gear linkage

[Trip]

A shot in the dark,

Has anyone tried or seen a conversion to a cable type gear linkage using the GTiR gearbox ?

 

[red reading]

only on a audi gearbox converted car, why would you want to do it on a standard box?

 

[Trip]

If the gear linkage is cable operated, you can virtually move the whole gear lever assembly to where ever you want to. Hand brake will be converted to hyadraulic soon so it can be placed further back.

I moved the seat position backwards so my feet are confortable with the pedals. I extended the steering wheel backwards using a lifeline quick release (50mm) and a deep dish wheel (90mm). The gear lever was a little low and far away so I attached an extension of around 100mm. Its better reached now but the shift throw has increased considerately. The seat front part is fully lowered almost touching the buldge in the floor pan and the seat vertical part is almost 90deg in order to get my upper body closer to the gear lever.

Another way is to remove the buldge, lower the seat even more, remove the gear lever extension and bend it a little backwards.

Another question, did anyone try removing that buldge and cross member, and what did they replace it with, did they have problems with the exhaust pipe clearance and strength of the new floorpan (without cross member) ?

 

[red reading]

Why not just extend the linkage bars and move the hole lot up the propsaft tunnel?

I think Vss irvine did the flat floor pan on his black gtir shell he has for sale

 

[Trip]

Putting the seat lower will give me a safety advantage of clearing the crash helmet from the rollcage.

Raising the whole thing upwards nad backwards would mean you will end up with the linkage bar inside the cockpit. Sounds possible if clearance with propshaft is not an issue.


Took some pics of the gear lever with and without extension.. Gear is in neutral. I also took measurments of the throw with extension inplace. 12cm between first and second and sideways between 1st and 3rd was 4cm

 

[red reading]

I understand why you want to lower the seat and move the gear lever trip, what i was saying in my last post is that it would be easier to fabricate the control rod's and move the lever than try to fabricate the cable change route.

 

[Trip]

Another way i was looking at it a long time ago (and even drew it on CAD to see it in motion) was to create another gearlever with a rosejoint or a balljoint at the bottom and link it to the existing grear lever. Altering the linkage position height ratio can also decrease (shorten) the throw both up/down and sideways.


Existing setup



New mounting with balljoint


Gear lever in place and linkage


close up and side view





This is a little over engineered but it works well on locost's (lotus 7 replicas) where with certain gearboxes the gear lever protrude under the dash in the scuttle area. If it does not work, you can easily remove the mounting and you are back with OE gear lever.

 

[bracpan]

I also have the same problem of hitting my head on the rollcage...Been thinking of removing some of the bump from the floor as my seat is so low it touches it, Will have to read the regs to see if its possible. Another solution is put a double set in the gear leaver ( or get a new one fabricated)..Good luck
Phil

 

[Trip]

If i get the gear lever closer to me, i can tilt the seat backwards which should improve clearance between helmet and cage. Lower the whole seat will help too. I am not sure about removing the buldge, since its there to make space for the exhaust pipe.

What is a double set ?

 

[bracpan]

2 x 45 degree angles into the geat leaver setting it back...cheaper and lighter

 

[Trip]

I tried it already but i might have exaggerated it a little making the shift throw miles long