guys if you are suffering from stiff shifting after putting in an STS and/or Poly bushings

go to the auto parts store and get some white lithium grease, use a lot of grease on the shifter ball mount and on the bushing parts

i did this yesterday and my shifs is now effortless, difference is purely amazing!!!!

this is a must for the 6 speed owners out there

 

I was going to do this when I got the new bushings but I didnt have any lithium greese. I am going to have to do this next week since my shifter has been a biatch to shift.

 

yeah man do it

my shifter is smoother and perfectly crisp and effortless

 

Is this a correction for the notchy feeling in 3rd gear and sometimes 4th or is this something else? Thanks

 

it is a correction for stiff shifter due to combination of an STS and Polybushings

but i would stiff use this on a regular un-modded shifter as well!!!

 

sorry for the noob question... but where exactly would you apply the grease? could you be more specific? i have a 2k2 max 6 spd, with the HPA STS. Also, would this work on my brother's 5 spd 99 max? he installed a B&M STS a while ago, and it's been REAL notchy. i know this is for the 6 spd, and we have different Gear boxes, but i was wondering if it'd work for 99 max's too

 

The bushings that you grease are the ones that are pushed into the ends of the shifter cable. There is one that attaches to your shifter stalk and the other ones is the the piece that is relocated and pushed on the STS. The other place that you can grease is the pivot ball that is on the bottom of the shifter stalk. Your brothers shifter is not a cable shifter like the like the 2k2>

 

Another stupid question: do you just take apart the shifter boot, console, etc and it can be reached from there?

 

easiest way is to just lift the leather boot, that way no need to take the console out

 

OK, once I get the boot out, just spray it all over where the shifter sits?

 

You need to put the grease where the shifter cable attaches to the shifter stalk and then down at the bottom of the shifter stalk where you will see the pivot ball.

 

Man, once I return home on Thursday, I will do it the same day. I bought a can of Nissan lithium greese a while back and it's been sitting collecting dust....finally put it to use. If this cures slight notchiness and a crunch here and there....that would be nice.

 

Well I have two words to say......HOT DAMN!!!!!! I finally took everything back off and added the lithium grease and what a difference that made. The shifter just glides into the next gear without any effort. I enjoy the car even more now. Thanks for mentioning this jeepik.

 

man i got to try this when i get home...getting it into 3rd sometimes can be a biotch!! first as well!

 

Will it work on 01' 5-speeds too?

 

I dont think that the 5 spds are cable shifters like the 6spds, so you wouldnt have the bushings that we have.

 

glad i could be of help

 

is there a solution for us 5 speeders? i have the same "notchy" feeling

 

I too will have to try this on my 6 speed. I've hated the way it shifts since day one. Especially 3rd gear. I already tried the redline with no improvement noticed.

 

I would think synthetic trans fluids are our solution. I know it works for my Stillen STS.

 

Car is still under warranty and I wonder if I can get the dealer to do this for free and claim that it may help with my "shifting" problems.

 

I really really doubt that they will go for that....

 

Can I get this grease at any local auto parts store like auto zone?

 

yes, that is where i picked mine up at

 

Ok, awsome. thanks... I am going to go try this out tonight... I hope this works as good as you guys claim!

 

I bought some last night, and i was shocked it came in a can, and i became doubtful. But i sprayed some on, and it did work! shifter feels smoother now! nice $3 mod. thanks for the tip.

 

for u five speeders.. it's hella stiff because the bolts that hold the shifter to the linkage is on too tight.. loosen it up a little.but not too much so it wont' fall out, if your paranoid about the nut falling off one day, go buy some lock tight/ thread lock and apply some on there. B&M uses brass which is a self lubricating metal so lubing it won't help that much as it doesnt' need to be lubed

 

so loosening the linkage will solve the notchiness?

i changed my tranny fluid today to redline. very minimal difference

 

I tried this mod two nights ago......bought a can of white lithium all purpose grease at autozone.....and sprayed the crap out of the pivot ball and the bushing on the upper left area.....wow it does glide in smoother.....very cheap and effective mod if you ask me.....I have redline mt-90 to help aid the notchyness too (and protect my transmission)...my shifter nearly feels like a Honda now....except it still has that long throw (non STS)....but i'm loving every bit of this mod....

i went through about 3 coats of grease.....i applied the first coat...then drove around a few.....then added another coat.....then next morning I went with another coat....yeah I know i really "greased" the crap out of this pivot ball...but hey it works great with 3 coats!

 

it makes it alot easier to throw it in gear.

 

This seems like it's working well for everyone. I don't see anyone posting problems arising from doing this. I'm gonna hit up the parts store ASAP and do this too.

 

for sure.....by the way.....did u decide to keep your car?

 

i'll try this linkage think tomorrow along with the grease.

thanks gents

 

didn't use white lithium grease, kragen only had the green stuff, chevron brand. it works just as well, although i've had to reapply the grease after a while. also, be aware that the grease might cause the screw holding the shifter rod in place to slide off after a while.

lunch lady doris, have you got any grease?
yes, yes we do
then grease me up woman!
okey dokey

 

I too have really disliked how notchy the shifting has been. I know nothing about the inner workings of a shifter. What exactly is a "shifter ball" and "bushing parts" described by the original poster. Does anyone have instructions for a total newbie/dummy?

 

For the time being, yea. I still have it posted in the FS section though. If i get a decent offer, i might do it.

 

I used a large amount of the grease on the shifter ball and bushing and did not notice a huge difference immediately. Took a trip to south Florida and back (about 2000 miles) and the difference is incredible. I guess all the driving spread the grease around a bit. Definitely worth the $3 for this mod!

(I have the HP STS)