Best current source for shift linkage bushings?

[LLesniak]

I continue to work my way through my recently out of storage Zagato and today I ran into a new issue. While moving my car around the driveway my shift linkage fell apart at the last ball joint where it connects to the lever from the transmission housing. I've checked the archives and found a number of posts on this topic but many are rather old posts. Some mention John Montgomery's kit while others mention Vick or Bayless. I know Vick still carries a kit but was would like some input from my fellow Lancisti as to the best current source for the shift linkage bushings and/or the full kit. I'll need to replace these so I can get the car on the road but I'd be willing to take the extra time to do the whole shift linkage correctly. Your input and advice would be appreciated! Larry

[davidb]

Bruce used to have kits too . . .

[Jim Keller]

Regardless of who is selling them, IAP, Bayless, Obert, John Montgomery, ALL the kits are John's, so it doesn't matter who you order from, they are all the same, John and his brother are the only ones who have made a replacement kit for Betas. They also never need lubing

However, while John's kit is excellent and will outlast the car, (they are made from the same material they use to make replacement knees and hips), as well as give you crisper shifting than it ever had before, you can do what some of us have done and make up a set of heim joint links, those are even crisper yet when shifting. There are pictures in some of the shift link threads you can view to see what I am talking about. For quickest easiest and long lasting repair, John's kit is the way to go though

[len_newstrum]

I replaced a bad bushing and checked the others just about a month ago. There is absolutely no slop in the system, the gearshift throw is very short, and gear engagement is crisp, but smooth.

EXCEPT! Going into first gear from a dead stop often requires a couple of tries, going into second first, or even spinning the gears up in neutral. Similarly for reverse. To get reverse you have to go all the way to the right, then come back left a bit before pushing down and back.

I don't fully comprehend the gear linkage and suspect that some adjustment is needed. I understand that the vertical rod from the transmission up to the forward shift rod simply affects left/right centering of the gear-shift lever (loosen to shift it left)--and that is right on.

The factory manual implies that the fore-and-aft positioning of the shift console can affect things (the mounting bolt holes are slotted), but doesn't say how it affects shifting. Since I did replace the whole console and rod assembly could that be a problem? If so, which way should it be moved?

Does anybody have some words of wisdom?

BTW. The old '78 console had a plastic (nylon?) bumper that is the key to the 'push-down to get into reverse' function. It was very badly worn. The replacement console has a small piece of metal embedded in it to take the wear. Nice improvement. I don't know which model the replacement came from. When replacing the rear control rod bushing you should take a close look at that bumper and consider making a metal insert, if necessary.

[SubGothius]

EXCEPT! Going into first gear from a dead stop often requires a couple of tries, going into second first, or even spinning the gears up in neutral. Similarly for reverse. To get reverse you have to go all the way to the right, then come back left a bit before pushing down and back.

I don't fully comprehend the gear linkage and suspect that some adjustment is needed. I understand that the vertical rod from the transmission up to the forward shift rod simply affects left/right centering of the gear-shift lever (loosen to shift it left)--and that is right on.

That indicates your gearshift lever may be adjusted too far to the right. The front stay rod adjusts not only centering of the shifter, but also the limits of its side-to-side travel. Turning the screw at the top of the stay rod inward (clockwise) effectively lengthens the stay rod and raises the frontmost pivot point of the linkage; this moves both limits of gearknob travel towards the left. Do this by a turn or half-turn, then test shifter operation, then continue to adjust and test as needed.

One of the benefits of doing so much work on my own car and poring over service manuals is that I can now visualize exactly how nearly everything works in more-than-theoretical detail. Which is also kinda a nifty awareness to have as you're actually driving the thing, adds a whole new dimension to my driver's perspective. :D

[davidb]

I'm puzzled like Len. The front adjustment rod is threaded w/a
square tip [on top]. Next down is a nut, the linkage rod, a 2ND
nut beneath that. My "assembly" musta been all the way down,
2ND & reverse were impossible [hot or cold]. W/a vise grip on
the square tip I've slowly raised the top nut, then brought the
lower nut up to tighten things up. Modest improvement. How
this effects right to left movement is beyond me, it's just a
vertical movement? Manual says "fit the adjusting rod having
the end ball sockets @ about 125mm center distance". Ball
sockets? There are none, just those two nuts? Maybe I'll raise
my nuts a tad higher to improve shifting. Keller says sometimes
a 1/4 or 1/2 turn [nuts] to raise or lower. Good Lord that rod has
like an inch of thread! 1/4 - 1/2 turn @ a time, that'd take 60
something adjustments? This adjustment process makes no sense.

[len_newstrum]

That indicates your gearshift lever may be adjusted too far to the right. The front stay rod adjusts not only centering of the shifter, but also the limits of its side-to-side travel. Turning the screw at the top of the stay rod inward (clockwise) effectively lengthens the stay rod and raises the frontmost pivot point of the linkage; this moves both limits of gearknob travel towards the left. Do this by a turn or half-turn, then test shifter operation, then continue to adjust and test as needed.Thanks, SG, that really helps. One thing though: You said that turning the screw (nut?) clockwise effectively lengthens the stay rod and raises the frontmost pivot point of the linkage. Did you intend to say counterclockwise?:scratch:

What a pain in the butt this is! That nut is practically inaccessible and you have to drive the car to see if you've adjusted it enough. I think I'll make some sort of semi-permanent tool so it can be adjusted easily.

Again, thanks for the info.

David: I read somewhere that the front stay was redesigned at some point between 75 and 78. It sounds like you have a manual that addresses the wrong version.

[SubGothius]

To explain how a vertical adjustment affects the side-to-side limits of the gearknob, try to imagine the standard shift pattern reoriented in a vertical plane rather than horizontal. The selector shaft on the tranny pushes down into the bellhousing and rotates forward for 5th or back for Reverse (the location of the reverse-light switch helps me remember this), and it pulls up out of the bellhousing and rotates forward for 1st or back for 2nd. Raising the front tip of the forward link limits how far the selector can be pressed down inward towards 5th/R and allows it to be lifted up and outward towards 1st/2nd more.

I also just remembered the early cars have a slightly different front stay rod apparatus than later cars, not sure when the change happened, but I think it's even earlier than the S1/FL switchover from '78-79. Early cars had a tierod-style arrangement with a Heim/ball joint at each end of of a rod (similar to the smaller control rod accompanying the transverse idler arm at the firewall). To adjust these, I reckon you'd just loosen the locknuts at the balljoints and rotate the connector rod to lenghen/shorten, but the factory manual says something about releasing the rod from the balljoints? I'm also not sure which way to rotate the rod to increase effective length, but I might guess it's the same as later cars.

On later cars, rotate the screw at the top clockwise (viewed from above, as in "righty tighty" direction) to increase effective length. Mine has a slotted end to adjust with a long screwdriver, but some cars (FI maybe?) only have flats for a wrench/pliers. The nut is just a locknut, loosen to allow adjustment and tighten to lock it in (and the adjustment will drift if not locked in!). The screw runs through a threaded hole at the front tip of the forward linkage rod, so what you're really adjusting is where that main rod joins the adjustment screw along its length.

Small adjustments make a big difference in sideways range of motion at the gearknob, hence the 1/2-1/4 turn increments. You can get things in the ballpark without driving the car, just start where it is (or about halfway along the adjustment range if reassembling the whole linkage), see if it feels like the lever moves the same distance full-right as full-left, adjust as necessary to even that out. Once that feels about right, it should be at least nominally drivable, and only shifting while actually driving will tell if you need additional fine-tuning.

[davidb]

Yes Len to loosen the top nut, turn counter clockwise thereby
raising it on the threaded adjusting rod. Then the lower nut is
brought up [raised] to tighten things up. This raises the link-
age bar. But I think you know this. Before I started this damn
adjustment process it shifted okay when cold. But once things
warmed up 2ND & reverse were almost impossible. J. Keller
has noted this specific hot/cold issue. I guess the simple solution
is warm things up, adjust, drive, adjust, drive, etc. Having set
aside alot of time & patience for this misery. Like I said tho 1/4 -
1/2 turn on a threaded rod that long? Jesus! I'm raising my nuts
& it's getting better. What's weird is I can actually feel the shifting
action change as things warm up. Why I say adjust when FULLY
warm. I'll keep fiddling w/mine. At this time 1 - 4 & reverse as
okay, just okay. 5TH is quite a throw, feels like it's in a different
country! This is a crazy process. There should be some measurement.

[Jim Keller]

Well, the manual says to adjust it until the shift lever is 90 deg, or straight up. But I find that is just a good starting point to get it to where it engages all forward gears perfectly and still get into reverse without struggle, it still needs re-fining adjustments beyound what the manual says from car to car, not all our engines are sitting at the perfect height on the motor mounts nor have every shift link bush in perfect order, so you have to play with the adjustment once you get it standing perfectly straight up per manual adjustment instructions to best fit your car

[PAV]

the console does affect the shifting as it has some ability to be moved around.
It needs to be quite tight since the shifter can move and thereby move a floating console around.

As for the shift bushing and heimRod assembly, they are stunning.

Someone who worked on my car apparently stole mine earlier and my 5th gear popped out not to return, plus soon I was in 2nd and 3rd gear when all failed.

Got the kit and had Ray at Performance Apex do the inspect and install.

He said the motormounts where OK and there was some area where the shifter was galling against the body, he had to grind away at the surface where the interference was occuring.

That car shifts like ... well it is stunningl, shifts are more postitive, notchy, and no accidentals - not yet - doing a 5the to 4the up-shift has not yet resulted in a surprise reverse grinder!!!!