change the shifter bushing in your track kick

[Joe S.]

you have to get to the tranny to change them. yes them, the sidekick has two shifter bushings, unlike the sami. one is small, and one is large.

this is what you start with.

start by removing the shifter knob, boots, and console

this would be a great time to vacuum the previous owners mess... [puke]

once you get here, you bout got it whooped. the shifter cover pops off, and the retainer is like a sami tcase retainer, it pushes in and turns and out it comes.

be careful taking the old bushings out. this is another difference from the sami tranny. if you drop the bottom bushing off into the shifter, it is a PAIN to get out. just ask betterhalf, who was there helping. it took me an HOUR to get the old bushing out after riding it around for a week hoping it would just kind of disappear. you will have no other choice but to remove it if it falls in because it wont work its way down to the teeth of the tranny to get ground up and it makes the shifter hang up and not want to go into gear. it will just stay in your way.

here you can see where the top bushing sits.

and the bottom

once you get the new bushings in, go back up in the reverse order of disassembly

final step is to go take a shower if you are like me and live in muggy Mississippi... it was HOT!!!

thanks for the help babe! your an angel! :-*

 

[jamesl]

Thanks for the writeup!

On the tracker I bought, that bottom bushing was gone -- as in not even there.... The shifter was mega sloppy!

One question -- where did you buy the bushings?

 

[Joe S.]

it is amazing how much difference it makes! mine was barely worn, and it had 4 inches of movement in gear!

i bought both bushings from Hawk Suzuki parts. i paid 12 bucks shipped for both of them, and that was priority mail. had the bushings in 3 days i think... 

hawks number is 1.888.samurai