Cable operated remote gear lever?

[Greylag]

Hello All,

I was talking to a mate the other day about the amount of travel on my gear lever and how to shorten it, he suggested a cable operated remote.

It sounds a good idea but how do two cables operate a lever which has to move backwards and forwards as well as side to side? Has anyone any photos of a remote set up as used on a 2CV gearbox at all? I know from what he's been saying it would need brackets making to mount the lever but he didn't explain how it worked, probably couldn't on the phone.

Thanks in advance for any information,
Regards
Dave

[Geoff Ryall-Harvey]

Not sure on cable operated mechanism. Sounds very complex.

There are two rubber bushes in the gear linkage that often deteriorate and introduced a lot of slop and lost motion into a 2CV gear change. They are cheap to replace as the same bushes also used to hold the bonnet and boot props in place.

What I did with mine is replace the bushes and the little metal strap that connects the dash mounted gearlever to the one that comes out of the gearbox with two M6 rod ends (rose joints) - a male and a female back to back with a lock nut. Tightens it all up no end and you can adjust the length of it - which can be useful in placing the gearlever exactly where you need it in relation to the dashboard facia.

[Duncan Grimmond]

Geoff, any chance of a pic.of your rose-jointed gear-shift please?

[Geoff Ryall-Harvey]

I'll take a photo later today.

[Greylag]

Hello Geoff,

It sounded complex to me as well. The gear linkage on my trike is not the same as the car.
It has a solid rod lever connected to a rose joint style linkage and then straight to the top of the gear lever and down to the stub where it comes out of the gearbox (the main gear lever is bolted to the bent one shown) The picture is not very good but hopefully will show enough. I'm considering shortening the lever which fits to the stub and extending the rod thus moving the linkage down, apparently this should reduce the travel.

Regards
Dave

[Geoff Ryall-Harvey]

Could you post a picture of the whole trike? I'm wondering what would stop you having a solid lever (with suitable bends etc) like a suicide shifter on a Harley?

[Greylag]

Hello Geoff,

These are photos I took today. The gear lever runs through a tube under the bodywork above the engine from the left hand side. I've had 3 nice blokes down from the East Coast branch of the CSC and they think that the way I've been told is the best way to sort it, ie shorten the gear lever and move the linkage down 6 or 7 inches to give less travel.

Regards
Dave

[Geoff Ryall-Harvey]

Duncan - my camera needs a recharge. Will post pictures tomorrow.

[callum]

Dave,
Can't help but notice from the photos of the trike, that the brake calipers have been assembled back to front. Not a huge problem, but under heavy breaking, the brake pads are being froced out of the calipers instead of into them.

Those, more knowledgeable, will no doubt chip in, but I'd not be comfortable with them arranged this way!

Discuss?

Rgrds
Callum

[Geoff Ryall-Harvey]

Dave - I would agree with Callum - it's worth swapping them around. There is a trick you can use so that you don't have to split the callipers. Remove the brake pipes as appropriate. Then remove the front-most calliper mounting bolt. You need to take that bolt out completely then just crack the other one off so that you can rotate the calliper up about 60 degrees. Re-insert the bolt and then put one of the gearbox/engine nuts on and tighten it up. You can now remove the second bolt and the calliper will stay together. Fit it to the other side by reversing the procedure.