5-Speed Shifter Adjustment

ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
I have the shifter all mounted up but not installed in the car. I noticed that with the adjustment linkage screwed all the way in (short as possible) that the shifter shaft will not all the way back in to the reverse position. In fact it barely even touches the lockout much less engage all the way.

When the shifter is pulled back, the linkage moves forward and the bellcrank pushes the cable back. The ball joint on the cable makes contact with the bellcrank mounting brackets.

I was thinking about cutting the linkage down some to make it even shorter which would change the overall position of the bellcrank, but I don't want to cut and then find out it was a mistake.

What did you all do?
 

George

Goblin Guru
I cut the thread for the ball joint so that their was no adjustment left at either end of cable. This makes the cable housing the only adjustment.

Brad
 

ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
I cut the thread for the ball joint so that their was no adjustment left at either end of cable. This makes the cable housing the only adjustment.

Brad
Just for the forward/aft linkage or on both linkages? Do you have a photo of your setup?
 

JSATX

Goblin Guru
It’s been a really long time since I did this but there’s a write up in my thread on how I did it (I think).

I just set everything as neutral as I could while it was out of the car. And then after it was installed it only took about 30 minutes to get everything shifting smoothly.

The only gear that’s slightly difficult to get into is reverse. But I didn’t mess with that because I’m ok with reverse being harder to get into haha
 

George

Goblin Guru
Just for the forward/aft linkage or on both linkages? Do you have a photo of your setup?
I did both ends of both cables. Adjusted cable at shifter pulled back as far as the lock nuts would allow then use the transmission end to adjust.
Will take picture in am.

Brad
 
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RichRich

Well-Known Member
I didn't cut anything. I've been able it go through every gear as normal. You're talking about the actual shifter? Or at the transmission? I have some close up pics of the shifter up front on page 4 of my build and 1 close up of the rear on page 2
 

George

Goblin Guru
On the cables I received both ends had to be tried to make it work. Could be a batch that was at the long end of design spec

Brad
 

ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
I just cannot see how to get the side-to-side cable to even attach to the transmission without having to shorten something like what Brad did. I'm going to try the lower hole in the bellcrank and that should pull the cable (shorten at the rear of car) but at the same time this will cause the side-to-side overall through to be shorter (basically making the horizontal shifting closer and a more narrow pattern). The only thing that I can see that will help it to shorten the overall length of the cable by trimming the threaded ends like Brad did. I'm just very cautious about cutting, you can always cut more but not cut less.
 

George

Goblin Guru
Your car and mine were completed at DF about the same time. So I beleive The cables were in the same production batch. Even after you shorten them the housing has to be pulled back to about the limit, in my case any way.
If you are ever in the KC area stop by.

Brad
 

Briann1177

Goblin Guru
After shortening the threads on the transmission side to the bare minimum, did anybody find a need to shorten anything on the push rod side? The reason I ask is my reverse is still slightly annoying to get into. It's definitely easier after I cut the threads down to like what Brad posted, but it's still not nearly as smooth as gears 1-5.

I think it will be something I can live with, but I was just curious if anybody still has this "issue" and if they tweaked anything else to smooth things out a bit.
 
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