I'm planning to get a new shifter bushing for the lower pivot ball on the shifter. I know bronze would be best, but has anyone tried the aluminum ones? How do they compare to the nylon ones?

 

Perfect thread timing haha
I was just thinking about this last week.

Hustler swears by them, and I've seen/heard a few others say there is a significant improvement going from the stock worn out nylon one to alum, but no personal exp. Looking to do this in the future thought.

In for results.

 

5XRacing.com has them on a cyber Monday sale today for $10 for later 6-speed, 12 for 5-speed and 20 for bronze 5-speed. They also have the long clutch line for $20 I bought one before and they fit really well. I was thinking of getting the bronze for my early 6-speed and a aluminum one for the later 6-speed (bigger pivot ball).

 

^^^ thanks for the heads up. Ordered a clutch line.

 

Same. Thanks man

 

you know mazda made/makes one for the miata right? Its cheap as **** on mazdaspeed dev if I remember correctly.

I have one. They are great once they wear in. Initially your shifter may not move back to center, but after a week or two everything is great. Takes away a good bit of slop, definitely worth it for the money.

 

The ones from Mazda are like $5 last time I bought some. Work really well, but do wear out over time. Plus is that while they do slowly wear out, they won't break like the nylon one does when the nut behind the wheel is banging the shifter like crazy. We've used them since 01, and doing 15 races a year, the bushing was worn in about 2 years but at that price, who cares?

 

Looks like it is 10 bucks now. Copied from MazdaMotorSports. I'll have to remember this next time I order some. Mine is probably pretty dead (factory 90 still) and only is happy because I only have to shift once in an autox

 

I have the aluminum bushing from CX racing. Compared to my old plastic bushing it is more notchy but a dead on heel toe feels satisfying. It feels a little more mechanical overall.

 

Aaaa my 206k mile Miata's 5 speed has started to feel kinda bad in 3rd gear. I rebuilt the shifter earlier this year and back in 2010 or 2011. If only I had known about the aluminum bushing. :I

 

Someone send me one of those, we only get the nylon thingy. I'll throw in another $5

 

dude its like 4 bolts seriously. take the boot off, take the other boot off, pull out the shifter, break/pull off plastic thingy from shifter, put on aluminum.

 

I was using an aluminum shifter bushing for about 2 years... It was quite tight at first but broke in within 2 weeks and delivered nice crisp shifter action. The downside is that it kept wearing in and it was sloppy and indirect by the end of the 2nd year. I replaced it for a new nylon bushing and have not looked back since.

 

Actually, its 7 bolts and 5 screws and unscrewing the shift ****.

 

Only if you are a **** (get it?) and have a center console. Also, you don't have to take the big shift boot off the shifter if you don't want to.