Dodge Ram gear shifter linkage bushing replacement. I swear this question was up yesterday, and even had 2 views but no answers.

Are you sure you have the right part? Heating it up in boiling water might make it soft enough to pop into place. Proceed at your own risk.

Thanks for the reply. I do have the right part. The parts guy mentioned hot water, but I could not get it to change its flexibility using hot water. I will try boiling the water and use another I have as a test to see what it does. That is another bushing for another application, same material.

Well, I boiled it, and it may have helped, but hard to say because it did not become pliable. I greased the seat and the linkage ball and used vice grips to press it through. I used a large 3/4 inch nut to allow the bushing to slide through the hole. The pressure points then were the flat side of the bushing on top and the bottom of the nut on the bottom, with the bushing being squeezed between the jaws, and at the same time being forced through the hole in the transmission lever and down through the hole in the nut. Same procedure to force the linkage through the hole. The top surface is not flat in this case because of the bend in the linkage. I used Flat jawed vice grips, round jaws probably not work well.

Is there a trick to getting the grommet off of there?

Well, mine fell off repeatedly because it was worn. Are you replacing one for another reason? It could be hard to remove a solid fitting grommet.

Maybe a hack saw blade will reach up there. I will take a look tomorrow.