My outback has a really loose shifter, i mean really loose, sometimes I have no idea what gear i will end up in! It is kind of getting on my nerves now and I dont know whether to just replace the bushing or look for a short throw kit to put on it. Are there any kits out there for an outback wagon? Has anyone put one in and are they a pain to install?

Sounds like bushings for sure. Short throw would be an add on, on top of new bushings.

I just replaced the Shifter bushings and knuckle on my 96 OBW. It's a pain in the rear. I had to take off all the transmission support beams to get enough space to drive the roll pin out of the knuckle. The knuckle is shown as having replaceable bolts in all the diagrams everyone has, but it's a one piece assembly that has to be completely replaced if the bushings are bad. I think the knuckle was around $60 and each of the other 4 bushings needed where another $3 each.

 

Josh

come on Porky, your slippin'

where's the pict?? j/k

 

I do not know which parts need changing

but here is what you are up against

I have the same exact problem in my 96' Legacy....I just got finished doing a clutch in it and i noticed that the little spring that connects the shift rod to the stay rod was missing......I didnt bother getting it cause it was a semi-long ride to the dealership, but at first i also thought it was bushings....

and silly me thought it might be a simple fix!

well im not to sure about the bushings but for that little spring the easiest way is throw a jack under the trans unbolt the crossmember and it right there......Pretty Simple.... ( I tried with the crossmember in but i almost broke my hand:lol:

And then Skip has to go and post a diagram that shows it as one piece (14).

 

I had to remove both crossmembers so the trans would drop and I could disconnect the linkage to replace the knuckle and bushings. I didn't bother with a jack, just let the whole thing drop as much as it could.

 

The bushings in the knuckle where what failed on me, the others were still ok, but I replaced them anyway since I was in there and they weren't too much.

 

I replaced #14 and all #5's in the diagram Skip posted.