FTBR FT590 Shifter Reinforcer Install/Review

[derieuz]

Full Tilt Boogie Shifter Reinforcer (FT 590) Home Install

Estimated Time Required (Proper Tools): 1-2 Hours
Estimated Difficulty (Proper Tools): Easy

Tools Required:
Jack
Jackstand
Blue Loctite
10mm Shallow Socket
15mm Socket
18mm Socket
Tons of Swivel Extensions
Torque Wrench
Gear-Rack or other really thick grease (Optional)
Extra O-rings (optional)
Magnetic screwdriver (optional)
Determination
Peroxide to clean up all of the tiny cuts on your fingers when you are done...

This was a very simple install in theory but is a major pain in the behind if you are stubborn and do not remove the exhaust + driveshaft. It IS POSSIBLE AND I DID IT, but it would be a 10 minute job if the driveshaft and exhaust was not in the way.

Overall, I really do like this bracket. I removed my whiteline transmission bushing because of the NVH it created from the clutch. I do not mind gear noise at all, but I really hated hearing the sound of clunking coming from clutch engagement/disengagement. This bracket did exactly what I wanted, it almost completely got rid of the clutch engagement noises and has lower gear noises. It appears that gear noise is more apparent when it is extremely cold outside, it is currently 10 degrees~ in Michigan so the noise is hit or miss. When it was warmer, the noise was not apparent. If you have your music volume on greater than 10%, you will not hear any noise whatsoever. I have this paired with the Steeda shifter bracket and I really do think the Steeda shifter bracket + FTBR enforcer brace is a very good combination for someone looking to improve their shifter precision without an increase of NVH. If you combine these two items with the whiteline bushing or even the boomba transmission mount, the precision would be absolutely comparable to the big-dog shifters such as MGW, Barton, and Steeda (minus the short throw obviously). Bottom of the line, if you want a balance of precision with low NVH, this is what you want to get.If you have ever driven a solid-mount transmission before, the shifter has a vibration to it. The FTBR bracket does transfer this same vibration, but it is not like it is violent whatsoever. You don't notice the shifter moving at all until you touch it and physically feel the vibration, personally I think it gives you more shifter feel (i guess technically that is what it is right?). There is no interior rattling whatsoever from this, only a slight increase in gear noise and shifter feel (vibration). I give it a 5/5 rating.

Installation:

• Step 1: Jack the car up as high as you can, place it on jack stands.
• Step 2: Remove the two 15mm nuts under the transmission bracing.
• Step 3: Place the car jack underneath the transmission, jack the transmission up just enough where it is holding it in place, i usually watch the end of the threads (where the nuts were just removed) and the second it starts to lift i stop jacking it up. Keep the jack there, use a jackstand as a safety measure as well.
• Step 4: Remove the 4 18mm bolts that are holding up the transmission bracing, the brace will fall down. Place the brace aside.
• Step 5: Remove the 3 18mm bolts holding up the "connecting mount" on the transmission, The connecting mount will then fall.
• Step 6: If you do not have the steeda shifter bracket, make sure you tape up the shifter base assembly. After that is done, remove the 4 10mm bolts that are holding the shifter base together.
• Step 7: Fish the FTBR bracket around the drive shaft.
• Step 8: Using the supplied hardware, put blue loctite on the 3 18mm bolts that mount the transmission "connecting mount". Hold up the mount where it is suppose to go and fish the 3 bolts through the FTBR bracket and transmission mount. Once youve started the threads, I tightened them all the way down and then backed them out about 2 turns, this allows play in the bracket.
• Step 9: Using the supplied 10mm bolts, put blue loctite on the 4 10mm bolts. Carefully place the 10mm bolts through the top of the FTBR bracket into the shifter base assembly. This was a major pain in the behind. It would really help if you had a magnetic screwdriver or magnetic socket set to get these things started. Once they are started, take your frankenstein-like swivel extension assembly with the short 10mm socket and tighten the 4 10mm bolts. Get them to hand tight and then do one good turn on them each, they only need to be torqued to 25 in-lbs, so this should be sufficient with blue loctite.
• Step 10: Put the transmission brace back on with the 4 18mm bolts, torque these bad boys down to 55 ft-lbs.
• Step 11: Lower the transmission off of the jack, the transmission will now fall into place.
• Step 12: Torque the 3 18mm bolts holding the FTBR bracket to the transmission down to 80 ft-lbs.
• Step 13: Place the 2 15mm nuts back onto the transmission mount, torque them to 45 ft-lbs

• Step 14: Go into the interior, remove your shift knob and shift boot assembly. There are a couple clips holding this in place, the plastic piece is very brittle so make sure you are pulling while wiggling/applying even pressure. There are 3 tabs holding down the reverse-lockout collar to the shifter, press the tabs in and it will pop right off.
• Step 15: Slide the large o-ring onto the shift and slide the small o-ring on top of the plastic ring that is at the top of the shaft. I used some thick gear-rack grease to further reduce any possibility of vibration getting transferred to the shifter. I also replaced the big o-ring with a piece of foam that I cut out with some scrap material I had around at work. FTBR claims that these two o-rings would be more than enough, but I took the extra steps because I had the scrap materials available.
• Step 16: Reassemble the shifter, give yourself a pat on the back, and go clean the new cuts you have on your knuckles from trying to tighten those 4 10mm bolts earlier. :headbonk:

Again, great product by FTBR. Definitely something that should be on your "list of mods" to do (unless you have a racing short-shifter).

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[Budwise]

Yea, I tried to fab up something like you did for the vibration but was not successful. No matter what I try the shifter collar buzzes against the shaft. Thinking of just going back to stock until I can afford an MGW. I don't have the Steeda bracket though...