Frustrating day with shifter bushings

[bbboomer54]

What a frustrating day. I finally got an opportunity to install my Hurst billet short shifter but it didn't end up as planned. I ordered a set of metal bushings from NH-SS to ensure that I didn't have the play and noise issue. Things started out good. I pressed in the new bushings and then proceeded the burnishing process. Between myself and two other mechanics we could not, for the life of us, get the pin to fit into the bushings using the drilling approach in instructions. After 4 hours we only made it half way through one bushing. Then the bushing started to spin in the shifter. At that point we decided to abandon the process before any damage was done. The factory nylon bushings were reinserted after wrestling out the metal bushings. All-in-all it took over 5 hours for something that should have taken no longer than one hour.

From the get go the ZL1 shifter was found to be different in multiple ways. The shift kit did not accomodate the stock ZL1 shift boot. The alternate shift lever did not accomodate the stock shift knob. And I had to take down a heat shield to get any ratchet up underneath the shifter.

As for the bushings by NH-SS I'm not sure why they were not close to the tolerance needed to accept the pivot pin. I've request a refund, but I'm not blaming him for it not working. It's just that something wasn't right.

I'll stay with the Hurst bushings until a problem develops, if one even does develop.

As for the Hurst short shifter I was surprised at how tall it was. The video's that I had seen when deciding to buy one seemed to look much shorter in height, but I'm okay with it anyway.

I don't want to discourage anyone else with a ZL1 to buy the Hurst or the bushings by NH-SS, but you may want to look at other options before a final decision.

[RogerBzSS]

Does the ZL1 have a different Shifter Pin Size than the SS did??

[PAUL SS]

Was that a factory Hurst shifter or an aftermarket Hurst Bullet 2? I had a tough time getting mine done, but I didn't remove mine from the car.

[bbboomer54]

It was the aftermarket Hurst Billet Shifter 2. The pins are apparently different in the ZL1.

[The 2010 Sin]

Originally Posted by bbboomer54

What a frustrating day. I finally got an opportunity to install my Hurst billet short shifter but it didn't end up as planned. I ordered a set of metal bushings from NH-SS to ensure that I didn't have the play and noise issue. Things started out good. I pressed in the new bushings and then proceeded the burnishing process. Between myself and two other mechanics we could not, for the life of us, get the pin to fit into the bushings using the drilling approach in instructions. After 4 hours we only made it half way through one bushing. Then the bushing started to spin in the shifter. At that point we decided to abandon the process before any damage was done. The factory nylon bushings were reinserted after wrestling out the metal bushings. All-in-all it took over 5 hours for something that should have taken no longer than one hour.


I'll stay with the Hurst bushings until a problem develops, if one even does develop.

As for the Hurst short shifter I was surprised at how tall it was. The video's that I had seen when deciding to buy one seemed to look much shorter in height, but I'm okay with it anyway.

I don't want to discourage anyone else with a ZL1 to buy the Hurst or the bushings by NH-SS, but you may want to look at other options before a final decision.

are you sure you were burnishing correctly? It only took me 45 minutes. to do perfectly . :-/ Sorry for your issues, its by far the best bushing set on the market and by far the best shifter with them installed.