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How To: TWM Shifter Bushings & Console Disassembly

38K views 27 replies 17 participants last post by  bigriver  
#1 · (Edited)
I couldn't find any specific guides with pictures for disassembling the 2010 MS3 center console (it is a tad different from gen1) for installing the TWM Shifter Bushings. Luckily it wasn't that hard, but for someone who's never really modded a car before, even pulling apart plastic housing can seem a little intimidating. Until you put in some elbow grease. :)

Anyway, this guide is primarily for a buddy of mine with some conjecture and should just be used as an accompaniment so there shouldn't be any surprises. This is a very minimal install and does not require disassembling and removing the entire console, though it may be necessary if you have large hands or don't have access to someone with small hands. :p

First time pulling apart the center console, pull the e-brake up as high as possible, start with the cupholder open, stick your hands inside and pull as straight vertical as you can. The sides and front actually came out for me first, with the back last. But ideally the back should come out first as clip holding it in is different from the rest, and if you're lucky, the motion will loosen the shifter housing as well.



If not, no big deal. After removing the cup holder, took off the shift knob, and then I stuck my hand in and stretched the inside console housing a little to free the bottom clips of the shifter cover.



At this point, gently tug from the bottom and lift up slightly. The whole thing should come out. Remember to raise the shift boot over the threaded shift lever.



The areas in the green circle pop right out when you insert a flathead screwdriver. My guess is they're for heated seats which we don't have! For the 12V DC adapter, take off the blue housing, and look for a vertical slot along the beige housing. Plop in a flathead and it's all clear.



For the ball-socket circled in blue, I used needle nose pliers wrapped in electrical tape and lifted rather than using the edge of the housing as a fulcrum. Do both. Also, pull the shift cable joints out of the housing circled in green. They're in a bit tight, left one came out easier than the right one. Pull as straight vertical as possible. They click in and out.



I had to tug and remove the cable circled in red. Takes a fair bit of force. One of three things will happen: the ziptie will pop out of the plastic housing, the ziptie itself will undo itself (this happened to me), or the clip will break. Also you see the two 10mm bolts.

After everything was removed, took out the four bolts. Removed each thrust washer with a very small flathead screwdriver as a wedge. To remove the rubber bushing, I stuck my hand underneath the housing, grabbed at it, and used needle nose pliers to pinch the top of the bushing and force it out the bottom while pulling on it simultaneously.

When installing the new shifter bushings, be very gentle when sliding them under the shift housing as they can fall under the carpet along the sides. Align them as best you can, put on the washer and realign each hole with the 10mm bolt. Tighten down evenly as if you were changing a tire, and reverse everything above.

Then go for a ride! Shifter feels absolutely amazing now. It almost pops right into the gear with minimal effort and less focus. Definitely feels more bouncy as the rubber washers dampened that effect, but missed 2nd-3rd shifts seem mostly eliminated for me.

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Additional resources:

Santiago's gen1 MS3 pictorial

Redline Goods Guide in PDF
 
#12 ·
TWM actually sent me a PDF of how to install it in the 2010. attached below. Good write up tho!
 

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#3 ·
I just installed mine today using these instructions. Thanks for the 'How-To' by the way! it's a great mod and the shifting feels more crisp, but when i took it out for a test drive on the back roads i still have the shift from 2 to 3 problem. I've got a rear motor mount to help fix this issue, but have yet to install it. I will install it when my UR downpipe and test pipe come in next week and do it all at the same time.
 
#4 ·
Yeah, I'll be picking up a CP-E 75 duro rear motor mount sometime next month. Hopefully this'll make the shifting feel even more smooth and precise. But for $30, these are definitely a worthwhile upgrade and good experience in getting into the console if you ever decide to swap to a short throw shifter.
 
#7 ·
They are underneath the 10mm bolts in the last step, all they are is a rubber grommet with a metal insert, you have to pry out the metal insert, then pull out the rubber part, it's kind of a pain but it doesn't take too long
 
#9 ·
Thanks HomieJaime and catchphrase, I just ordred a set from Jbarone. I'm glad you guys are here to make things clear for someone like me who haven't done things like this. Heck, I'm even more thankful because Jbarone's website install instructions are very vague at best for someone who is new to this. The last picture posted makes things clear!

Anywasy, my parts are on it's way (hopefully), but I have one more question. Is it easier to take one bolt/bushing at a time, or is it best to take them all off at the same time?
 
#10 ·
Take out all four rubber/metal washers, then slip the new metal bushings underneath the shift housing. Just need to get them in the general position, put the washer on top of the shift housing, and align it with the 10mm bolt by hand tightening to prevent cross-threading before ratcheting them down.
 
#11 ·
#14 ·
Yea unfortunately I had to. I actually have rather large hands and the wratchet extension that I have is not very long so I had to take the whole cover off. It really was rather easy and I had it installed and put back together in a matter of 25-30 mins tops.
 
#16 · (Edited)
I'm stuck installing my bushings.

So I have everything removed, and I'm at the step with the shifter cables and the ball socket. I'm confused as to how to get the ball socket out, does it fully remove? I can just get it to tilt to one side. And does it need to be out for you to pull the shifter cables? Because I tried pulling them pretty damn hard and all i did was cut up my hands. I noticed this step isn't in TWM's write up, is it necessary?

EDT: I do have an MZ3 but it looks to be the same exact process.

Got them without removing the shifter cables
 
#17 ·
Cup Holder Removal

Hey guys,

Thanks for posting up instructions, but I seem to be stuck at Step #1 -- pulling out the cup holder. From the TWM instructions linked to earlier, it says that the back clip should remove easily, so I don't want to pull too hard and risk breaking anything in my car. Should I just pull harder or is there a trick to it? Can anyone post more pictures of this step so I can see the underside of the cup holder and perhaps how much (if any) of the center storage area is also removed?

Thanks!
 
#18 ·
just grab it beside the e brake and pull. you won't break anything.

Image
 
#19 ·
Managed to snap it a bit anyways :(

Hey guys,

So I tried just pulling it and managed to snap the thin piece of plastic on the left most-side (the cup-holder side, not the parking brake side). However, I did figure everything else out alright, so that's a plus. Also, now that I know where the clips are and how the pull out, I don't think there will be a future problem. Anyone know if I can order this piece again though? It's only cosmetic damage, and it's relatively un-noticeable once everything is snapped back into place, but I'd prefer not to have broken stuff in my car already.

The piece I'm looking for is available here:

2010 Mazda MAZDA3 Console - Parts.com

but only as part of an entire "park brake cover" assembly that includes the cup-holder and will run me $73 before shipping. If you look at the illustration, I only want the part of the image labeled #10, without the subdiagram labeled #11. I feel a bit as though for such a simple plane of plastic, it really shouldn't run more than $20, but I don't know if anyone will sell it to me separately.

Thanks again!
 
#20 ·
you broke it? how? sorry, bub...ya might have to bite the bullet and buy that. i highly doubt anyone has that just laying around.
 
#21 ·
The part I circled in red is the place where it snapped. Essentially there are three clips along the left side, and the two on either end released, but the middle one didn't initially, so it snapped. Nothing snapped off though, it just broke clean through, so on re-installing, it is hardly noticeable. Probably not worth a $73 fix at the moment, so I'm hoping I can find something cheaper. I sort of feel as though the part should be available, because they sell the cup-holder part separate, so if you take away the part I want, you still have a saleable item.
 

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#22 ·
I've been searching for the center console brake cover and can't find anything cheaper! That is a bit ridiculous for a piece of plastic!
 
#24 ·
Just did this install, but used JBarone bushings. Wasnt expecting much from a $25 mod, but I was actually pleasently surprised by the improvment.. Its a modest change that you get used to quickly, but still very worth the cost and time..The spongy/mushy effect of the stock bushings is 100% removed. I dont understand why Mazda doesnt make these standard.. Go figure.. Also, i didnt have to pull the 2 cables and remove the circle thing although that would have made it and easier install(especially if you got big hands).. I just was paranoid about breaking something so I kept the removing stuff to a minimum. Lastly, I almost dropped a bushing into the carpet.. Watch out for that as that will probably double the lengthly of this install.. Of note I have a magnet extender to pick up steel in hard to reach places, but the JBarone bushings are made of something else and were unaffected by the magnet making it useless.. Just an fyi
 
#25 ·
Lastly, I almost dropped a bushing into the carpet.. Watch out for that as that will probably double the length of this install.. Of note I have a magnet extender to pick up steel in hard to reach places, but the JBarone bushings are made of something else and were unaffected by the magnet making it useless.. Just an fyi
Yeah, they're usually cut out of aluminum on a lathe which is not magnetic. You could technically do this with proper sized steel washers and some JB weld to hold them together.

If you drop a bushing into the carpet, there's a carpet flap in the middle of each seat where you can stick your hand through and reach for it.
 
#26 · (Edited)
i just did this install on saturday, had some problems so i had to remove the entire center console, which looks intimidating, but wasnt hard at all

as others have said removing it gives you a lot more space to work, and my giant sausage fingers/hands simply dont fit in that little area so the whole thing had to come out - aside form a few electrical connectors, its only 4 screws to remove

anyway shifting is improved, and its a great and effective compliment to a rear engine mount, shifter feels very solid and precise now

thanks to everyone for instructions, pictures etc