So maybe I'm just too used to my tC... but I drove Jen's xD yesterday and holy crap... what a difference.

The clutch was super soft compared to my tC (still stock clutch), which is fine... but that shifter feels really sloppy. I've got a short shifter, cage bushings and cable bushings on my tC, so everything is pretty tight and precise. That xD is all over the place.

So I've been reading a couple threads:
- https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=246114
- https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=230778

After going through those, am I to understand... either the NST or TRD shift kits should help the shifting considerably (not just the throw reduction)? And potentially the TRD may help clean up even more of the slop with it's new aligner thingy which the NST does not have?

Is there anything else out yet for the xD that I'm not seeing as far as bushings or anything like that are concerned?

Geez, this is like having to learn a whole new vehicle... oh, wait.

 

its true, the shifter is MUCH looser feeling than the tC. When i test drove it, it was my biggest complaint. The TRD SS did clean it up, not nearly as much to get it to feel like the tC with the SS, but I did get used to it.

Gotta remember, the tranny is coming from the Yaris, so its not going to feel anything like a race car. It was really designed for an older crowd who just wants to shift smoothly and cruise.

 

Ya, I know even with some help its still going to be quite different... just hoping to be able to clean it up a bit.

My only other gripe is the revs... even when letting off the gas to push in the clutch and shift, the revs stay up (for quite a while, it seems) and even seem to go up even further when you push in the clutch. I said something to Jen about being sure to let off the gas when she pushes the clutch in b/c I thought she wasn't. But then noticed it was doing that when I was driving as well.

Nothing a crank pulley shouldn't be able to remedy though.

 

ive got the NST kit and bushings... ive been 100% happy with it. whether or not you want the TRD kit with the extra piece is up to you. the bushings made more of a difference with the squishy feel though, while the shift kit simply shortened throws.

i understand what you are saying about the car holding revs between shifts. the NST pulley definitely helped with that. i think it has something more to do with the drive-by-wire though. be prepared for a lot less engine braking too, lol.

 

NST shifter bushings and SSK will fix that in a jiffy. add stage 2 and cage bushings ftw

 

I knew I should have checked NST's site... I didn't notice any threads about bushings for the xD, so I wasn't sure if they had any. Sounds like SSK and bushings all around. Thanks guys.

And I just noticed today how lame the boot is. Will have to remedy that as well.

 

yeah, its lamer than a knit sweater at a company christmas party. i think people on here have been ordering some custom boots from http://www.redlinegoods.com/

 

redline cost a little more and takes a while to get to you, but they make a very nice product. they have alot of options to make the boot unique and will prob do custom setups if you ask.

 

I ended up going with a MOMO boot myself, mainly because the MOMO ***** and boots are mateable. But the redlinegoods boots looked very sharp and i was contemplating them for a while.

 

everyone always knocking the hachi roku style boot

 

The SSK is a must. I may also add bushings in the future... but it is night and day with the TRD SSK alone.

I bought the shift and brake boots from RedlineGoods and I'm very happy with them.

 

Final thoughts of sloppy transmission syndrome:

If you've been following this thread ( https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=260494 ) at all, you'll know that we've swapped ALL of the bushings at this point for delrin bushings from Dr Isotope. We also had the TRD SSK installed (minus the aligner plate).

Basically it came down to not being able to install the final new bushing (on the post with the SSK) b/c of the cable not really flexing to fit on there. It is possible the realigning plate may help this (we'll be trying again when I can get under the car to get the old plate off). But for now, it wouldn't happen.

And since Jen mentioned that the shifting seemed pretty stiff with the SSK (even though she liked the shorter throws), I thought I'd take the SSK out and have just the bushings installed (all 6 of them). Then I had her get in and try the shifter without telling her what I did.

She said it was MUCH nicer that way. When I told her I removed the SSK so I could install the final bushing, she didn't mind. So at the moment, the SSK is in its box with the aligning plate sitting on my desk. Like I said, we may try to install it again (or we could try the in-cabin one that NST offers... hmm... just thought of that now). But she loves the difference just with all of the rubber out of the system.

 

So wouldn't it be safe to assume that the SSK could do without all the bushings?