The title says it all.

I picked up ES bushings and while I had everything apart I decided to do the "Free STS Mod". I drilled all the way thru and used a clevis pin and clip.

Everything is great and the shifts are nice and short. I have to get used to it since I can be in gear so fast I have to adjust how I was clutching.

But, there is a problem. It is really hard to put it into reverse. You really have to pull pretty hard and it seems to be resisting.

Has anyone seen this and is it a problem??

I will probably get used to it, but I am wondering if on the few occasions that the wife drives the Max if it won't be an issue.

And I know that some answers will be don't let the wife drive it, but she is a damn good driver. She's been driving a standard for more than 20 years.

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

 

Had it happen to me. What happened is that you drilled the new hole too close to the right (if you were in front of the car looking down on it) I don't know what else you could do now other than redrill closer to the stock pin or buy an STS from Cattmann in the GD section.

 

You could call a junkyard for replacement linkage parts and start over. That would probably be cheaper than a STS adapter.

Last time I talked to Catts about the STS, he said he hasn't stocked one in years. Once people figured out the STS mod could be done for free, they stopped buying kits.

 

I don't understand the direction you mean.

If I was in front looking down at it the right would be toward the drivers side of the car.

Then you mention drilling closer to the orignal pin which is on the driver siode.

Let me know what's right and I may take another shot.

Thanks.

 

Bumpity bump

 

I drilled close to the pin and I have difficulty getting into reverse everyone and then. It didn't always go right into reverse when completely stock either tho. But it is harder now.

 

I looked at evceryones pictures and mine is no closer to the pivot that anyones elses.

I guess that's just the way it is.

This morning it went in okay. Just a little harder.

I'm going to keep it thjis way for a few weeks and decide if I like it or if I want to change it back.

Thanks for the insight.

 

Get it back as i did. You'll not believe how easy and fast your shifts became.
The best mod ever i did to my car.

 

When I did the STS mod my transmission broke off about 10 teeth of gears and completely seized up within 3 hours of the mod

That's just my personal experience and my .02 cents...





Since then I will never try to do the STS again nor will I recommend it to anyone...now I know you guys are gonna be like "well I have it on my car and have had no problems" well that's fine, I put it on my car and my tranny shot craps so I don't recommend it and I guarentee you that if anyone else's tranny did the same you would not recommend it to other people...

 

Interesting. You know when I was drilling you had to push down pretty hard and I know it grabbed the bit a few times and made the arm slam pretty hard clockwise. Now mine seems okay, but I would venture a guess if things weren't lined up in the tranny to mesh you can really bite off a few teeth.

It really worried me when it happened, but everything appears okay.

I wonder if that's what happened to you??

 

Mine is perfect minus the understatement. Have you read my thread and looked at the pics to see the precise drilling location?

http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...-free-sts.html

 

I'm also happy with the free STS mod. As long as that pivoting bracket you're drilling into is still moving to the full extent that it was with the cable connected to the post, then the mechanics of shifting are 100% identical. With that observation, there is no relationship between the STS mod and a failed transmission, and Pimp's experience was likely an unfortunate coincidence.

 

Cattman had the STS adapter on sale for $60 in an early summer sale.

 

That could be, haven't talked to Brian Catts since April.

OK then, there's another option for the OP... buy a $60 STS kit and slip it over the post. Done.

 

really? is your car bone stock besides this? i can think of many other mods that are waaay better than an sts mod

 

The best "free" mod, perhaps.

 

Best value.

 

You didn't read carefully my post. I meant, the best mod was removing the STS and get back to stock lol

 

See, that's what I thought too, but that's just too expensive of a "coincidence" for me to try it again

 

reading>me..lol i bought the hp autoworks one when it came out yrs ago, mine seems fine, i just dont like how the stick sits closer to the ashtray, maybe i should take it out and see how it feels..i really need to get these 6spd bushings installed i have had for the past 4 years

 

Bushings + STS mod is great. I bought my STS adapter and installed the bushings the same time. Takes about 20 minutes total with most of the time taking the air box out and putting it back in. Installing bushing in the engine bay and inside the car take no time.

 

Prior to doing mine I changed my tranny fluid to Redline MT-90, due to notchy reverse shifting and the third gear issue. Mind you I said prior to the mod. Since then, its been smooth sailing, and I've had it now for well over 14k miles of aggressive driving.