Drilling Shift Linkage Pin to replace .... good idea?

I can’t for the life of me get this pin out. I’ve come to my final plan of attack, just drilling it out and replacing it with another piece. Is this a good idea? Can this tiny pin be purchased seperately? Or are there any alternatives that I can do in case Honda doesn’t have the pin in stock (like temporary things until I get another part ordered from them)?

I just wanna make sure before I drill the f’er out that I won’t have to, like, but an entire new linkage to replace this one pin that probably costs 50 cents :stuck_out_tongue: Please let me know I’m A-OK with exacting my revenge on this thing!

yes you can order the spring pin from honda, and it’s cheap, around a dollar. Drilling the old one out will be fine, as long as you don’t drill out the whole pin. Use a slightly smaller diameter drll, that way you won’t actually remove any material from the shift linkage itself (which could cause the next spring pin not to fit properly. So just be really careful, and think before you act.

On a side note… what exactly are you doing on your car? Because actually removing the linkage from the tranny may not be completely necessary. I’ve dropped transmissions and pulled entire engines w/o removing the linkage from the tranny.

Yeah, that pin is a b*tch to get out. i drilled mine. make sure you get that pin though, the slightest bit of play down by that linkage will lead to overwhelmin play at the shifter, found that out the hard way :think:

I’m dropping the tranny to replace the clutch… the instructions I’m using say to remove it, so I didn’t think otherwise. :think:

I replaced my clutch without removing it - it was a little more hassle to maneuver the trans. around, but I don’t have an impact hammer, so I couldn’t get the pin out.

I’ve always been able to remove my spring pin via the 8mm punch and hammer method… but I’ve helped others on their cars and the pins have been less forgiving.

Just like Strikeback stated… it can definitely be done w/o removing the linkage, it is just a bit of hassle because wherever the tranny goes, you’ll have 4ft of linkage that has to follow. But sometimes its a better option than spending hours trying to get that pin out.

Yeah, I spent about 20 min on it with a hammer and punch, then gave up. I pounded it out while the trans. was sitting on my garage floor upside down, since I was replacing the linkage anyway.

i wish that i had thought of using my air hammer. damb, i always get crazy and pissedd and break out the drill bits. broke a punch with 3 lb sledge. drilled the mu fut like it owed me money.

i normally use the 10mm bolts that are about 1.5" long, and the very end of them have a slight taper. i.e. the bolts that hold the intake box down. and these have a large washer at the head also. it’s easy to hold this with pliers, or locking pliers, (vise grips) then take a hammer to it also.

if it’s still hard to get it out, do you have enough leverage? if you’re on a jack and stands, if it’s not high enough, it will effect how much power u have to hit it with.

i wonder if honda or any other company makes a tool to remove this… it would really be easy to design one for this problem.

something that clamps around the linkage, and has a pin that you can tighten down.

I considering using my 2-jaw puller, similiar to what I used on my LBJ’s, but it isn’t made for such a small part… the jaws wouldn’t come close enough to the linkage in order to clamp down and use the push to remove the pin. :shrug:

I tried drilling while it’s under the car and didn’t make much progress. I think my drillbits are too weak, heh. Is this pin stainless steel? It’s putting up a helluva fight against my bits. So I got some cobalt drillbits and will probably drop the whole thing tomorrow and go at it with the stronger bits while it’s outside the car. Here’s to hoping one of my local Honda dealers has the part in stock… :cross: