Problem Shifting Into 3rd Gear (Shifter Assembly) Options

[HardHead93]

When I was at my track day yesterday I was sometimes having problems shifting into 3rd gear under high rpm. It was weird, the shift felt soft when I pushed it into 3rd almost like if I pushed any harder my fist would go through the console. I knew it couldn't be a tranny thing, it had to be something with the shifter so I pulled the center console and started playing with it. I noticed whenever I put it into 3rd the hard plastic shifter assembly flexed a little. Does anyone have a fix for this? I know some people switch to a metal assembly but I do not know if that is an option for our cars. It is really annoying to not know if you have the car in gear before you let out the clutch.

[Bitter]

Solid shifter cable bushings bind. You want the hemispherical joint bushings. Cost more but work way better!!

[slavie]

If you have a hard time shifting into gears, check whether your clutch disengages fully, or you depress the pedal fully "in the heat of the moment". Any drag on the clutch will put load on the gears making shifting more difficult. To check, with your clutch depressed, shift into reverse and there should be no grinding at all (there's no synchro on reverse, so if any power is going to the input shaft the gears will grind)

Solid shifter base bushings will remove a lot of flex from the shifter. Shifter cable bushings will remove the slack, as in how much your shifter can be moved before it starts engaging the gear lever (best felt when the car is in gear). I would say both are worthwhile upgrades, especially considering the price. Base bushes will get rid of 85% flex, shifter bushes remove the other 15%.

Short shifters allow you to shift more quickly by reducing the required shifter travel at the expense of shifting effort. Too short a short shifter will require significantly more force force, you'll definitely feel it.
Also, you may require spacers to raise your shifter base with a "very short" shifter. This is why they often come in kits with the shifter itself.
7GC is one example - the cheap $30 short shifter kit comes with solid base bushings that raise the base about 3/8-1/2 up. Removed a ton of flex, but the shifter is "very short" and I can feel the muscles in my hand after a spirited rowing session.

Solid shifter cable bushings bind. You want the hemispherical joint bushings. Cost more but work way better!!

I've read that, too, BUT: I've been running solid brass shifter cable bushings (from speedsource) on my 5SFE/S51 Camry for over 4 years/~20k miles/multiple track days with no ill effects and have nothing but praise to report. Much better than stock worn out rubber bushings that gave me a lot of slop.

However, for my 7GC, I did order F608 bearings (flanged 608 bearings, not regular 608) and will supplement them with some large washers. The cost was comparable to brass bushings, and I agree that it should be better in theory. NOTE: 6GC requires different diameter bushings, as one linkage is bigger diameter (smaller one will take the 22mm 608 bearing though)