Chasing my tail-shifter (no more?), Please, some a-d-v-i-c-e Options

[Prospectfarms]

I don't expect crisp shifting and I understand how my linkage operates. But I have "phantom gear" syndrome. Sometimes the are there, more often not.

 parts_diagram_tail_shift.pdf ( 36.62k ) Number of downloads: 169


I spent at least 12 hours last few evenings and Sunday "adjusting" the shift linkage. I finally settled on a side to side gear shift adjustment where it's hard to get the gears on the far right and on the far left of the shifter throw. But I'm golden on 2'nd, and 3'rd. As far as I can tell the for/aft position is correct.

(When I say "hard," I mean that 25% of the time it goes right into the gear I want, 25% it takes two or more tries to get it in to the gear, and 50% of the time I have to select a different gear.

Shift plate: check. All bushings are new. Mounts are OK. Clutch is new and adjusted to spec. Everything is slippery where it should be and clean otherwise. Nevertheless my stick shift flops around like a rag doll.

Folks have given me advice on potential internal problems. For instance:

//www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=134934&st=0&gopid=1507802&#entry1507802

The external linkages (ball and cage) and the internal linkages wear out and they are NLA and used replacements are likely to be worn-out too. That seems like a problem.

Months ago, one of the first things that Toni Proassi, an excellent mechanic and owner of Stuttgart Specialists in Louisviile, told me was to get rid of the tail shift. He's never seen my car, and gave me that advice as a general rule of thumb. I wanted to fix it instead. Maybe what he was trying to tell me is that you can't.

So after 20 hours of work and $100 in bushings and other hardware the shifting is simply terrible and I'm starting to think it can't be repaired without unreasonable efforts. Am I missing the obvious? Does a side shift transmission suffer worn parts better, at least in terms of being able to actually locate a gear?

Many folks on this board seem to be happily shifting along, so I must be missing something. Please tell me what you think it is. I'm sure your right.

[toolguy]

If you've changed all the bushings and are sure the ball and cup at the bottom of the lever are good, take a close look at the wear surfaces on the rear lever and rod at the transmission. . . . I fixed all the slop in my tail shifter by welding the wear points up and filing them back to as new tolerances. . . made mine shift correctly, had very little play in the shifter lever and never missed gears after that. . . before the lever was like a wet noodle. . . you could move it all around and never change a gear. .

[Mike Bellis]

I advise you to buy a side shift tranny.

[Dave_Darling]

Examine all of the linkage you can. Look where different pieces join together, and see if they move in ways they should not when someone moves the gear shift lever. Try to isolate where any slop is, which will let you know which joints or parts need replacing or improvement.

Also check the Tail-Shift Linkage Improvements tech article on the Pelican site.

--DD

[Spoke]

Did you work on it by yourself or with a friend?

To find the sloppiness, you need 2 people. One to move the gear shift and one to examine where the linkage is not responding.

[Prospectfarms]

That's a great question. I did all the work solo. I'll do the inspection process as you and Dave suggest again, but with a helper, and see what I can see. Very good suggestion.

[Prospectfarms]

If you've changed all the bushings and are sure the ball and cup at the bottom of the lever are good, take a close look at the wear surfaces on the rear lever and rod at the transmission. . . . I fixed all the slop in my tail shifter by welding the wear points up and filing them back to as new tolerances. . . made mine shift correctly, had very little play in the shifter lever and never missed gears after that. . . before the lever was like a wet noodle. . . you could move it all around and never change a gear. .

Hey toolguy,

Did you add metal to anything besides the ball and cage at the "tail" of the shifter? I recall a helpful thread from someone on this board who's welder friend built up the ball and cage wear points and ground them back to spec.

I want to think you used a brass brazing rod and a torch since the all mig/stick consumables I've used leave very hard fillets -- difficult to grind. Is there something else I don't know about?