914-6 tail-shifter rear shift rod end - trouble?, Shouldn't this come apart somehow? Options

[smj]

I got my tail-shifter shift linkage bushings from Pelican on Friday; today I happily jacked up my 914-6 to try to put them in. I knew there were differences between the linkage for the -6 and the -4, but I'm not clear how much of what I'm seeing is factory and how much is Mickey...

I did start off following this thread: http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=109708 But things diverged pretty quickly. For example, there's a U joint at the firewall end instead of the pair of pivots:



Well maybe that's the way it should be. Looks like somebody replaced the one nut not too long ago... Moving on, here's the sad state of affairs at the far end after I unbolted the support bracket:



Bushing is toast, of course - looks to be rubber, not plastic. The firewall end of the rear shift rod has flanges for the U joint. Wait a minute... How the heck do I get the bracket off?!? I looked for a set screw at the back end of the rear shift rod, but it looks like a rivet:



What the... I poked around at what I think should be a set screw, but it isn't hex shaped inside - and I can pass a 2mm Allen wrench all the way through, it's completely hollow. Here's the best I can do for a close up of both sides:



So... Is this some Mickey Mouse "improvement" somebody's made along the way, or is there a trick to getting that end/bracket off of the rear shift rod? The clear sign of welding about six inches in from the end does not comfort me any...

Thanks! I'm gonna go get some coffee and pray somebody's got a tip for me while I work at the shifter end of things...

[GeorgeRud]

Can't tell for sure, but it looks somewhat like a roll pin. Should be able to punch it out with a drift (perhaps soaking in Kroil or PB Blaster first) and using heat if necessary.

If the part is still available, buying a new pin may give you some idea of what is holding it together. Worst case, drill it put and replace with a new roll pin. I think you definitely want to replace that bushing with a new one, as well as at the firewall.

[smj]

Can't tell for sure, but it looks somewhat like a roll pin. Should be able to punch it out with a drift (perhaps soaking in Kroil or PB Blaster first) and using heat if necessary.

Thanks George (and Dr. Evil, and mskala) - guess this is just another part of basic mechanical stuff that I never ran into before. Must not be that hard if this is the standard procedure for replacing these bushings.

Yes, it is a roll pin. Not hard to do as per George Rud's suggestion. Then you can replace both bushings, front & rear.
While you're at it, check the parts diagram for all related parts not shown in your pics. You seem to be missing them.
Also, check the bushing in the tunnel while you're at it. If there is any play, replace it.

Another good idea, thanks. And on the other bushings - well, we'll get to that...

Yeah, that is the AA POS that I tried to use many years ago. It wore out so fast that I put the original (broken one) back in with some JB weld and it worked better for a while.

My best guess is that A Bauer in Oakland did this as well as the cabin shifter bushings less than 200 miles ago (but 2006). The line item was just for "shift ball socket" at $6.66 but labor was a smidge over $150, so...

Next post is where I wound up.