Stiffen your Mazda 3, Mazdaspeed 3 shifter for FREE

enganear

Member
:
'08 Mazdaspeed 3 Sport, Sunlight Silver
While removing my shifter to bend the lever forward and left to better suit my reach, I noticed it would be very easy to stiffen the shifter base mounting points by simply shortening the isolator sleeves. Here is what I did.

Expose the shifter assembly by removing the shift knob and snapping the panels upward starting at the front of the rear console compartment - 3 minutes, tops.
2129217200_e3ff676fa3.jpg


Remove the two rear screws with a 10mm socket and extension. You will have to flex the left side of the console out a little, but easily done.
2128439219_71679dd4e2.jpg


Remove the isolator sleeves. You will have to work them back and forth a little.
2128439315_9b1457f97c.jpg


Mark 1/8" from the bottom of the isolator sleeve and remove this material. I used a grinder, but a hacksaw and vise would work if you do not squeeze the isolator sleeve excessively. This picture is after shortening the sleeve.
2129217230_0acd8d7d8e.jpg


Reassemble. The isolators will now be compressed practically solid.

Note: You can do all four mounts in this manner if you wish, but you will get 90% of the effect by doing the two rear mounts which are very simple to reach.

-enganear
 
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Ok, I fixed it from your post:
My first "How To" and I can't get the pictures to show up. What am I doing wrong?

While removing my shifter to bend the lever forward and left to better suit my reach, I noticed it would be very easy to stiffen the shifter base mounting points by simply shortening the isolator sleeves. Here is what I did.

Expose the shifter assembly by removing the shift knob and snapping the panels upward starting at the front of the rear console compartment - 3 minutes, tops.
2129217200_e3ff676fa3.jpg


Remove the two rear screws with a 10mm socket and extension. You will have to flex the left side of the console out a little, but easily done.
2128439219_71679dd4e2.jpg


Remove the isolator sleeves. You will have to work them back and forth a little.
2128439315_9b1457f97c.jpg


Mark 1/8" from the bottom of the isolator sleeve and remove this material. I used a grinder, but a hacksaw and vise would work if you do not squeeze the isolator sleeve excessively.
2129217230_0acd8d7d8e.jpg


Reassemble. The isolators will now be compressed practically solid.

Note: You can do all four mounts in this manner if you wish, but you will get 90% of the effect by doing the two rear mounts which are very simple to reach.

-enganear
 
Interesting...

Is the isolator in your bottom shot from before or after grinding?
 
Interesting...

Is the isolator in your bottom shot from before or after grinding?

It is after shortening. I was not clever enough to take a before picture. I have edited the original post to clarify this and fix the pictures.

Thanks for the assistance with the pictures. My mistake was inserting the Flickr URL for the picture instead of the actual picture location. It won't happen again!
-enganear
 
Are you a mazda engineer?

No, I design assembly lines for automotive airbags. My company does make some Mazda airbags, but not for the 3.

My sig name comes from a very old joke about a graduating engineer who proudly proclaimed "Four years ago I couldn't even spell enganear and now I ARE one!" :D
-enganear
 
intriguing, and the results please

Results? By shortening the isolator sleeves, you effectively compress the rubber isolator to a solid mass, giving the same effect as installing aftermarket bushings without spending any money. Is this what you were looking for?
-enganear
 
My sig name comes from a very old joke about a graduating engineer who proudly proclaimed "Four years ago I couldn't even spell enganear and now I ARE one!" :D
-enganear

I believe it is actually from a comedy routine (maybe Second City) poking fun at speed reading courses. As I remember it, the quote was very similar, just a little longer.
"Before I took the Evelyn Woodhead sped redin course, I couldn't even spell enganear. Now I ARE one!"

Edit: after looking at the original quote, the joke could easily have come first. Wouldn't be the first time a comedy writer stole old material for a routine.
 
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Results? By shortening the isolator sleeves, you effectively compress the rubber isolator to a solid mass, giving the same effect as installing aftermarket bushings without spending any money. Is this what you were looking for?
-enganear

Very nearly exactly. thank you, apparently all you &*%$^ engineers aren't %^&^*# idiots.(insert smile icon here)
 
Results? By shortening the isolator sleeves, you effectively compress the rubber isolator to a solid mass, giving the same effect as installing aftermarket bushings without spending any money. Is this what you were looking for?
-enganear

Do you think that you could also acomplish this with some clever placement of washers?
 
Do you think that you could also acomplish this with some clever placement of washers?
If you can find some washer with holes big enough to go over the flange, and small enough OD to fit inside the shifter pocket, it would certainly stiffen up the rubber some.
 
Do you think that you could also acomplish this with some clever placement of washers?

Yes, you could use washers on the bottom that were large enough to clear the sleeve diameter. Keeping them lined up and in place simultaneously in 4 places while installing sounds like a real pita.

If you modify the sleeves as suggested at the beginning of this thread, you do not even have to unhook the cables to install.
-enganear
 
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I just did this mod (the back 2, and the 1 front one not covered by a cable). Feels really good despite only have 3 bolts holding it in after snapping one of the bolts with my kung fu grip. I probably should drill the bolt out.

But with 2 out of the 4, and one bolt missing it feels so much more solid. My problem gear was 3rd and went into it twice so far at the top of 2nd with no more missing.

This is another free mod worth doing.(yes)
 
This is DEFINITELY worth doing. IMO this is better than the after market bushings, because it still gives you the rock solid mounting, but also the piece of mind of having rubber isolators(which the factory felt were necessary, they just took it to the extreme of sloppiness). I just did this, and I recommend cutting off 1/4inch instead, more the better really. If you take the console off and move the shifter you can see the shifter base flexing and the rubber being manipulated.....there lies the problem. After you cut down the bushings, and but it all back together, you can watch it while shifting hard, and there is absolutely no movement.....

Also, I recommend using a 1/4 inch drive ratchet and 6inch extension + 10mm socket to avoid what the other guy above did(breaking off the bolt). Also the 1/4 drive ratchet + ext takes up less room and will allow you to reach ALL the bolts VERY easily.

The TMW bushing are obsolete IMO. Thank you so much for the write up enganear.
 
wasn't ready for the extra vibration but I'll get used to it.
Shifting is much more solid, third isn't a problem.... so far.

Thanks!
 
Does this also apply to a 2008 MS3? I just poked around on my console (very gingerly, I'll admit) and I could not get the panels to even look like they wanted to come up.
 
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