Shifter Rigging, need help.

[ZacMaster]

I’m having a little trouble with shift cable rigging.

As you can see below, I have the cables laying at exactly half of their travel and the ball ends are about 1/2” too far aft to meet the bellcranks (which are rigged vertically right now).

The second picture shows that I’ve scooted the cable sheathing as far forward as I can. (All the threads are forward of the u-bracket.)

I have the transmission side hooked up so that neutral in both controls is exactly lined up with the balls when the cables are at half travel.

If I pull the cables out more up front to reach the bell ranks vertically, it sacrifices motion in one direction in the back by the transmission.

If I hook up the bellcranks as is by leaning them forward, one of the ball ends hits the orange bracket holding the bellcranks and won’t let me shift all the way into reverse.

What am I missing?

Are the shift cables not symmetric?
Are the bellcranks not symmetric?

 

[Ross]

Do you have the cables crossed? IE: going to the wrong transmission lever arms?
Does our cables have a long side and a short side? (I don't know). IE: one side for the transmission and another for the shifter. I thought they were the same... but haven't checked.
I guess start measuring. Maybe it is the ball cranks are different lengths, like you said.

 

[Briann1177]

The cables should be identical. Hard to tell, but I'm guessing you're pretty much out of threads on all four ball ends on the shifter side? My only suggestion is to make sure you shifter is in a position as close to neutral as you get. If I remember right, I think I had a harder time with left/right than up/down. Make sure everything is the same length on the shifter ball ends, get one axis centered the best you can tell then carefully move the other axis so that the ball ends are at the same length, then that should be a very rough neutral starting point. From there adjust the lengths of the ball ends so that you can hook them up without moving your bell cranks from the vertical position or moving the shifter from the neutral position.

 

[ctuinstra]

I'm quite certain your bellcranks are upside down. This will limit the amount of travel of the cables. Also, we had to trim about a 1/2" of the threaded end of one of the cables to get it to work. Sorry I don't have any images or diagrams.

 

[Lonny]

Remove the shifter and adjust the shifter cables and bellcranks first before installing the shifter.

When the cables are adjusted correctly the transmission should be in neutral and the bellcranks should be straight up and down.

The cables usually run a little long.

Start with the large nuts close to the end of the cables on both ends. This will shorten the cables. And if it is still too long you may have to trim the 6mm threads that go into the rod end a little.

The left cable in the front should be hooked to the small shifter arm in the back.

After you get the shifter cables adjusted and all tightened up install the shifter.

The bellcranks should be straight up and down with the transmission in neutral for the next adjustments.

Allow the shifter to find it's center left and right. Adjust the left rod so that it will snap on without moving the bellcrank.

Move the shifter forward and backward, while holding it about halfway through it's range of travel adjust the right rod so it will snap into the bellcrank.

 

[Lonny]

I'm quite certain your bellcranks are upside down. This will limit the amount of travel of the cables. Also, we had to trim about a 1/2" of the threaded end of one of the cables to get it to work. Sorry I don't have any images or diagrams.

You may have the earlier style of bellcranks.

 

[ZacMaster]

Do you have the cables crossed? IE: going to the wrong transmission lever arms?
I guess start measuring. Maybe it is the ball cranks are different lengths, like you said.

They are definitely not crossed. When hooked up, I can shift well (and drive!) in 2nd, 3rd, 4th. First (limited by unshaven counterweight) and reverse don’t work.

It feels like I’m all the way into reverse, (and the backup lights work), but when I start to release the clutch, I get grinding.

The cables should be identical. Hard to tell, but I'm guessing you're pretty much out of threads on all four ball ends on the shifter side? My only suggestion is to make sure you shifter is in a position as close to neutral as you get. If I remember right, I think I had a harder time with left/right than up/down. Make sure everything is the same length on the shifter ball ends, get one axis centered the best you can tell then carefully move the other axis so that the ball ends are at the same length, then that should be a very rough neutral starting point. From there adjust the lengths of the ball ends so that you can hook them up without moving your bell cranks from the vertical position or moving the shifter from the neutral position.

I followed this advice yesterday and have the bell ranks more vertical. I also figured out that he cables have a throw of about 80mm. When I hook up the balls on the transmission arms but not the bell crank side, I learned I don’t need all of that throw. Maybe more like half. So it’s okay that the cables aren’t mid travel when connected, they CAN be biased a little.

I'm quite certain your bellcranks are upside down. This will limit the amount of travel of the cables. Also, we had to trim about a 1/2" of the threaded end of one of the cables to get it to work. Sorry I don't have any images or diagrams.

If true, the bellcranks being a) asymmetric and b) upside down, would definitely help my right-side ball from hitting the bracket when shifting down (2nd, 4th, Reverse) but I now think my rigging is okay, but I’m worried about the grinding on clutch release in reverse.

A lot of cobalt people on the internet have trouble moving the shifter into reverse because lack of synchro, but you can just shift into first then quickly into reverse for that. This is gear grinding once in reverse.

Hmm.

 

[ZacMaster]

The cables usually run a little long.

Start with the large nuts close to the end of the cables on both ends. This will shorten the cables. And if it is still too long you may have to trim the 6mm threads that go into the rod end a little.

My cables are definitely not long. Would extended frame affect this?

I had to start with the nuts AWAY from the ends on both ends. See my second pic in the original post?

Like I said above, when I realized the cables didn’t need to be half travel for neutral, and biasing was okay, I think the rigging is now on.

I need to figure out the grinding. Reverse was fine when driving the donor.

 

[Karter2026]

You are not completely in reverse. I put the car in what felt like reverse. Popped off the cable from the reverse arm at the transmission. then finished pushing the reverse arm into reverse I had to lengthen or shorten ( old age keeps me from remembering what way) my ball end by about a 1/4" Works great now.

 

[ZacMaster]

You are not completely in reverse. I put the car in what felt like reverse. Popped off the cable from the reverse arm at the transmission. then finished pushing the reverse arm into reverse I had to lengthen or shorten ( old age keeps me from remembering what way) my ball end by about a 1/4" Works great now.

Sweet. I’ll check tonight.

 

[askiles]

Sweet. I’ll check tonight.

I also wasn’t able to get into reverse even though it was right there, adjusted that one cable just slightly at the transmission end, and bam. I did not have to trim any of the cable end at all.

 

[ZacMaster]

It'll be easier if I can find the left-handed nuts I was supposed to have (Thanks for your post on the other thread.)