How To - Megan Racing Short Shifter Install

[sidewazegtst]

Hi everyone.

Well I'm not sure if anyone here has heard of or even uses Megan Racing products however, this shifter is great and I previously had it in my 240sx. So because I loved it so much, I bought another one and yep, I'm happy.

Despite that it's not a JDM product I must say that the MR short shifter is worth every penny. It's a very solid unit, percise through and makes it approx 40% shorter then stock.

Ok well lets get down business here.

Tools Needed: Socket Wrench, Extender, 10mm Socket, Knife or Razor Blade, Needlenose Plyers, Flathead Screwdriver and Thread Lock.

Other Items Needed: 4 x longer bolts (the ones provided with the short shifter are to short). Basically bring one of the silver brackets from your short shifter to any local hardware store (I usedHome Depot here in Canada) along with one of the allan head bolts and get four (4) new ones that are double the length of the ones supplied in the kit. Then test that they fit the bracket but screwing them in. I'd suggest buying actual bolts though and ones that with a 10mm head so you don't need to switch sockets. Thats what I did but it's not manditory. You will also want a new shifter bushing. DO NOT use the one provided in the kit. Simply go to Nissan and order a shifter bushing for any model 240sx. It costs like $2.00 ish and is best for this install.

Steps:

1. First remove the stock shifter knob. It may be on quite tight but if you want to reuse you shifter boot (with out cutting it) keep twisting untill you here it cracked lose. Once it's off, remove the shifter boot from the center console piece. It comes really easy and you should now see the stock rubber boot and metal retainer ring.

2. Using your Ratchet, extender and 10mm socket remove the 4 bolts on the metal ring. You can then remove the ring and stock rubber boot by just lifting them up. There's actually two (2) boots inside each other. Mine happened to stay stuck together as one but if yours does'nt, no worries. Put these to the side.

3. Now you should see another rubber boot, smaller then the other one, that is attatched to the shifter by way of a little platic ziptie. Now mine happened to already be pouched as in it was cracked and ripped. Again, no big deal as your removing it anyway and not using it all with this short shifter. So either take it off as a whole piece or rip it off in pieces, either way it does'nt matter. The lower shifter assembley should not be exposed.

4. Ok this part is little tough due to the fact you must now remove two (2) spring clamps that hold the shifter in place. One (1) of them has two (2) little round holes on the ends of it and the other does'nt. Now I removed the one with the round holes first. Simply get hold of one end using your needle nose plyers and pulll. The other one is a little more tricky and I used my knife and plyers here. Basically use the point of your knife to push one end out enough that you can then grab it with the plyers and again, pull! With those out you can now remove the stock shifter, simpley pull up. Below the shifter is the ball housing that you can also pull out but be carefull, there's a little round metal gasket beneath it. You'll need that so get it too. You now have a clear view in to your tranny.

5. Now on the stock shifter you'll notice a plastic round ring. You'll need to remove it in order to have your new shifter sitting down tight with no rattling. As the stock shifter does'nt come apart in two pieces, you'll have to cut the ring on one side and take it off that. Be carefull you don't snap it in two piece's but if that happens, don't fret you can still use the ring. Oh and FYI, you can't order that piece from Nissan by it's self I know, I've tried. Take your new shifter bushing and push it on to the MR shifter. It's a little tough but what I did was put the bushing on the end of the shifter, grabbed a rag and wrapped that over it, pulled tight, put the shifter on the ground and pushed my weight down on it. It should snap right in to place.

6. Ok your now ready to install your short shifter. I've included a link on how the whole assembley goes in to the transmission but on the new shifters a couple of things have changed. The blue metal ring is now silver and the blue square bracket is now silver. Other then that though, it's right. However it does'nt show anything about using the stock plastic shifter ring as this was something I came up with on my own. First unsrcew the shifter in to two (2) pieces. Using the end that goes in to the transmission you first put the stock plastic ring on (flat side up facing you) then the other plastic spacer ring provided in your shifter kit. You then apply thread lock to that end and screw the shifter back in to one (1) piece using only hand/arm strenght and tighten it as much as you can.

7. First place the little metal gasket in, then the silver metal spacer ring from your kit, then the shifter ball housing, then the shifter itself. The shifter will only fit in one certain way and look right. If you put it in and the shifter is pointing towards your radio deck, take it out and turn it around. The stock plastic ring sits in the ball housing and the new spacer ring on top of that.

http://www.drestudios.com/howto/megan.htm

8. Prior to putting the bracket in place I found it much easier to losely attach one (1) bolt in each silver bracket on oppisite corners of the silver square bracket. Slide the square on to the shifter and then put each of the metal brackets in to the slits on the shifter housing of the transmission. Thats what holds everything in place so ensure that each bracket is in the slit. Then put in the last two (2) bolts and go in a criss/cross pattern to finger tighten them down with one hand, while holding the brackets tight in the slit with the other hand. It's a little awkward but it's important so that the whole assembley is attatched securely. After it's really snug, use your ratchet again and tighten down the bolts again in a criss/cross pattern to make sure they are indeed tight!

9. Pull up on the shifter and make sure there's no upward movement and that it's tight. If so, you can now put back the stock rubber shifter boot(s), then the metal retaining ring, use your ratchet to tighten the four (4) 10mm bolts in a criss/cross pattern. Then put your leather shifter boot over the shifter, screw on the knob supplied or your own and BINGO YOUR DONE!!!

So start your car and go for a drive. It'll take you a few minutes to get used to it and don't be surprised if you let of the clutch faster then you shift and vise versa. After a little drive, you'll be good and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. If there's any questions, comments or concerns feel free to ask and I'll be more then happy to address them. I don't have any pictures as I actually installed this while at work. That's one of the good things about my job, I have lots of free time to work on my car.

If anyone is interested in purchasing one, PM me because I get them at a very sweet deal on them. I have'nt sold anything here yet but I am VERIFIED with Paypal so your money would be insured as well (don't quote me) but I don't think shipping will cost to much either. Probabely around $20.00 ish.

Well enjoy and have a good one.

Cheers

[SuAvE-1]

good write up man. just installed my own short shifter and i was stuck till i got your write up on the screen in the car. very helpful.

1 thing though, possibly due to being a different kit, but the (4) bolts for the bracket are ample length, you just have to flip the two surrounding brackets up the opposite way so that it will grab on to the screws.

I used the generic one off ebay, seems like its all good! Thanks

[sidewazegtst]

Thanks man I appreciate the kind words.

Well I don't know about the kits off ebay but I do know the bolts in the MR kits are to short but I'm glad yours worked out good and that this write up helped out.

Take care.

Cheers