44 replies to this topic

[Austifiniho]

I'm doing quite a bit of work on my mini at the moment as it's off the road waiting for a gearbox rebuild, just wondering that with every other bush or bit of rubber on the car you seem to have the option of rubber, poly or solid, but there doesn't seem to be with the bushes from the rod change bracket to the floor.

Thinking of maybe getting some poly exhaust bobbins and spacing them with washers as they look a bit smaller and seeing if this makes the gear shift any less wobbly or just a better feeling.

Just wondering if this has been tried and failed and what this could affect positively or negatively in the car

Obviously an ideal solution wouldn't be the poly bobbins and washers, but if there was an alternative to the rubber would that be an improvement?

Edited by Austifiniho, 27 July 2017 - 11:03 PM.

[nicklouse]

not needed. make sure the one in the back of the box is good and the housing is not worn out and you will be fine. the housing need to be able to move.

[Austifiniho]

Yeah like I said it will be a brand new box, going to replace all the wearables involved in the shifting and go from there, just had a thought about the rubbers, most other things in rubber like that always have a poly alternative

Just thought this would stiffen the change up, but thought also it would put more force back through the shifter into the gear selectors and the actual internals of the gear box.

But yeah I'll start with fresh, stock parts and see how it feels in my hand

[nicklouse]

new box! like i said check the bush in the back. that and the roll pins are what give the shifter feel. presuming that the housing is in good condition. the two housing rubbers dont really do much on their own.

[Tupers]

Do you want it to feel like a new Mini gearbox or do you want it to feel like a modern gearbox?

[AeroNotix]

I know OP in REAL LIFE. He's just trying to get the best that's possible. I got quite a lot of feedback here Austin: http://www.theminifo...g-gear-shifter/

[tiger99]

Don't be deceived by the marketing hype surrounding poly. It is totally inappropriate here and is only beneficial in a very few places on the Mini, specifically the tie rods (ONE ONLY PER SIDE, on the front, rubber on the back), cold end of top and bottom engine steadies, and REAR subframe mounts. Everywhere else, especially the front subframe mounts, is useless, even damaging or dangerous.

All materials are useful in their correct place, and poly does dome things exceptionally well, but it is grossly oover-hyped.

As for the gearchange, a proper Hooke joint (UJ) instead of the sloppy roll pin coupling, and maybe a linear ball bushing or two (note that you would need a needle roller inside or outside the linear bearing as no standard rolling element bearing properly allows linear and rotational movement together), could potentially improve the action, but that would get into serious machining for possibly not much benefit. But better bushes, maybe bronze with embedded PTFE, or one of the modern plastics, might be a simpler way to reduce friction.

[Ethel]

You don't want the selector mounted too solidly or you may find it pulls itself out of gear when the engine moves in response to the masses of torque coming out of your 850cc's 

[AeroNotix]

Don't be deceived by the marketing hype surrounding poly. It is totally inappropriate here and is only beneficial in a very few places on the Mini, specifically the tie rods (ONE ONLY PER SIDE, on the front, rubber on the back), cold end of top and bottom engine steadies, and REAR subframe mounts. Everywhere else, especially the front subframe mounts, is useless, even damaging or dangerous.

All materials are useful in their correct place, and poly does dome things exceptionally well, but it is grossly oover-hyped.

As for the gearchange, a proper Hooke joint (UJ) instead of the sloppy roll pin coupling, and maybe a linear ball bushing or two (note that you would need a needle roller inside or outside the linear bearing as no standard rolling element bearing properly allows linear and rotational movement together), could potentially improve the action, but that would get into serious machining for possibly not much benefit. But better bushes, maybe bronze with embedded PTFE, or one of the modern plastics, might be a simpler way to reduce friction.

Is there any kind of Hooke Joint on the market for the rod change that already exists?

[Ethel]

Can't see it, you're still going to need a way to attach to the gearbox shaft. So, unless you're willing to re-engineer that too, there'll still be at least one pin.

 

If you've fitted a quickshift you'll realise the joint isn't much of an issue, it's the resistance of the selector mech in the box - possibly those bell cranks?

[AeroNotix]

Alright, I'm going to a friend's to test their KAD quickshift and see how I like that. Might end up getting one along with a bias selector that MS sell.

[Ethel]

I'm not say quickshifts are a cure. They're as slop free as any other make of car suggesting the coupling is ok but enough leverage to make engaging a gear smooth results in Mini like pudding stirring as a side effect. Seems your choice is a bit wobbly of a bit notchy.

[nicklouse]

but would it feel as good if you just fitted a new housing and stick? i would say the play goes as all the bearing surfaces are new. Except for the yoke the end of the sick drives.

 

a travel reducer that does not change the travel as much would be interesting.

[Spider]

About a year ago now I went away from the rubber cotton reel mounts for the shifter body to a slide mount. This prevents any rotation of the shifter body, but allows it to slide back and forth as the engine naturally moves on it's mounts.

 

So far, so good in 2 cars now. The shift feels a lot like the older remote shift to operate it and is very positive to find all the gates. IMO, it's totally transformed the shifter feel.

[AeroNotix]

About a year ago now I went away from the rubber cotton reel mounts for the shifter body to a slide mount. This prevents any rotation of the shifter body, but allows it to slide back and forth as the engine naturally moves on it's mounts.

 

So far, so good in 2 cars now. The shift feels a lot like the older remote shift to operate it and is very positive to find all the gates. IMO, it's totally transformed the shifter feel.

Do you have a link to that slide mount? Sounds interesting!