[Car noob has a problem with his wide shift lever; 01 outback]

Also, anyone know of a part number or something i can get for that bushing? That one silly bushing?

[Car noob has a problem with his wide shift lever; 01 outback]

The shifter base should not be rubbing on the driveshaft. The driveshaft is made from thin wall tubing and it doesn't take much of a gouge in the surface to weaken it. It looks like the linkage has probably broken where it attaches to the big bushing on the side of the transmission and has allowed the shifter base to rotate. It may have rusted through and torn, or the nut may have come off and it's flopping free. You need to get under the car to figure out what has come loose.

 

The ball and socket popping apart is just a secondary issue caused by that rod coming loose.

 

Likely you will need the whole shifter linkage from a car in the junkyard.

THIS Seems to be what the problem is. After a second look my dad and i noticed that rod wit the little circle was supposed to be connected to something. Just might be the issue and the little bushing is auxiliary. Problem is, there are literally NO Subaru's in ANY junkyards in Tennessee. Zero. Well there was this one. So could i order this linkage through a Subaru dealer possibly? Again, thanks for all of the replies guys, it's helped us out.

[Car noob has a problem with his wide shift lever; 01 outback]

A buddy and i looked at it and it seems the problem lies in that little broken plastic piece. It goes on that ball joint and connects to that gaping hole to The Abyss. The only piece that i need might be that little thing that's broken. So maybe a name for that or if anyone knows where i can buy one would be appreciated  

I dunno, just what i saw today. 

EDIT: Yes it is manual. That ball joint is on the bottom end of the shift lever, in case it's vague.

 

[Car noob has a problem with his wide shift lever; 01 outback]

Hello USMB community! I am 100% new to Subaru's, and well, cars In general so please bear with me as I stumble through this explanation of what happened to my Outback

 

While I was driving, the shifter completely disconnected from the thing it's supposed to be shifting. It's connected at the pivot bushings, but it broke right below that. The shift lever now freely moves up and  down off of the drive shaft (i think). I really just need to know what connects to who and maybe a diagram or pic of someone else's assembly would help. 

 

Again, i'm new at all of this and am trying to learn as much as i possibly can to have a good , practical basis so that if a problem arises I'm not oblivious (as I am now) as to what's going on. Thanks for any help