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Making an ali gear lever gate?
fha772 - 14/8/10 at 12:01 PM

Has anyone on here made an ali gear lever gate, instead of using a gaiter?

Would it pass the IVA if i did make 1?

I was thinking of taking my time measuring and then cut the gate into the top trans tunnel panel, so it was all 1 piece.

What do you think?

Cheers Frank.


robocog - 14/8/10 at 12:13 PM

Yup Smudge88 (Grant) on here has done it
He's currently somewhere warm and sunning himself at the moment but found this in his photo archive

Dash area
Dash area


Note the groovy lock mech as well so it can be locked into or out of reverse!

Needed a bit of fettling for radiuses but passed SVA at S/Hampton (notoriously strict centre)

Regards
Rob


MakeEverything - 14/8/10 at 12:14 PM

Not sure it would pass a radius test because of the gates?

Nice idea, and i thought i might do one later, with some sort of stretchable fabric (tights or Lycra) underneath so that you cant see through the gate into the tunnel. This way, if i drop anything in there, it wont fall into the tunnel. Likewise vice-versa.


fha772 - 14/8/10 at 12:26 PM

That looks great.

So, i might be better off making a gate that would replace the gaiter after IVA?


RazMan - 14/8/10 at 12:34 PM

Interesting idea but wouldn't it make the gear changes slower and 'notchy'?

For example changing from second to third would require 3 separate movements rather than a diagonal shove on the gearstick.

[Edited on 14-8-10 by RazMan]


MakeEverything - 14/8/10 at 12:54 PM

quote:
Originally posted by RazMan
Interesting idea but wouldn't it make the gear changes slower and 'notchy'?

For example changing from second to third would require 3 separate movements rather than a diagonal shove on the gearstick.

[Edited on 14-8-10 by RazMan]



Thats a good point..... maybe i wont then,....


fha772 - 14/8/10 at 01:20 PM

With the corners radiused(is that right?), you should get the gears nice and easy, the slots should follow the path that the stick takes, if anything the slots should taper a bit, to make changes slicker.

If done right it shouldn't effect the change at all, if anything it should aid gear change, by stopping the chances of grabbing the wrong gear coming out of a corner. That was the basic principle of a gate when they first started to appear on racing cars in the 50's.

Also, i do like the look of them in a sports car.


mcerd1 - 14/8/10 at 01:37 PM

quote:
Originally posted by RazMan
Interesting idea but wouldn't it make the gear changes slower and 'notchy'?

For example changing from second to third would require 3 separate movements rather than a diagonal shove on the gearstick.

[Edited on 14-8-10 by RazMan]


depends how close a fit you make it....


Marcus - 14/8/10 at 02:33 PM

I got used to mine very quickly, passed SVA ok, so would assume IVA would be ok too.


Description
Description


Reverse is quite heavily sprung, so accidents don't happen

Oh and it hides the remote assembly nicely

[Edited on 14/8/10 by Marcus]


Humbug - 14/8/10 at 07:34 PM

I quite fancy the idea, but how did you (the ones who've done it!) measure up accurately to get the slots lined up for each gear?


Marcus - 15/8/10 at 09:50 AM

Cardboard is your friend, as always


Michael - 15/8/10 at 08:25 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Humbug
I quite fancy the idea, but how did you (the ones who've done it!) measure up accurately to get the slots lined up for each gear?


I was looking at doing the same for my 4 speed box.

Went through all gears marking it out on the tansmission tunnel top, then made a paper template, but turns out the gap between the gears was about 2 or 3 mm so would bend out the way.

In the end i turned a ali plate into a ring and now that is what surrounds my gear leverl.

Also underneath the tunnel is bolted a reverse gate (clapper board principle)