MTEC shift springs
 

Do you have any feedback on these? : http://ft86speedfactory.com/mtec-shi...g-kit-949.html

Does it make a real difference?

Yes one of best mods I did for sure 100% if you search this out there is lots of discussion on this spring set btw. :)

I replied to another thread on these, but I'll tell you they are definitely worth it. I just installed them a couple of weeks ago to go with my Kartboy shifter, Kartboy transmission mount insert, and Perrin rear shifter bushing, and it all adds up to a very precise shifting experience. With Pentosin fluid in the trannie it feels like a well oiled rifle bolt sliding home. Much recommended!

Totally worth it even on the stock shifter, feeling is believing...




** That's what she said...

Completely worth it. Best value mod I've ever done.

Do you need to drop the front pipe to gain access? Any special tools required?

Best mod ever... no need to remove anything aside from the cardboard panel

Worth it. Costs less than a dinner at a restaurant.

Ok so I just had a quick peek under...one side requires a 10mm hex which looks easy enough to get to....but the other side needs a socket and looks like a bitch the get that out because not enough room.

By the way what size socket for that?

The domed nut is a bitch to get out without the right ratchet and socket combo. I ended up needing to hit Harbor Freight and the impact sockets were perfect depth. Put the socket on the nut and then push the ratchet onto the nut.

Thanks. I think it needs a 1 1/16 (27mm) socket. Did you have enough space to run a 1/2 drive to 3/8 adaptor?

Hmm I wonder if vice grips on the socket will work? LoL

The only special tool I would say that most don't have would be the 27mm socket.

27mm and it's actually pretty easy to get to. :)

Definitely do not use vice grips.


Install video guys, also on the page of our site.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk8mkTfLANk"]MTEC Shift Spring Installation for Scion FRS / Subaru BRZ / Toyota 86 - YouTube[/ame]

Yes it is a 27mm. I tried several setups and found the 1/2" to 3/8" adapter with a long flex head ratchet worked pretty good. You could always remove the front pipe to give more room. It was lock tighted in there and somewhat of a bitch. The 10mm has lock tight too and might be tough if using a regular allen like the video showed. There is not enough space to get a typical 1/4" allen socket in there, you will need a short one. Also there is not enough room to get a 1/4" torque wrench w/socket in there as the video suggested.

The springs are awesome btw

that 27mm is a bitch to get off. i ended up having to use a breaker, and it felt like i was gong to hurt something lol.

Product price: $32.98
Weight: ? Two small springs in a bag and a folded piece of light cardboard.
Shipping price to 53190: $48.65.

What?

You could literally put those in an envelope for $0.46. Is there some tax that I don't know about?

ft86speedfactory

I ordered mine direct from Mtec and it came out to $38.95 total. Still $6 for shipping but whatcha gonna do

Do you put the 1/2 to 3/8 adaptor on the 27mm socket first, then the flex joint after the adaptor? Or do you put the flex joint on the socket?

Coz I need to buy a flex/universal joint and need to know what drive size to get....

I was using a ratchet with a flex head on it like this one. If i remember correctly the adapter with a universal joint would put you into the exhaust. A series of extensions with a joint in the middle would not allow you to torque the 27 off. I didn't have a short enough 1/2" extension to get me out far enough and clear the exhaust. A deep 27 with a 1/2" ratchet might be the best way but i didn't have one of those either. If all else fails it would be pretty easy to remove that section of exhaust, then you could get your shallow 27 with 4" or so extension and bust it loose with a 1/2" ratchet.

lol...i just read that....anyways, I would hate to send you out buying tools unnecessarily
http://www.truckersnews.com/files/20...ad-ratchet.jpg

I got it off with a breaker bar no problem, but I can't get it to thread back up. Ugggh, been trying to get this stupid 27mm bolt back in for the past hour and my hand is cramping all up because I refuse to use the socket to start the treads for fear of crossthreading.

There is locktite on there! Make sure you clean it off from both the bolt threads and threads on the transmission. You're doing it right by hand tightening it, be patient take a break and start again, you will get it.

Suggestions on how to get locktite off the threads on the transmission? Would of been nice if the installation video mentioned how to get the locktite off.

Just used a rag and my finger. Wrapped the rag around my finger and spun it around the threads. Use a rag that will not leave any crap behind in the threads.

I tried that and got nothing. There was a little bit on the bolt when I first started but I cleaned that all off. Seriously starting to get frustrated. The side of my thumb is completely raw from the shitty casting on the transmission casing from trying to ease it in.

Is it possible to fuck up the casing threads by hand threading? Cause I don't see how I haven't gotten this thing in yet.

Took a break from it and did the other side. Piece of cake. Going on over 3 hours trying to get this bolt in now. :mad0260:


EDIT: Just a warning to those that are planning to do this. You might want to budget more than 30 minutes to do this. Maybe it was just my bad luck but it seems like there is no way to do this in 30 minutes with all the locktite on these threads. Oh and taking the front pipe out will get you LOADS more room in there. Still working on this POS bolt.

Did you try cleaning the threads in the transmission case? It took me 30 minutes to do both, and I didn't have to clean off the loctite.

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I see a tiny bit in there but no amount of rubbing is getting it off. I'm starting to wonder if I've somehow screwed up the threads on the transmission. I don't see how because I haven't put a socket on it yet.

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ok... finally got tired of trying to thread this thing is and decided to take a picture so I can see exactly what is going on in there.

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/...psea9f9c55.jpg

Wow... you can't even see all that locktite from below the car. Also, look where the red arrow is pointing. Is that a bunged up thread that might be preventing me from threading it on or is it just all that locktite that is keeping me from being able to thread it on?

I have no idea how to get all that off. I took a smallish wire brush and tried to clean it off but no luck.

Try q tips or a rag wrapped around a small screw driver

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A qtip isnt going to work. That crap is on there good. I'm going to have to leave the car on stands for the night as I have other crap that I have to do and go pick up a bent pick or something tomorrow from the hardware store. Good thing I have a second car or I'd be screwed.

That thread doesn't look bad at all, plus its almost half way around the entry spot. I would focus cleaning at the bottom there at the entry, its pretty gunked up right there. just getting that first thread cleaned off should help out quite a bit. Perhaps a piece of scotch brite pad would help with the cleaning.

If you can visualize that entry and line up the correct spot on the bolt it might save you from spinning 'round and 'round. I also found it quite fiddly when i did mine. With the blind entry and awkward angle I had to really focus on making sure it was square. It seemed I could have it like 1/4 way started but then it would fall out when I changed my grip. Finally, I had to risk it a bit and put my socket on it even though not 100% sure it was started correctly. The thread locker will fool you into thinking you didn't get it.

Not sure how practical this tip will be in this particular situation but it has helped me out a couple of times in the past. You could find a piece of hose the right diameter, cut it to a length a few inches or so long then just jam it on the head of the bolt. The extra length will provide relief to your hand as well as add dexterity. It also creates a feel so you know you are square to the hole and makes it almost impossible to damage the threads by cross threading.

Good luck to you. I have been in your shoes many times in the past and it is frustrating.

Soak a rag in brake cleaner, wrap it around you index finger and wipe it around the inside of the hole. Brake cleaner will remove just about anything...

I'd like to thank you for the brake cleaner idea. While it didn't clean it off by itself, it loosen it up enough for me to get a pick in there and scrap it off. Also the starting point of the threads on the transmission housing are deceptively further around than it looks. Managed to get it back in after about 15-20 minutes of wiping with brake cleaner and scraping that shit out.

I just finished install on the MTEC springs and took a test drive and they are really nice.

I had a lot harder time with the 10mm hex than I did with the 27mm bolt. I couldn't get a hex head socket that would fit up in the tunnel, so I had to just use a normal L-shaped wrench. It took forever at a crappy angle to get it out, but was a bit better to get back in.

Question - how critical is the torque value on the hex bolt?

Since I couldn't get anything other than the L wrench in there, I couldn't correctly torque it. What I did was put a 10mm hex in my torque wrench and go torque something else (a bike crank arm) to 18ft-lb so I would have the feel of it, sort of.

For the 27mm, a shortish socket with a 1/2-3/8 adaptor fit perfectly either on the torque driver or a normal driver. It was hard to bust loose and hard to get started threading back in, but much easier than that 10mm.

Is it recommended to use Loctite prior to reinstalling the bolts?


You can also clean the original green Loctite from the threads by dipping a microfiber cloth in Isopropyl alcohol and using your gloved finger inside the cloth to wipe the threads. It won't be as harsh as using brake cleaner and dissipates quickly.

I did not add fresh loctite, but not sure if that's correct or not. It wasn't mentioned in the install vid.

One note I forgot for folks - there are lots of little sharp burrs on the tranny. You will get cut up a bit (not badly, just little scrapes/slices). I tried it w/ normal gloves on first, but the dexterity is lost. Didn't have any latex gloves, but they would get cut through in an instant anyway.

I put a set on yesterday. Had trouble getting the 27 to sit correctly afterwards, but eventually got it. Shifter feels so much more solid. Words can't really do this justice

My friend and I did both of our cars with kartboy short shifters

The 1/2" drive kobalt 12pt 27mm socket is not tall enough to get on the large detention. The dome on that detent goes into the square hole in the socket where the ratchet would go :(

Luckily we had a deep 1 1/16" impact socket but it was so y'all we had to undo the bolt with a breaker bar. Definitely a chore to do on your back. You definitely want to have the right set of tools ready to go. The big detent was also painful to line up and thread back in.

I did put a fresh set of loctite blue on both. It took each car about 1 to 1.5 hours to do.





Overall I love the feeling. Have the Perrin rear shifter stay, Whiteline positive shift kit, kartboy short shifter and flossy knob. This spring is definitely night and day in feel. Although the shifter feels firmer, it takes less effort to shift. I like it very much



Best mod ever? I still think header+tune OR tires are the best thing for this car

Was it worth it? Borderline. The install (on jack stands) alone makes it not worth doing. On a lift, yeah it'll be less swearing. You may have to get a bunch of tools youll only use for this job and nothing else.

So what exactly do these little springs do in the transmission?

The springs keep the shifter centered. With stronger springs the shifter will center itself better, it allow for easier 2-3 and 3-4 shifts. At least it did in my case.

This is spot on. :)