JHM Install help...

[ieatfishburitos]

Ok so for those of you that have done the JHM install, whats the deal with the 4 small delrin bushings that are supposed to be used at the 4 shifter corner mounting points? They are too small to replace the 4 original units, are they supposed to be stacked on top? I just don't get it!

If it's not clear I can take pics..

[RAudi Driver]

These four delrin busings are replacing 2 original units.

Those 4 black half circle plastic delrin busings fit in place of the rubber sliding bushings that hold the shifter to the two metal rods. You're supposed to take two of the delrin bushings and fit them together to make a barrel for each rubber bushing that you remove.

Have you watched the video yet? It's really simple. It's the adjusting that's gonna get you. When all said and done, your JHM should feel just as smooth as the stocker.

[ieatfishburitos]

Hey RAudi, I'm not referring to the 2 bushings which were cut in half and go on the slider rods, I'm referring to the 4 complete bushings which the 2 rods actually bolt onto in the car.

[ngng]

pics? i dont recall these

[ieatfishburitos]

Alright, after finding a sheet in the box that I never read it it appears they are just spacers. They aren't mentioned in the videos so I'm guessing they may be just for the "extra short" kits (which mine is). These pieces don't look so much like spacers to me, I guess I'll put it together tomorrow night and see how it works.

(Moral of the story, don't try to install your short shifter after 5+ beers.)

Four mounting points:


4 bushings are sitting on the left of the below instructions sheet. My natural reaction was to try and replace the 4 bronze colored bushings in the original mounting position shown above with them, that doesn't work. I guess it just didn't look like the part in the picture:

[ngng]

ah they are specific to the extra short kit (that's why i didn't have em)

have funn aligning it ;)

Alright, after finding a sheet in the box that I never read it it appears they are just spacers. They aren't mentioned in the videos so I'm guessing they may be just for the "extra short" kits (which mine is). These pieces don't look so much like spacers to me, I guess I'll put it together tomorrow night and see how it works.

(Moral of the story, don't try to install your short shifter after 5+ beers.)

Four mounting points:


4 bushings are sitting on the left of the below instructions sheet. My natural reaction was to try and replace the 4 bronze colored bushings in the original mounting position shown above with them, that doesn't work. I guess it just didn't look like the part in the picture:

[jaybquick@JHM]

Those are not delrin bushings. They are metal spacers. Like the picture shows. Just put them between those two side rods and the shifter box. Then bolt up like stock. In order to obtain the extra throw reduction, the pivot point had to be lowered down too low for the capacity of the shifter box. So the only option was to bring the shifter up some. We compensated for this rise by shortening the shaft up top.

Just like the picture shows man. I think you are just thinking too deep into it.

Good luck.

[ieatfishburitos]

Thanks Jay. I think my confusion may have been caused by the bottom picture in the instructions which is labeled "bushings" and doesn't resemble the 4 "spacers".. I guess the shape of the metal spacer also looked like a bushing to me, I didn't understand why the lip was present or which side the lip should be facing.

I'll bolt it together tonight. Sorry to over think this simple install.

[jaybquick@JHM]

Thanks Jay. I think my confusion may have been caused by the bottom picture in the instructions which is labeled "bushings" and doesn't resemble the 4 "spacers".. I guess the shape of the metal spacer also looked like a bushing to me, I didn't understand why the lip was present or which side the lip should be facing.

I'll bolt it together tonight. Sorry to over think this simple install.

Yeah we changed the style of spacers, they don't match the original pics. I recommend putting the flange side down.

Thanks and good luck.

[RAudi Driver]

Ahhh, didn't get those with my non-shorter throw kit. Sorry for the confusion. You gotta love JHM's customer service.

[ngng]

Yeah we changed the style of spacers, they don't match the original pics. I recommend putting the flange side down.

Thanks and good luck.

btw...unrelated, but i figured out why my car woulnt trigger reverse after the install...FUSE

[jaybquick@JHM]

btw...unrelated, but i figured out why my car woulnt trigger reverse after the install...FUSE

HAHA. Got to love crap like that. At least it works now.

[EYE4SPEED]

Any feedback on the extra short versus the short? I'm thinking about getting the extra short, but worried about not enough throw?

[jaybquick@JHM]

Any feedback on the extra short versus the short? I'm thinking about getting the extra short, but worried about not enough throw?

I just did an extra short the other day and it is really short man. It is borderline too short IMO. If it is too short for someone though you can always move the bolt up to the upper/middle set of holes and it would be similar in throw to the highest setting of the non Extra Short throw.

[gaogi]

I tried to install my extra short kit last night, and failed. With the spacers in place, the shifter binds pretty badly in the fore and aft direction. Without the spacers, I can move the shifter base forward and backwards pretty easily for adjustment, but with them in place, the base is extra tight, and doesn't move freely. It seems like with the spacers in place, the top rod that goes into the base is angled upwards instead of going into the base flat.

Also, The metal "nut" flanges at the four mounting points started to pop out, causing the base to move around. I think they're pulled out from the stress the spacers are putting on them.

The install was more pain in the butt than i remember on my last install on my 5-speed B6. The stock shifter is back on for now, but defintely not looking forward to installing this again...

[jaybquick@JHM]

I tried to install my extra short kit last night, and failed. With the spacers in place, the shifter binds pretty badly in the fore and aft direction. Without the spacers, I can move the shifter base forward and backwards pretty easily for adjustment, but with them in place, the base is extra tight, and doesn't move freely. It seems like with the spacers in place, the top rod that goes into the base is angled upwards instead of going into the base flat.

Also, The metal "nut" flanges at the four mounting points started to pop out, causing the base to move around. I think they're pulled out from the stress the spacers are putting on them.

The install was more pain in the butt than i remember on my last install on my 5-speed B6. The stock shifter is back on for now, but defintely not looking forward to installing this again...

Some pics to see what you are doing wrong would be helpful. Even with the spacers there is plenty of thread that goes through the thin inserts in the box. I have installed many different year B6/B7 S4s with no issues.

[gaogi]

I'll try again tonight and snap some pictures. But basically, I think the problems are:

1) The spacers props up the base higher, so it's no longer level with the top rod, causing the rod to enter into the base at an angle, which in turn, makes it difficult to slide the base back and forth on the two sliding rods.

2) The spacers also reduces the number of threads so that the screw is not going into the plastic part of the mounting point, and is only held by the metal flanges, which causes them to pop out. I'm not sure if the '08 have shorter screws or something, but I've tightened them down as much as I could.

[jaybquick@JHM]

I'll try again tonight and snap some pictures. But basically, I think the problems are:

1) The spacers props up the base higher, so it's no longer level with the top rod, causing the rod to enter into the base at an angle, which in turn, makes it difficult to slide the base back and forth on the two sliding rods.

2) The spacers also reduces the number of threads so that the screw is not going into the plastic part of the mounting point, and is only held by the metal flanges, which causes them to pop out. I'm not sure if the '08 have shorter screws or something, but I've tightened them down as much as I could.

1) It does change the angle slightly but does not affect it. I have seen them at work still sliding with the boot off while driving. Plus another popular shifter has these spacers on all their shifters with no issues.

2) The screws go through a thin metal insert and do not engage anything below, it is wide open below. So unless the inserts in your box were previously damaged this also should not cause any issues. This product has been out for a long time with hundreds of successful installs. If you get just 3/4 turn on the screws they will be in. Also try putting the larder side of the bushings down towards the inserts.



Recently I had a brand new RS4 (same shifter components) do the install with no issues as well.


Email me your VIN # and build date on your car so I can confirm all the parts for your car. [email protected]

If you can measure the threaded portion of your bolts I can compare to ones known to work.


Thanks and sorry for any inconvenience.

[S4DTM]

Jay, quick question...just installed my short throw tonight and downshifting from 3rd to 2nd is a little rough, and it feels like theres a notch when shifting into first. Is this normal or do I need to readjust the clutch to the right a bit more to give more room to the left? Gonna mess with it a bit more tomorrow, but was curious if you had any ideas. (awesome shifter btw, and the videos were a huge help).

[gaogi]

I took another tackle at the shifter, and it's in for now. I'm still running into issues with the metal flanges popping out of their base, but a whack with the blunt end of the screwdriver usually keeps them down, except for the flange on the rear right. That flange still keeps popping up when I try to engage reverse, which may explain why reverse is hard to engage sometimes. Here are some pics of what's happening:





While the metal flanges are out, I tried to screw one of the screws into them without the metal flange, and found that there are threads inside the plastic posts, and the screws do stay put without the flanges. It seems like longer screws here would solve my problems.

[jaybquick@JHM]

Now I get what is going on. The pictures made it quite clear, it has nothing to do with installing my or any shifter.

Somebody at some point or you overtightened them alot and popped the metal thread inserts out. Could be bad luck and poorly fitted inserts from the factory. They are a one time push in fit. I have never popped those out nor have I seen somebody pop them out. Realistically to fix it right you need to get a new lower shifter box, and the only way that can be swapped out is if you drop it out from underneath. If you email me your VIN I may have a used one around the shop. However the trans needs to be lowered.

The more realistic approach would be to take the inserts off of the bolts and then use some high grade 2 part epoxy. First clean the grease off the inserts with brake cleaner or something of the like and clean the box receivers for the inserts out. Then put a thin layer of epoxy on the inserts and knock them back in place until they are fully seated. Then let it dry overnight. Be careful not to use too much epoxy since you could fill up the holes so much that the bolts won't go in.

Man, you must be stronger than you think or unlucky at got the part assembled on a friday.

Good luck man.

[gaogi]

Well, I have been working out On the other hand, as I mentioned, the plastic posts do have threads, because the screws engages without the metal flanges, and the flanges came out so easily, I'm not sure if they're designed to bear the entire stress from the screws.

Anyway, good suggestion on the epoxy, I'll give that a try. The shifter seems to be working at the moment, so unless reverse gets unbearable, I won't tear it apart until my bloody knuckles heal.

On a side note, does the shifter base slide back and forth on the two sliding rods in normal operation? In fiddling with the bottom linkage (biggest PITA of the whole install, BTW), I think I rubbed off all the grease on these two rods, so I'm not sure if the base is supposed to be allowed to slide freely on them.

[gaogi]

Well, I've been having some difficulties shifting into reverse, but it does go in with a little bit of maneuvering. So today, a week after the install, on the way to work, I stop off to grab something at a store, hop back into the car, shift into reverse, and the car goes forward. Tried shifting a couple more times, the car still goes forward, and then finally, all hell breaks loose, and I lose all the gears. What's worse, I carpool on Friday, so my carpool buddy gets stuck with me. Luckily, I was only 5 minutes away from work, and was able to call another co-worker for help. I'll be bumming a ride home at lunch to grab my wife's car and my tools so I can get the car going again.

Moral of the story, make sure you tighten down all the screws really good! It wouldn't have been good if the linkage screws came loose at a stop light or on the freeway...

[jaybquick@JHM]

Well, I've been having some difficulties shifting into reverse, but it does go in with a little bit of maneuvering. So today, a week after the install, on the way to work, I stop off to grab something at a store, hop back into the car, shift into reverse, and the car goes forward. Tried shifting a couple more times, the car still goes forward, and then finally, all hell breaks loose, and I lose all the gears. What's worse, I carpool on Friday, so my carpool buddy gets stuck with me. Luckily, I was only 5 minutes away from work, and was able to call another co-worker for help. I'll be bumming a ride home at lunch to grab my wife's car and my tools so I can get the car going again.

Moral of the story, make sure you tighten down all the screws really good! It wouldn't have been good if the linkage screws came loose at a stop light or on the freeway...

Yes definitely make sure you tighten that lower bolt good.

Good luck.