How To install the B&M/ ralcoRZ Short Shifter

[Scofo]

Hey, Scofo here. Just wana say i have installed my Shortshifter by RalcoRZ in my 97 Sunfire gt. today. Originally i had a cut stock one and that does nothing but add a little comfort and look better. then i ordered the B&M from ultrarev.com .... They called me a day later telling me that it is out of stock, and this ralco is just as good and cheaper. I didnt wanna wait so i jumped ahead and had them mail it to me. THERE WERE NO INSTRUCTIONS. so with some help off this forum and a link to another forum, i got it. Now i saw the 99 cav get one and it was a little different in pictures. and i did not need all the hardware included. So here is this for ya... im gonna drop a quick little "how to" for everyone.

3/8 socket. with a 13mm, 10mm and 2 extentions for comfort.
safety glasses.
razor
dremmel, grinding, cutting
large assortment of drillbits and drills. so you can fine tune the holes.

1. Remove the shift knob and the boot

2. remove four 10mm bolts. These can be found: one directly forward, one in the drink holder and two of them are underneath the inside of your center console. (squeeze the rim after you open your center console and pull it out so you can acess the 2 bolts.

3. Remove the tray/ cupholder... Now use this as a bolt holder.

4. see your shifter linkage? there is no better way to take them off than sliding a flat head screw driver and popping them off. do this now.

5.As im sure you have removed the center console compleatly, you can see 4 bolts. These are 13mm and youhave to remove all of these.

6.Are your shifter linkage off? remove that little black clip one of your linkages were running thru DONT BREAK IT!!!
7. Slowly pull out your base. (i had to break off part of my 12v clip to free this beast)

This is where it got tricky and i took a 45 min install 8 hours to correct.
8.Drill out the back sides of the rivits. with a drill and a metal drill bit. DO NOT DRILL MORE THAN NEEDED. i believe what i used was an 8/32 and it did its job, but my holes wer just a tad too big. The dirmmel was my best friend here too.

9.Now that the Base is off. my camera is almost dead@@@ better hurry.
Grind down the shoulder pin so you can remove the linkage bracket from your shifter+base. i just cut mine in half with a dremmel since none of this will be used later.

10.B&M says grind 5mm. i had to take off near 8-10 mm to clear for everything, putting it off and on so many time to make adjustment.... but remember you can grind off more when ever. but you cant add back on!!!! This is before i took off the extra and didnt shave it enough.

Yep my camera just died. Sorry. shoulda trusted duracel over the energiz.
11. Now that we ground it all. Remove old shaft from the nylon base, clean it and all purpose grease it. put the new rod.
12. Now out, we need to stack that pretty blue metal rectangle on the base first.
13. follow it with the nylon base.
If you have a sunfire like i do, you onlyneed the 2 screws provided, not all 4
14. screw it up and tighten that beast down.
15. now slide your new shift rod (with bottom linkage attatched. Look at your old one to see the shape and design)
16. Drill a hole just big enough for your new pin that came to connect your linkage bracket (less you made a correct hole when drilling it out)
17. assemble everything on your base. including pin+ bracket+ the little clip thing that holds the pin. This was a bitch trying to do it inside the car the first time.
Does it all move, flip it over and see if there is any contact points you think may stop you. if there is too much metal, you cant get in to gear!!! too little and it will falll apart. it is hardened steel so a little will go a long way, but dont mess it up too much.
18.ease everything in to your car. Linkage first, dont forget to put that black clip back on, and everything else will slowly come together.
19. now that you have your linkage back on, four 13mm nuts tightened down. Un chalk your car, and start it up. see if you can get each gear. If you cant take it down and make adj. as needed.
repeat step 19 till satisfied.
20. seal the deal and put everthing back. or be cool and get a new knob... i like the original i havent used in forever and it fit better than anything universal.ill use this for a while.

Thanks classicrocjunkie
I did not need the little blue round peices. my rubber mounts held better than those looked any how.
Well my ordeal was 45 mins in it was great. at the hour mark i cut thru too muchwith a drill and made a hole way too big. i had to drive to lowes hardware and get a special nylon bushing and new bolts since my pin wouldnt fit. ground the bushing for an hour to get it with a presice fit. now i just need to relube up the all purpose grease spots and ill be on cloud 9