Very Scary Experience!

[Pujambo17]

Heres what happened, I was driving to class last Wednesday morning. I came to a stop sign about 3 miles from the college, went to put it into 1st and 'POP"!. It was a very un-nerving sound, very loud. I realized that my short shifter was flailing aimlessly to and fro. It popped out of the ball joint in the housing! Luckily I had successfully got it into first gear so for the rest of my trip I had to rev to about 4-5000rpms and then hit the clutch to coast all the way to the school parking lot, where I spent the time before class ripping my center console out and getting the shifter back connected. It turns out the little clip that holds it on doesnt even extend over the edges of the white cap at the end of the shifter,.....there was nothing holding it in! I rigged it with a wire tie until I could get home to work on it. Imagine if that had happened on the Interstate.

I still love my TWM SS though but I shift like a 6 year old girl now.

Just wanted to share! Later........

[redcellyinfl]

close call.. havent heard that happen be4...

[Chris25NJ]

are you sure you put the clip back on that holds the linkage in the socket?

[2002GT_Celica]

Another reason automatic transmissions rule! j/k :naughty:

[redcellyinfl]

haha yeah dood keep tellin yourself that!

[TRD StreetRacing]

hmmmmmm......when i put my clip on the lil ball thinggy....it fit fine as i recall.....let me check out tomorrow....thanx for the info though

[Pujambo17]

yeah, I know I put the clip on, that was the problem, the clip that was on there wasnt locking the edges of the white cap to keep it from popping out.

I took the housing back out and with a pair of pliers bent the clip inward in the middle so that it would actually perform its job. I though about slipping a little wire tie between the edges of the clip to hold them in place but I didnt.

Its the first problem Ive had with the TWM SS but Im pretty sure it was user error not a problem with the shifter. A few days prior I was practicing my shifting and might have been shifting a little too hard and quick which could have bent the clip outward a little from the tension.

who knows............. I just hope it doesnt happen again!

[wahili]

which clip was messed up..installing my TWM tomorrow so i would like to know.. which step in the instructions?

[Pujambo17]

The clip I am speaking about is the one at the very bottom of the actual shifter (not housing). At the very bottom of the shifter there is a ball socket where the shifter snaps into. The clip is a piece of wire that runs on both sides of the socket and forms a U shape in the back. It holds the shifter into the socket. Hope that helps

[TRD StreetRacing]

trust me when i say this was the most hardest part to put on for me......that small asss clip too me like 30 min to put on.....my fingers were cut up after that

[Chris25NJ]

yeah mine was a b1tch to get on as well....eventually got it. Make sure it snaps up around the ball holding it into the socket.