Rich Detert short shifter install problem

[99BLKRT/10]

I cannot for the life of me get the stock shaft off. The stock knob and it's "immediate" shaft comes off with no problem. I've removed the whole center panel and to get to the 19mm bolt requires an almost impossible angle to get to. I have a Generation two and it seems that his website instructions are for a Gen 1. Is there a difference between the two for installation?

Help!!???

 

[BobK898]

You need to get a crow's foot to get that bolt, I have a gen

 

[BobK898]

Cut short there, oops. I have a gen II and went through the same thing. I drove it over to a nearby garage and borrowed theirs.

 

[99BLKRT/10]

Ok cool.. Just making sure I was tackling the right bolt. The 19mm seems a little big and the 17mm seemed a little small. Would that stock bolt happen to be 18mm?

 

[matt lankford]

i bought 50 bucks worth of crows feet and still couldnt get mine no matter how hard i tried. i solved my problem with a mgw short shifter

 

[99BLKRT/10]

OMG! That's discouraging!!! Anybody else out there care to share how they got their GenII stock shifter off for the Rich install?

 

[tzoid]

I have a '99GTS w/ Detert's shifter installed. Had the Viper tech do it. He said it took him only a few minutes to do, but I believe he did it from the bottom while the car was on a lift. The dealer didn't even charge me he did it so quickly, while oil was being changed. If you want the tech's name and phone number at the dealer, email me.

 

[BobK898]

Sorry to hear the crow's foot didn't work for you, but that is the tool you need to get that off. You don't need to get the car in the air. I forget what size it was, it was over a year ago.

 

[KenH]

I just installed one of Rich's short shafts yesterday in my '01. I used a regular open end 19mm wrench on mine (3/4" will also work) and though the angle was kind of tight, by putting the shifter in 1st to get the best angle, I got mine off without much difficulty. A crows foot would have made it easier.

 

[99BLKRT/10]

First gear was the only angle I could get at the bolt. However, in my case, there isn't enough room to turn the wrench because of the position the wrench is in. I think I'll try a crows foot and go from there.

 

[BlueGTS]

Get a 19mm crow’s foot wrench and you will have no problem at all. I first tried it without the crow’s foot but could not do anything with it. Maybe if I had stubby wrenches, who knows. The crow’s foot makes short work of it.

 

[slaughterj]

What the hell is a crow's foot wrench? It was a major PITA to get the old shaft off, but I eventually was able to do it (Gen II), just a lot of effort is all.

 

[Detlef]

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[andrew8896]

I did that job the other day, I just took an open end wrench (dont remember what size) to hold the transmission arm still, then turned the shaft right off with a 3/4" crowsfoot (19mm is probably the correct size).

How much shorted did you guys go? I found that 2" was a little too much, so I just went with 1.25" off the original length and it seems to be perfect.

 

[Detlef]

Using Rich's 3" shaft (I believe a 1.75" reduction from stock) proves just right for me.

 

[99BLKRT/10]

3/4" crowsfoot saved the day!! Using the "foot" made the install easy. Love the way the 3" shaft feels now! Doesn't feel like I'm shifting a truck anymore.

Best 25 bucks I ever spent for the Snake!

 

[Neil - UK]

any pictures of the 3" shaft with the standard OE gen2 knob fitted please, I'm interested in doing this as well

 

[Detlef]

All right, here you go

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[Neil - UK]

great, many thanks for taking the time to post these pics

cheers