R & I shift rod, bushing and coupler replacement. Allow 2.5 hours for the first timer.
Block the wheels and be sure the E’ brake is set. Put the shifter in neutral and remove the two 13mm head bolts that secure the shifter ....caution there may be grease on the underside and note the position of the shifter plate as it has a longer lip on the right side. Carefully pull back the carpet above the access plate that is located on top of the center tunnel just in front of the rear seat area, Remove the phillip's head plate screw, plate and also the safety wire (that should be there) that passes through the small hole in the bolt square head. Remove the square head 9mm bolt that secures the coupler to the trans rod noting that it has a point on the end that rests into the trans rod indent. Also remove the 9mm bolt ( small wrench) that passes through the shifter coupler, you will have to use a narrow vise grip the opposite fastener and try not to drop the hardware into the tunnel( you will though and a long needle nose pliers will allow you to retrieve it) and set this aside . If the rubber or red blocks are loose in the openings, you'll need to replace the coupler with a new one on reinstall. Centered behind the axle beam, remove the two 10mm head bolts that secure the oval access cover. Using the long nose pliers go back to the shifter hole grab the shift rod and rotate it a 1/8” turn this will allow the top of the rod cup to pass forward without hitting the top of the tunnel. Grabbing the rod and moving the rod forward an inch or so at a time until it drops out of the nylon bushing. Now grab the rod again and shove it hard and forward letting it drop in the tunnel, reach in the front narrow oval access and remove the rod, it will be a tight fit to get it past the rear of the battery box but it is doable, lightly sand off any rust wipe it clean with a very light coat with WD 40 and set it aside.......do not paint it.
Look in the shifter hole noting the slot in the nylon bushing that is holding it there you must.... put the new one into that same slot on the new nylon bushing ( you can easily do this wrong) Using the long nose pliers, pull the nylon bushing and wire ring out of the bushing hanger.
Replacing the bushing: I don’t bother trying to replace the metal securing ring (almost impossible) as the slot in the bushing /hanger and the rod holds it in place. I use one of two different methods to install ….A) a long 1/8” socket extension set into the shifter hole and angle it to rest against the bushing hanger hole, slide the new bushing down the extension and it will come to rest at the hanger, now gently push it into the hanger hole with a screwdriver being careful not to damage it. B) Roll the new bushing smaller than the actual size and grab that with the pliers , slide it into the hanger and release the piers allowing the bushing to expand and adjust the bushing as needed to get it into the correct mounting slot.
Reassembly is the reverse order ( unless you are replacing the coupler with a weld on adjuster then do follow their instruction ) Be sure to put a bit of grease in the nylon bushing this make reinstalling the rod easy and smooth shifting.
