threads till I realized... It stretched the metal of the jack handle and actually fit over the shifter in such a way that I had to use my Dremel to cut it off. THAT was a blast. I called a friend who had done this before in his OBS and he laughed saying he ended up having to beat the $#@% out of it with a 3lb sledge. That gave me the idea of more weight.. I found a larger jack handle that fit cleanly over the shifter, and rested on the small tube that attaches to the linkage. I wrapped the shifter in duct tape to protect it, and hammered like a **** with my construction hammer - nothing. The shifter just bounced right out. I rested all of my 185lb self on it and shoved a few times, it still didn't go in. I grabbed a 15lb dumbell, and started 'hammering' with the dumbell. On the 4th whack, the shifter popped into the socket just like the instructions on scoobymods say happens with a plastic hammer. What a crock of sh*t.

So far, I love the shifter - but I firmly believe the instructions should have been updated. There is NOTHING anyone could do with any sort of plastic or rubber hammer to get my shifter in - I am sure of that. Also, I ordered mine as a package with the 'shifter bushings' which I assumed were... For the shifter. Turns out they are for the linkage, but no mention of this in the ad unless I read it wrong. No worries, still seems like a great and nicely engineered product. Again, I love the shifter - it makes my car much more fun to drive and it's only been a day.

Here's a pic of the tools I used to install this shifter. The phone is there because if I hadn't called OwlBoogie, I might have broken something. The pimpin shades were used when using the Dremel to cut the jack handle off the shifter..

-Jacob

 

bump for updating install instructions.

 

Hi
i just did two installs yesterday. WRX and a Forester XT. i still just screw the shift **** on and whack it with my palm. out of the few hundred i've personaly installed thats how i have done them. hell i remember YEARS ago when Alex and i did a competition on who could do the install the fastest. i think it was a tie.

the rubber hammer will deflect a bit more. i recomend either the palm method or a plastic deadblow hammer.

Tom

 

ok i had this same problem

i know what it is

the fork looking thig is under the pivot point and you are just hitting that down pull the fork up around the pivot point then hit

i cussed like no other

i said if i have to shift this by hand and drive to SD to get you tom i will

 

OK. I am 100% sure there is nothing anyone could do with a plastic hammer to get mine in. I was not joking or exaggerating any way at all about my install, and I do not doubt that some are as easy as you say. I also think doing this a few times helps a bunch, like anything else. This is the only time I have done this.

I do not think I could have fused a jack handle to my shifter with a rubber or plastic hammer, and doing that didn't even get the shifter to pop in. I didn't try the shifter/palm method because I was seeing how much force was required, and I didn't want to mess up my interior pieces.

Thanks for the info. Please note - I love the shifter and I am not knocking the product at all. It would have saved me a lot of time if I would have searched around and found that other people had so much trouble with it is all.

-Jacob

 

Ummm the rubber hammer or anything to hit it in with isn't going to work AT ALL. well.. I guess if you hit it hard enough. but I found the easiest way is to attach the shifter and the rod that shifts the gears and use counter force. it's extremely easier than hitting it. I think I just pulled on it an it popped in. because when it is attached, it can't go any further out when you pull.. so that pulling actually creates a downward force pushing the shirter into the pocket. trust me, it will save you a lot of aggrevation. hope this helps

 

YES!!!! ^^^^ I say this is the offical answer!!!! ^^^^
I smacked that thing for 45 minutes then tried this and was like **** that was easy. Maybe Tom does a similar technique. Tom do you attach the shifter to the linkage then pop it in with your hand in a similar motion? Well thats what I did and was beer in hand seconds later

cheers

garrett