Micro Image Short Shift Kit DIY

[jpmck03]

The following posts contain my DIY for installing the new MI SSK.

Attached is the actual DIY in PDF format for easy printing and use.

[jpmck03]

Disclaimer
These instructions are merely a guide. I’m not a mechanic, so please use this as guide at your own risk.

Suggested Tools
I used the following tools during my install. You may find that other tools my work better for your situation, so feel free to use what is best for you.

½-in. drive teardrop ratchet
¼-in. drive teardrop ratchet
sockets in ½-in. and/or ¼-in. drive:
10mm socket
12mm socket
14mm socket
7WR locking pliers
needle-nose pliers
WD-40
work gloves (optional)


http://yarisworld.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=750&pictureid=4643

[jpmck03]

Time Required
2 – 5 minutes.

Tools Needed

needle-nose pliers (optional)

Parts Needed

MI short shifter
MI-supplied cotter pin

Installation

http://yarisworld.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=750&pictureid=4644

The portion of the MI SSK that is the easiest to do is the short shifter. Armed with nothing but the short shifter itself, pop open the hood and identify what needs to be done:

Pull the cotter pin out of the end of the shifter cable. Needle-nosed pliers may be of assistance in removing the cotter pin.
Pull the shifter cable off the peg it was on, minding to not lose the washer on top of the shifter cable bushing.
Slip the short shifter onto the peg.
Reattach the OEM cotter pin to the short shifter, and
Reattach the shifter cable to the MI short shifter with the MI-supplied pin. Needle-nosed pliers are helpful in manipulating the MI-supplied cotter pin.

So, without removing the battery or the intake, you can reach in, disconnect everything, pop the MI short shifter in, and reattach everything with relative ease.

http://yarisworld.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=750&pictureid=4645

[jpmck03]

Time Required
Depending upon your skill level, I would estimate that this would 20 minutes (advanced skill level) to 2 hours (basic skill level). I was in no rush at all and would guess that I took at most 3 hours spread out over several days (this included documenting everything).

Tools Needed

all ratchets on page 1
all sockets on page 1
all pliers on page 1
WD-40
work gloves (optional)

Parts Needed

MI short shifter (if not already installed)
MI-supplied cotter pin (if short shifter not already installed)
MI shifter cable bracket
MI-supplied washers

Installaion

Disassembly
In order to install the complete MI short kit, you need to remove the stock shifter cable bracket and replace it with the MI shifter cable bracket. To do so, we must follow these steps to gain access to it and then remove it.
The first thing to do is remove the battery by removing the battery tie-down and disconnecting the battery (highlighted in yellow). The plastic battery tray is also removed at this time. This will give you ample access to the driver’s side shifter cable end.

http://yarisworld.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=750&pictureid=4646

If you already installed the MI short shifter, then remove the MI-supplied cotter pin from the short shifter and slip the shifter cable off of the peg on the short shifter. (The needle-nose pliers came in handy here.) If you have not installed the MI short shifter, you can remove the OEM cotter pin from the shifter cable end. If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of removing the air filter box, you can just remove the OEM cotter pin from the passenger side shifter cable end by reaching between the radiator and air supply hose. (Remember to remove and keep track of the washers that go over the cable bushing!)

The next step is to remove the clips that hold the shifter cables into the OEM shifter cable bracket. This step may require you to utilize whatever method you find most convenient. The method that worked best for me was to soak the clips and bracket with some WD-40, then lock a set of 7WR locking pliers on the end of the clip and wiggle it left and right while pulling up. Eventually, the clips broke free and came out.

http://yarisworld.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=750&pictureid=4647

Once you have removed the clips, you can disengage the shifter cables from the shifter cable bracket by shifting the cables back towards the firewall and lifting up. After the shifter cables are clear of the shifter cable bracket, you can move them into a position that gives you better access to the rear of the bracket. In my case, I left the passenger side shifter cable where it was and moved the driver’s side shifter cable back along the firewall.

I disconnected the clip closest to the passenger side of the battery tray bracket (highlighted in orange). This allowed me to push the wiring cable back just enough to get a small ¼-in. drive ratchet in and onto the 12mm bolt holding the wiring bracket to the shifter cable bracket. Using this method, you can remove the OEM shifter cable bracket without removing the battery tray bracket.

http://yarisworld.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=750&pictureid=4639

Once you get the wiring bracket bolt loose enough, finger loosen the bolt and take it out (this may be easier than using the wrench and decreases the chance of losing the bolt). After removing the wiring bracket bolt, swung the wiring bracket up and out of the way to give you better access to the two 14mm bolts that hold the shifter cable bracket in. Using the same technique as before, break the bolts free with a ½-in. drive ratchet and finger loosen them until they come out. You can now remove the OEM shifter cable bracket.

Reassembly
Now that you have removed the OEM shifter cable bracket, you can reassemble everything that you just disassembled. Replace the OEM shifter bracket with the new MI shifter cable bracket utilizing the MI-supplied washers and original bolts. Swing the wiring bracket down and attach it to the MI shifter cable bracket using the OEM bolt.

Place the shifter cables back into the MI shifter cable bracket and resecure them using the original clips. Reattach the shifter cable ends on the shifter levers and replace the original washers. Replace the OEM and MI-supplied cotter pins to each shifter cable end respectively.

http://yarisworld.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=750&pictureid=4642

Snap the clip that held the wiring cable back on to the battery tray bracket. Place the plastic battery tray back into the battery tray bracket. Replace the battery and reattach the battery tie down and reattach the battery terminals.

Functions Check
To ensure that everything was done correctly, check the following:

Make sure that you can engage all 5 forward gears, as well as reverse. Shifts should feel a little more “notchy”; this is normal and takes some time to get used to.
Start the car and make sure that the engine idles smoothly and that you don’t have a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (i.e. the “check engine” light) lit up. If this happens, stop the engine and check to see if you knocked any wiring or hoses loose during your install.

[2mtech]

Thanks for the awesome DIY, dude! I just installed my kit with your pdf printed out...way helpful! I learned from 16 years of working on fighter jets "if it's in the way, remove it" tho, so I pulled the air box and battery tray bracket. Whole thing was easy peasy, course I was working on a month old car so nothing was even dirty yet :thumbsup:

You did a great job on the tutorial tho...thanks again!

[jpmck03]

Thanks for the awesome DIY, dude! I just installed my kit with your pdf printed out...way helpful! I learned from 16 years of working on fighter jets "if it's in the way, remove it" tho, so I pulled the air box and battery tray bracket. Whole thing was easy peasy, course I was working on a month old car so nothing was even dirty yet :thumbsup:

You did a great job on the tutorial tho...thanks again!

Thanks! Glad to hear that someone printed it out and it was helpful!

Hope you enjoy the SSK as much as I do!

[Captain Slow]

Just thought I'd add this in here. From the DIY I got the idea that I should put some vice grips onto these clips and pull up towards myself while trying to "wiggle" them free. That didn't work at all.

Instead lock your vice grips onto each clip and sort of "turn" it to the side. Imagine turning a door knob. I found that if you are pulling up (towards you) they pretty much don't budge, but if you turn like you're turning a door knob they don't just spin, they end up popping free, no WD40 needed.

Hope this little tip helps and saves a few busted knuckles.

[why?]

After watching Scott install the SSK on another Yaris, I can't possibly see how you could do it without removing the battery and tray. I simply can't see a way anyone's arms could fit in their with the battery in place.

[Captain Slow]

agreed, I removed the battery and tray in mine, made it pretty easy.

[TOLMACH]

I was also using the trd manual which I found at the MI web-site somewhere- proved really useful in my case.

Couple comments on my part: I was also using flashlight and camera to make sure I do not confuse the cables or anything (took photos to compare before and after, cables positions relative each other, etc.) First removed the airfiler assembly, then battery (though does not really matter). Also keep in mind - the bracket bolts face the firewall, not the radiator - you can not see them but it still quite easy to remove them. When removing electrical cables, do not use force - there is always a plastic lock or something - use your brain instead.

[TOLMACH]

Final comment - I had to use some silicone lube (bought aerosol for 5 bucks in the Canadian Tire) once the ssk was installed- works so much better. I basically lubericate my ss every couple weeks now.

[Captain Slow]

What did you lubricate? The ends of the shift cables under the cotter pins?

[TOLMACH]

What did you lubricate? The ends of the shift cables under the cotter pins?

Short shifter device, ends of the shift cables

[jpmck03]

Just thought I'd add this in here. From the DIY I got the idea that I should put some vice grips onto these clips and pull up towards myself while trying to "wiggle" them free. That didn't work at all.

Instead lock your vice grips onto each clip and sort of "turn" it to the side. Imagine turning a door knob. I found that if you are pulling up (towards you) they pretty much don't budge, but if you turn like you're turning a door knob they don't just spin, they end up popping free, no WD40 needed.

Hope this little tip helps and saves a few busted knuckles.

I did something very similar, twisting and pulling up at about the same time. Just a back and forth motion while pulling towards myself.

After watching Scott install the SSK on another Yaris, I can't possibly see how you could do it without removing the battery and tray. I simply can't see a way anyone's arms could fit in their with the battery in place.

Just the SSK? Or the bracket in the back? Did the SSK first to try it out and didn't remove anything. Maybe I have skinny arms!

[Captain Slow]

yeah, the SSK is super simple, like 60 seconds to do without removing anything. bracket is much harder. it just makes it so much easier if you remove the airbox and battery.

I tried "pulling towards myself" while wiggling the clips and they didn't even budge. I twisted "like a doorknob" and they came off pretty easily ;)

[tk-421]

Wow... this has got to be one of the more difficult mods for the Yaris. The whole thing just gets more and more difficult right up to the point of reassembly (which isn't exactly a piece of cake either).

My battery conveniently died on me a couple of days ago, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to feel the results.

Thanks to jpmck03 for the detailed instructions and Captain Slow for the "Doorknob" tip, which ended up saving the day. :thumbsup:

[vaironl]

For those who are not as mechanically intuitive, like me a couple of tips.
Buy the tools listed. I had all tools, but the ¼-in teardrop ratchet. As a result, I was trying to figure out how to remove the wiring bracket bolt for about an hour and had to go buy the ¼-in which did the trick. After this the bolts holding down the shifter cable bracket are a bit easy, but be pretty careful to not lose them.
When you start the reassembly process everything will be easy for the most part. Putting the clips holding the shifter cables will be somewhat of a pain, at least it was for me.
Here’s the part that I really want to share with everyone and again notice I have a bit less intelligence than most people so that might’ve been the reason. I lost the clip which holds down the passenger cable, but replaced it with a crappy paper clip, so be extremely careful putting that one back on as well as the driver side clip. I replaced the MI short shifter which I installed a couple of months ago, strapped down the battery and picked up my tools, and cleaned up. I was parked on a slight incline, placed the car in reverse and the reverse lights go on. As I try to go out in reverse the car rolls forward. The problem with my install was the short shifter, I don’t know why but for some reason it would not go in reverse.
So I removed the MI short shifter and used that clip to secure a bit better the passenger cable. I believe it’s crucial that as the guide clearly points out you try all gears and of course go for a drive and test out ALL GEARS.

[abstractmethod]

Thanks for your very detailed walk through. most helpful