Hey guys, I ordered a short throw shifter for my 97 Maxima from CourtesyParts a couple of weeks ago (and apparently, they don't sell the part anymore). Today, I was trying to install it; however, I can't get the ball at the end of the shifter to go through the opening in the shifter support bracket. How am I supposed to make the part fit? Do I need to shave it down (If so, how)? Has anyone else had this problem? I just left the car in my garage, without a y-pipe (since I was replacing that) and without a shifter, and I'm hoping my dad can find someone at work who can shave the ball a bit so it could fit through. Anyway, any help would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks!

 

This shifter right?

What are you talking about, the base of the shifter that is spherical... ? Doesn't fit in the end of the change lever that it bolts to? It should...

I have a B&M



.. base looks the same, mine fit. As I recall it was a tight fit and difficult to get it to stay centered while I put in the copper/brass (not sure what?) fittings inside before the bolt went in.

I haven't heard of anyone having to shave it down... did you somehow bend the bracket (which I highly doubt) when you removed the original shifter?

 

Yeah, I have the one on top. I was trying to install it differently... I was trying to push the spherical base (the one that connects to the shift linkage) through the end of the support rod. The base will fit in the end of the shifter control rod, that's not the problem, sorry if I confused you with that. The problem I'm having is getting the end of the shifter through the support rod (the thing you had to drop down in order to pull out the stock shifter). Am I supposed to pull the shifter out of the blue base in order to install it properly? If i have to pull it out, what should I use to spread the rings? If I can later, I'll try to get diagrams to show you what I'm talking about.

 

BTW, does anyone have the B&M STS installation instructions they can scan and send me by any chance? If anyone feels like sending them, my e-mail address is abrulz@aol.com

 

ok, i think i'm going to try using snap ring pliers to disassemble the short shifter, and hopefully i'll be able to slip the shifter ball up through the support rod. is this how you guys installed it?

 

Let me get this right,

You have the stock shifter out right? (You twist this sideways to take it out.)

There should be a gaping hole in your car now...

You fully assemble the STS then seat it right down from above, put in bolts and attach linkage... done (correct me if I'm wrong here but as far as I remember that's how it was...)

The installation instructions with the B&M were **** and had no pictures, they would be of no use to you; sorry.

 

http://www.bmracing.com/media/products/pdf/56.pdf

They have no specific pictures becuase this part fits every FWD nissan car.

 

Sounds like you have the whole thing assembled before putting it in the car. You want the blue parts all assemble, but the shift rod not. Then you attach the blue parts to the support rod thing then put the shifter rod up through then go in the car and put on the snap ring on the shifter rod to hold it in place. You don't have to pass the ball through anything.

 

I had to file the hole on the shifter support bracket a little bit bigger to get mine to fit. It only took a couple of minutes. hope that helps

 

you guys and that courtesy shifter have some weird names for things, what is this "support rod."

coming off the transmission there is the change lever which bolts to the bottom of the shift lever. these are the only rod/lever type descriptable items that I can recall having to deal with.

"support rod" ?

 

I actually have a B&M...they're the same though. I just used "support rod" because he did. There is the thing that actually changes the gears which bolts to the bottom of the shift lever then there is the rod that just attaches to the tranny then attaches to the car via a rubber mount which is what you bolt the pivot to...thus is the "support rod." I think this is so the pivot stays properly positioned in relation to the tranny rather than the car so it won't pop out of gear when the engine/tranny moves.

 

I just used that term cuz that's what my chilton's manual used... not sure if anyone else uses the same term, but figured i would just call it that instead of making up my own term. thanks for the link h2k, and thanks for the help tom and Terran... i'm pretty sure i know what to do now, hopefully i won't have to file the opening. hope to get this done this weekend, when i get back from school... and now i've gotta get back to my CAD class, haha i should probably finish this project now. thanks again.

 

Hey guys. Im looking into the courtesy STS, but currently have the CustomMaxima STS. Is there a difference in height from the pivot ball to the shift linkage? The reason I ask is my cat has to hang VERY low in order to be below the CM STS that I have now. I'm looking for something with higher quality, better shifting and that won't hit my trim peice in 1,3,5. And if I do get Courtesy will I have to go look for some stock part I threw out when I replaced my stock one? it should come with everything I need right?

 

Well, I suppose the throw length is the difference in height, huh?

 

The kit does come with everything you need... and when i compared it with my stock shifter, you could definitely tell that the distance from the pivot ball to the linkage was longer than stock (thus the shorter throw). however, last time i checked, courtesy wasn't selling the STS anymore, maybe something's listed on ebay?

 

u cant buy the courtesy sts anymore....i called and tried to order but they told me they dont make it anymore.....i just purchased my B&M yesterday.....hopefully get it by the end of the week.....havent heard of anything bad with B&M