williams805

iTrader: (2)

You can try lots of lube, but I can't get them off either. I just cut them off at this point because waists less time.

BTMiata

iTrader: (5)

Meh... Yeah I should probably just give up and order another one lol. Maybe i'll just throw the bottom bushing on the ball and do the rest when the new boot comes in

Jeffbucc

I used WD40 and heated up the boot with a heat gun and then with a dentist pick was able to gently pry it off.

BTMiata

iTrader: (5)

Nice I'm gonna give that a try on Sunday, thanks Jeff! If that doesn't work I'll just have to suck it up and buy another one lol

Rebuild kit just came in yesterday so hopefully this helps my crunchy feeling shifter. I think I messed the bushing up when I pulled my motor/trans back in October. I forgot to remove the shifter and it was getting pulled back in 2nd gear while the shifter was wedged in the trans tunnel if that makes any sense. Everything feels fine shift-wise but once its in gear it feels like it has a little play and makes like a click. Hopefully its just the bushings that are messed up lol

Jeffbucc

My bushing was simply...gone. I couldn't even find pieces of it when I installed my miataroadster short shifter. The difference between a bushingless shifter and the MRSS was holy **** I drive a Ferrari now difference. It'll blow you away even just refurbishing with the rebuild kit.

Being able to hit 3rd gear on first try is so not over rated.

BTMiata

iTrader: (5)

Ahhhh I've seriously been contemplating the extended miata roadster shifter... I might have to jump in on the next group buy. I also have been wanting to pull the trigger on Fab9's Wilwood front brake kit too so we'll see which one I do first haha

Chilicharger665

iTrader: (2)

I have had the MR normal shifter and the MR extended shifter. I much prefer the extended version and I drive the 01 that it is in just to experience the wonderful shifting.

BTMiata

iTrader: (5)

I just checked and for his next batch, I would have to place my order by late May. That should work out perfect for me. I can place my order for the Wilwood kit now to take advantage of Fab's tax season discount and Grab the shifter in May!

BTMiata

iTrader: (5)

So torsen is finally in....... And I drove home today with no axle nuts. Maybe I'll write a story about my journeys and the scary drive home tomorrow. For now I'm relaxing and being thankful my axle didn't pop out or I didn't swerve into opposing traffic. Tomorrow I have to go pick up the nuts in the daily and get them torqued down in my driveway. Yikes

BTMiata

iTrader: (5)

Ok I'll try to keep it short and sweet

1st d/s axle was stuck (Exactly like TurboTom's video. I finally got it free after multiple heat cycles with the oxy/ace torch and a 10Lb sledge. Other side slid out no problem.

Soo Bearing was trashed from the torch... No problem i'll just pull the hub off and send it down to the machine shop. LULZ... Not a chance! Damn bottom bolt was rusted and corroded to all hell. I bought 2 Timken bearings and 2 Timken seals off a buddy... was planning on doing both sides but F that... I'll save the other side for another day.

Ok New hub on. Back on the lift she goes. The vlsd unit was ready to pop out other than that stupid collar/washer thing on the front-most PPF bolt. What a nightmare... More heat cycles and prying, wedging in flathead screwdriver and hammering.... Finally came out. Awesome. Basically had to hammer the diff out because it was still wedged in the PPF

(Huge levels of respect for anyone who has ever tackled this job without a lift, torch, airtools, etc... Can't say I could have done it)

More problems getting the new housing back in. New bushings were a PITA to press in, piece of old diff was stuck on top end of PPF, etc... It's all a blur already.

Button everything up and pull the car out out of the garage in a hurry (My tools are still in a huge pile at work right now because I just wanted to get out at this point)

Oh yeah the new axles were a bit of a PITA to get pushed in all the way.... But nothing compared to what I went through with the other problems.

Start driving home and the F'ing car is all over the road. Car was so un-predictable I was scared out of my mind. By the time I knew I had something seriously wrong, I was already 1/2 way home. I had 2 choices... Go back to work and grab a company car to borrow again (My daily was stuck at home) Or keep on trucking home. I chose the latter. That's when it hit me.... AXLE NUTS! Holy hell what a stupid mistake. Luckily I made it home alive. Once I realized my mistake I kept it around 30 which didn't feel too terrible, and made it back.

Today I stopped by work in the Escape and grabbed the Nuts and a breaker bar/sockets. Threw them on and went for a test drive.

Gearing feels amazing! 1st is actually usable now and 2nd is pretty good too. Get into 3rd and it pulls nice and steady and you are already around 50mph iirc... 5th and 6th are pretty good for crusing at speed now too which is awesome. Very happy with the 3.9!

Now I have either a turbo on it's way out or a loose coupler because I'm getting a whining noise in mid-high rpm's at full boost. I'll have to look into that closer.

So much for short and sweet lol... Here's some pics. Wish I took more along the way but I was dirty and pressed for time







LOL Trubo x 135

jimmyneutron

Make sure your driveshaft bolts are tight I had issues with whining noises....

m2cupcar

iTrader: (5)

re: stuck axles - fwiw the big SM shop here in ATL says their foolproof axle removal process is to stick the assembly in the 20 ton press, soak it with penetrating lube, crank up the pressure and the next morning the shaft is laying on the floor. I have yet to try it but it sure as sounds like a lot less work than what I did (same as you).

BTMiata

iTrader: (5)

Hmmm interesting... If I had a press here I probably would have went that route. Could have avoided the bearing having to be replaced.. Oh well its all done now and I loaded up the new axles with AntiSeize so if they have to come back out hopefully they will be easier next time.

I would still like to do the passenger side wheel bearing because I might as well since I have a new one now lol

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

I just pull the hubs out with the monster slide hammer, axle puller. I had to custom weld up an attachment because the HF axle puller kit didnt fit 4x100 and I did pb blaster the **** out of it. I also had to keep welding my attachement back together because it kept breaking and I think I partially tore my rotator cuff hammering away as hard as I could for like 10 minutes a side, but they came apart and I didnt mushroom the axles so I got that going for me, which is nice.

BTMiata

iTrader: (5)

Hmmmmm I kinda wish I thought of that haha

Hopefully I can start getting some decent recordings.. I picked up a rollbar mount and got set up with an external mic, so now I can't wait to get out there and drive around with the mic in the engine bay!





I found out why my 6speed felt like ****... Swapped in a new one. The rest of the rebuild will have to wait until I receive a new lower boot. Only $25 but I literally just replaced it in October so it kills me to order another already.



After about 100 miles of driving, I decided to pull off my catch can and see what was in there... Not bad. I'll be curious to see what's in there after 1000+

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

Tell me more about the external mic?

BTMiata

iTrader: (5)

I picked up a dagee mic online. I also picked up a no name brand audio adapter but it was **** and didn't work. I switched to the gopro brand wire and it worked like a charm. The biggest problem was plugging the cord into the USB plug while the camera was in the case. I bought a cheap case off eBay for $10 shipped and drilled a hole in it. I didn't want to trash the nice waterproof case I got with my gopro brand new, so that was the best option

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

Got it. I plug my go pro into power in the car so that might not work.

BTMiata

iTrader: (5)

Yeah... I mean you could probably temporarily switch the cord for the audio if you wanted a quick clip with external audio

BTMiata

iTrader: (5)

So this happened...




And so did this




... Again. Sent it back to Artech for a repair and reinforcement. Hopefully this is the last of the downpipe cracking. I have to make a brace for it when I get it Re-installed to help keep the weight off of it.