So at 150K miles, the OEM shift **** on my 06x has gotten pretty grungy looking and feeling (along with the steering wheel but that's a different matter). I wasn't a fan of the aftermarket offerings, so decided to stick with OEM. Picked up an M45 sport **** due to it being cheaper than the OEM 06x ****. Problem is it's not a direct bolt in.

For those wondering, here's the finished product. I beleive this is CandlestickPark's car.


The part number for that particular **** is 34910-EJ70A. There are a few different finishes and colors, so perhaps its best to go on ebay and search for the one you want. I've seen black with black stitching. An all-black perforated ****, and a wheat colored **** in addition to the black with white stitching one I bought.


Unfortunately, no direct how to threads exist. I searched. The main issue is the shifter rods under the **** are different. The 05-06/07coupe shifter use a square blue plunger that is similar to the FX line. The M45 **** uses a round short white rod that is also on the 07+ sedan lineup.

Here's the main difference (pic I found on the net)

BTW the P/N for the BLUE 05-06 shifter adapter is 34951-CG000 for reference.

I *think* they can be swapped, so my goal is to find the white rod from an M or 2nd gen G sedan. Not sure if it can be purchased separately though. If anyone at a dealership can check on this, would be appreciated.

Until then, it's a $100 paperweight. But it looks sexy sitting on my work desk. I'll make it work even if i have to design and machine my own adapter rod.

 

If you make and machine your own, make 2 for your fellow AWD member

 

Well, i'm hoping it won't come to that.

What I found was this

http://www.infinitipartsusa.com/2011...546-284168.htm

P/N 34951-1LA0A

It's the shifter adapter for a QX56 which has a similar shift **** to the G37. I tested the **** out on a coworkers G37 and it fit great.

It's $15 plus shipping. Hoping local dealer has one in stock so I can check it out first rather than take the risk and order it blind. Trying to find pics of a QX56 with the **** removed to see if it's the same as the G37s. The shifter itself looks just like a G37's

EDIT: Shipping was $10+ so I think i'll try the dealer first.

Here's the G37 setup which this **** fit fine. I'm hoping the QX56 rod is the same and I can just swap them...somehow.

 

In cause I'm curious and my **** is getting pretty worn out

 

Thats because you manhandle it too much.

 

Ok, well dealer didn't have one in stock, but I ordered it through them for $20. Cheaper than buying off website and shipping. Should have it in a few days.

I removed the blue rod and test fit the ****. Couple observations.

The shifter boot doesn't clip to the m45 **** like it does the OEM ****. The 07+ sedan boot does. I am sure I can modify the **** or rig something to make it work...but that's not how I like to do things. I'll look into scoring a black shift boot if they can be swapped.

The clip to secure the ***** are in different places. On the 07+ sedan! guys are just dremeling in new groove for it to lock into. May have to do the same here.

Right now, just waiting for this rod to show up. I'm hoping it's the same as the one found in the m35/m45 and the 07+ sedan.

Now to do some searching on shifter boots.


Edit: fuggit. I just bought a used m35 shifter boot/finisher off ebay. I'll find out firsthand if it swaps over. I'm sure the OEM boot can be modded to fit fine, but that's not how I work. Yeah, I know this is turning into a project, but I have a feeling I will like the result.

 

So digging around a bit on the web last night....

Found this thread on a shifter boot install which shows the aluminum trim ring being removed and reinstalled on the aftermarket boot

https://g35driver.com/forums/v36-diy...placement.html

So, i guess this means since the M45 **** only needs to clip to the trim ring, that's the only part we need. No need to swap the entire boot over.

Good news is the trim ring is present on a lot of Infinitis after 2006 like the M45, G35/G37 (2nd gen) and possibly a few others. Bad news is it's not something you can buy separate.


I'll detail this out later on once I figure out what parts are truely needed and do a DIY of sorts. I'm sure a lot of guys have worn out shift ***** they would love to ditch. That's what prompted me to do all this.

 

So my hunch was right



It's listed as a Cross Shaft for a 2011 QX56. It looks identical to the pin used in the M35/45 and the 2nd gen sedan. I'm sure it cross-references to other Nissans as well. Either way, it fits into the M45 **** perfectly.

Now the bad news. It doesn't slip over the rod in the 05-06 shifter assembly, but it looks like it can be drilled out a bit so that it does fit.

SO my project over the next few days is to measure and measure and remeasure and figure out how to modify the pin so that it will slide over the shaft and work with the M45 ****. My modify, i mean drill it out so that it slides over the shaft, but not too far or the **** won't wory correctly. So i need to just figure out the magic number.

Hopefully i don't screw up because this 0.50 cent peice of plastic cost me $20 at the dealer.

Getting closer. What i'm hoping happens is this. I drill that white pin out to a certain depth that the M45 **** works with the G35 actuator rod at the right highet. At that point, it's a matter of dremeling two slots for the clip to lock the **** in place. I don't think the **** will go low enough to use the original ***** slots, but I could be wrong. I'll find out when I install.

At that point you can either modify the shifter boot ring to attach to the ****, or do what I'm doing and stealing it off the M45 boot and attaching it to my G35's shift boot. I've seen a how-to and it seems simply.

This could be pretty easy....

 

Almost there!

 

Keep us posted, should look awesome once it's installed!

 

OK just an update. Did some figuring and measuring last night, before I start to modify this $20 part. In hindsight, I probably could have just made one but I needed info I didn't have at the time.

You can prob buy a $1 plastic rod and make this pin yourself. It's 7.5mm diameter, and 1.5" in lenght. I'm using a 7/32" drill bit to clearance out the center, and it has a dome top.

So basically here's what I learned. The way these ***** work is that they sit on the top of the metal shifter lever. So there really isn't so much height adjustment as you'd think. The pin protrudes up a certain point to contact the lever that moves when you press the button to shift out of Park.

My coworker let me pull the shufter **** out of his G37 and I test fit the M45 **** and it fits like OEM. I measured the height of the pin protruding above the metal surface, and it was 1.135" or 29mm.

So here's my plan...

Drill out the white shifter pin so that it sits on the 06 shifter plunger and protrudes above it around 29mm.

At that point, the M45 **** should fit fine and function. I will need to dremel two slots for the clip to clip into however just like the G37 guys need to do (see thread above I referenced)

Only question I'd have then is how tight does the **** sit on the shaft. It might be a tad bit looser, but I think i can fix that by wrapping some tape around the shaft. Hack, i know, but effective I hope short of machining a spacer.

As for connecting the shifter boot. I got the M45 boot in the other day. It's larger than the G35 boot, so no direct swap, BUT the **** ring can be removed and swapped on the G35 boot. So that is my plan. A 07+ sedan **** ring will work as well. Just depends on the style you prefer.

Anyway, that's my plan. I'll take pics when I do this over the weekend.

 

Just for visual

A G37. That distance is 1.135" or 29mm.




And my '06 shifter. Need to drill out the center so it fits on the rod and protrudes the same distance.


Seems simple enough...i hope.

 

I've wanted to do this for a long time!

 

Ok disregard what I said in the previous post.

The magic number is 25MM.

That's the distance the white peice must protrude past the metal shifter lever. I think it's different because on the G37 the top of the metal part is flat, so the shifter sits on that. On the 05-06 shifter, the top is angled, so the shift **** probably slides down a few mm beyong the top point where I measured.

What i did was drill out the center with a 7/32" drill bit, and then packed paper into the end until i got the distance I needed. When i get it finalized, i'll add some glue to harden it up.

Honestly, at this point I could prob machine up something better. But i'll do that later.

Next step, dremel in the new c-clip locking points. Need to steal a dremel first.

But the **** is functional.

 

So here's where I'm at.



The clip that holds thre **** in place is about 1/4" lower than where it sits on the M45 ****. So need to dremel a small slot for this to lock into.

What i did was take a small awl, and after pressing the **** down to seat it all the way against the metal shifter lever, scribe out where I need to cut my slot

You can faintly see the line here, and where the original is lower


Just need to cut enough for the clip to lock the **** in place, but not enough to rish cutting the lever off as there is not enough material here.

Once this is done, might need a few wraps of tape at the base to tighten up the fit a bit, and then simply adjust the white rod hight. I'm starting with 25mm but I think that may change. Go higher and the engagement is rough. Lower gets easier but need to find the spot where you can still get the car out of park.

Changing the ring on the shifter boot is easy. Will do that at the end.