Toploader shift rods

[rsk289]

Originally Posted by FatBoy

Roger,

If you drilled and tapped a new hole for the top bolt in the shifter mounting plate, would that allow you to rotate the shifter enough to clear the cross-member? It would bring the handle back slightly, but that may or may not be a problem.

Paul

Wouldn't do it, Paul - firstly that would alter all the required shifter rod lengths, and it would need to move a very long way.
Best options are
1 spacer under trans mount
2 shorten the vertical lever working the reverse rod
3 relieve x-member and weld in fillet, easily reversible if I ever win the lottery and find a decent T10
Every Kirkham with a toploader will have the same issue, presuming the crossmember is in the same place.* So the spacer option clearly works, it'd just be neater to avoid it if poss, and better for the driveline angles. I'm aiming for 3-4 deg but have yet to measure the diff flange angle.

*and assuming it has a Tiger toploader - this is the price you pay for getting the shift lever in the correct place!

[DanEC]

I believe I re-drilled one of the shifter mount holes on my bracket as suggested to get a little better alignment on my ERA but sounds like you would need to rotate it quite a bit. Have you trial fit your tunnel to see where the shifter falls? Maybe you can re-drill the mount plate and shift the entire shifter body a little higher and leave the transmission where it is. Mine really sits a little too low since they build the transmission tunnels a little taller now on many cars to adapt all of the 5 and 6 speed transmission options with internal, top sitting shifters.

If that isn't feasible then re-drilling the shifter reverse lever may be your best option since a little additional effort and throw in going into reverse would probably not be a big issue. One thing that may be a problem though is the longer throw of the shift arm to engage reverse. Since it's on the outside of the pattern you may run into interference with the trim ring.

[rsk289]

Originally Posted by DanEC

I believe I re-drilled one of the shifter mount holes on my bracket as suggested to get a little better alignment on my ERA but sounds like you would need to rotate it quite a bit. Have you trial fit your tunnel to see where the shifter falls? Maybe you can re-drill the mount plate and shift the entire shifter body a little higher and leave the transmission where it is. Mine really sits a little too low since they build the transmission tunnels a little taller now on many cars to adapt all of the 5 and 6 speed transmission options with internal, top sitting shifters.

If that isn't feasible then re-drilling the shifter reverse lever may be your best option since a little additional effort and throw in going into reverse would probably not be a big issue. One thing that may be a problem though is the longer throw of the shift arm to engage reverse. Since it's on the outside of the pattern you may run into interference with the trim ring.

Just done some fag-packet measurements for this, and it could be a runner. The ally tunnel is 8" tall (above floor level) at the point where the shifter sits (should be same as original car). The top of the shifter assembly sits 7" above floor height. Raising the entire shifter bracket 1" would bring this level with the base of the rubber gaiter, which would actually improve the risk of the shift lever hitting the chrome trim ring. So - I need to get everything back in the car and check measurements, then try clamping the shifter bracket upwards 1" and checking gear selection is OK. If OK, I'll need to weld an extension on the shifter bracket to take two new lower holes, and redrill the top hole. IF this works, it should solve any problems.
Diff flange driveline angle is 3.7°, so if the trans ends up at 3-4° to match I'll be happy! Fingers crossed - thanks Dan!

[rsk289]

Think I've cracked it.
Moving the whole shifter mounting upwards wouldn't do it, as the 3/4 rod sits underneath the operating cams for 1/2 and reverse on the side of the box. I'd have to refabricate a very complex rod shape for this still to work.
So - back to plan A: redrill the hole for the reverse rod higher up on shift lever in the shifter mechanism.
No chance! These levers are either hardened steel or surface hardened. HSS drills won't touch it, barely scratched the surface.
The answer was to cut through the arm with an angle grinder, then reweld it back together with the hole in the right place. This I did, then cut and rewelded the reverse rod to suit. I did the same with the 3/4 arm and rod, to bring it closer to the casing (it was fouling the floor pan) and slightly higher.
The first pic shows my initial problem: The cross member would sit exactly where the heavily-angled rod is, level with the trans mount casting base seen ahead of this. Hence the need to gain an inch.
The second pic shows the end result, with reverse and 3/4 modified rods and arms.
The third pic gives a few from above, which shows the mod to the reverse rod more clearly.

I've checked operation and all gears engage correctly, possibly a little easier than before as the operating angles of the rods have improved. Shift movement doesn't seem to have increased notably, but we'll see when the trans cover goes on.
So - Sunbeam Tiger toploaders will fit with original-type trans mount with a little shifter rod surgery!
Roger