ZUKIWORLD Review: Shifter Pin Upgrade – Installation of a New Shift Pin Fix Kit

HAWK’s Shifter Pin Upgrade

Installation of Hawk Strictly Suzuki’s New Shift Pin Fix Kit.

Editor/Photo: Eric Bewley

CORVALLIS, OR -Every Samurai I have owned so far has had this exact same problem. The shifter is so loose one can never tell what gear they are in. Is it first? Third? Fifth? It all boils down to a simple two-dollar part that keeps all of the bits working as intended. The problem is that even after you ‘fix’ the transmission shifting with that bolt, it is only a matter of time before your back in there again changing another broken shift pin. Suzuki knew this was a problem also and came up with a fix on their late model Samurai transmission. Unfortunately, most people have the early model. Hawk has come up with a quick and easy swap that puts the larger factory pin on your early model transmission. We installed this kit in little more than a half hour and were extremely impressed with the results.

1. The kit as shipped from Hawk Strictly Suzuki. NOTE the larger pin installed in the shift tower.

2. Remove the shift knob, outer boot, inner boot, and the three bolts that hold on the retaining ring.

3. Remove shifter

4. Salvaged these three pieces off of your old shifter.

5. Re-assemble on your new shifter.

6. Remove old shift tower and clean the surface.

7. Note the broken smaller pin on our old tower.

8. Apply gasket material on new shift tower and install.

9. Install new shifter, bolt down retaining ring taking care to get the thrust washer and poly boot lined up to each other.

10. Install your shift knob and enjoy tight shifting again.

This kit is available from Hawk Strictly Suzuki 1(888)SAMURAI for $59.99 with a $25 core for the shifter and $25 core for the shift tower. We were very impressed with the completeness and quality of this kit and would recommend you call them today to kiss your shifting blues away.