JBR my opinion SSP, bushings, RSB, knob

[ZeroOX]

Very happy with the purchase process with JBR. I placed my initial order and then realized I needed to make some changes. Jamie was very helpful and quick to respond to my emails. Shipping was quick and got the items quicker than I thought I would.

SSP - Easy to install instructions were easy to read and follow. The only confusing part to me was it took me a minute to realized that the new plate sits on top of the old plate. I am probably the only person who did not realizes this. It also looks like there is going to be some rubbing of the boot. I am going to give it a few days to settle in and see if it looks like it will cause any damage. The shifting was not as smooth as I would have liked. It was corrected with the bushing kit.

Bushings - If you do the shift plate spend the extra few bucks and get the bushings. They made a big difference in the way the shifting feels. The instructions for this were easy to follow and the install was not a problem. Mazda did a good job with the design of the car and taking it apart was super easy.

Rear Sway Bar - Impressions is that it definitely tightens up the rear of the car and the body roll has been cut dramatically. Instructions for this were good. In the tools list I would add using a socket wrench over using the box end. It was almost impossible for me to get a box end wrench on the top bolt holding the sway bar on. A socket with a 2 inch extension made the job easier. I used ramps and found that it provided enough room for me to work.

Shift knob - Instructions were easy to follow. I was a little worried reading the instructions about how it might be difficult to put the new nut on the shifter. I had no problems with mine it went on quite easily. For the WD40 I poked a hole in some paper towel and put it over the shifter. This protected the shift boot from the wd40. The shift knob feels good and like the added weight. The only complaints I might has is how hot and cold the shift knob will get. This has nothing to do with JBR any metal shift knob will do this. I might have to toss a micro fiber towel over it in the summer to not burn my hand.


All these parts are easy to install. If you can change your own oil you could install these parts.

Over all I have been very pleased with my purchase and would not have a problem pointing my friends to JBR if they were looking for parts.

[TRex]

^it took me a second to realize how the plate went over the old one too haha...also the plates were supposed to have been corrected to not allow rubbing anymore however mine appears to be touching as well....it might have been worse before (not sure as i never have seen a an older one)...but it also looks like it has not been completely eliminated

i installed a RMM a day after my shift plate and that really tightened up the shifting as well...look into one if you dont have it already

[ZeroOX]

Originally Posted by TRex ^it took me a second to realize how the plate went over the old one too haha...also the plates were supposed to have been corrected to not allow rubbing anymore however mine appears to be touching as well....it might have been worse before (not sure as i never have seen a an older one)...but it also looks like it has not been completely eliminated i installed a RMM a day after my shift plate and that really tightened up the shifting as well...look into one if you dont have it already

RMM - I have the inserts just have not gotten around to installing them.

[JBR]

The little bit that the boot touches the vertical linkage is nothing to be concerned about and it only touches in a couple of gears.

Jamie

[ZeroOX]

Originally Posted by jbarone The little bit that the boot touches the vertical linkage is nothing to be concerned about and it only touches in a couple of gears. Jamie

Good to know.

[Matt1684]

I actually also just received my JBR Stage 2 SSP Kit and heavy shift knob and installed it over the weekend.

Install was a breeze, expected more issues with taking the console apart, but that was fairly simple. I didnt even have to cut any of the existing wiring harness tape or clips. Used some needle nose pliers to work the clips out and that only took a couple seconds.

I had my friend install the actual shift plate, so I cant really comment on the difficulty, but it looked simple enough. I'll have to check and see if it actually rubs on anything.

Of all these parts, I had the hardest time getting the damn shift knob on so that it was lined up correctly. After many attempts I was able to get it screwed on and aligned with only a tiny gap between the boot and the knob.

And with all these products installed the shifting in the car is so much better. Nice short throws and no more missing gears when shifting fast. I took the time to fine tune the shifter before putting the console back together and I'm glad I did.

Only complaint I have, albeit a small one, it looks like the box got tossed around quite a bit during shipping. There was a chip in the paint on the counter weight when I opened the package and also I noticed a slight imperfection on the top of the shift knob, looks like that may have happened during shipping as well. When I installed the weight I made sure the chip in the paint wasnt in plain view. With the shift knob, thats a bit more difficult, but even with the mark on it, it serves its purpose.

Overall, fantastic product, quick shipping, and vastly improves the shifting in the car. I just wish USPS would take better care of their packages during shipping.

[JBR]

Matt1684,
I'm very sorry to hear your parts were damaged during shipping. I will be happy to exchange them. PM or email me if you'd like to.

Sorry & Thanks,
Jamie

[ZeroOX]

That sucks your parts got damaged. The way mine was packed up the UPS truck would have had to run over it to damage it.

[Chief_Wiggum]

Originally Posted by jbarone Matt1684, I'm very sorry to hear your parts were damaged during shipping. I will be happy to exchange them. PM or email me if you'd like to. Sorry & Thanks, Jamie

JBR customer service FTW!

[JBR]

It does suck. My packaging is a little over kill so it had to have been handled really poorly.
I think this is the first item I've ever had a report of damage on.

Jamie

[Matt1684]

Just wanted to praise the Customer Service Jamie provides with his products. As you can see in the above posts I received some products that we slightly damaged but still functional. As soon as Jamie heard about it he sent me replacements and I had them just a few days later. Now all my parts look brand new as they should and JBR has another satisfied customer because of their great service. Thanks Jamie!

[Chief_Wiggum]

Originally Posted by Matt1684 Just wanted to praise the Customer Service Jamie provides with his products. As you can see in the above posts I received some products that we slightly damaged but still functional. As soon as Jamie heard about it he sent me replacements and I had them just a few days later. Now all my parts look brand new as they should and JBR has another satisfied customer because of their great service. Thanks Jamie!

That's one of the reasons Jamie will always get my business -- his customer service is unsurpassed. You can scroll through the myriad of pages on this forum and see post after post of Company X ripped me off, or Dear Company X you've had my $$ for 2 months, where the hell are my parts?! You NEVER see that about Jamie; more companies should follow his example. (here endeth my soapbox speech)

[Jake5713]

Never had a issue will be ordering more from JBR as soon as $$ allow

[Speed3eak]

Will be ordering from JBR as soon as he releases more products.

TMM
PMM
FSB

In for JBR sweetness.

[Palms]

JBR internals should be nextttttt, ones that don't cost $300

[Speed3eak]

I think there's 1 or 2 cnc machines in the whole industry capable of machining internals to the correct tolerances. I'm not saying JBR doesn't have a damn good CNC machine, but I don't see him producing internals in the near future at a price lower than what you see from KMD, APR, Autotech, etc. without pioneering a new technique for massively increasing the accuracy of existing CNC machines.