7 replies to this topic

[J-Lo]

Has anyone bent the shifter so that it's more to the other side of the car for more room? is there a shifter that's longer/bent that I can use?

the shifter hits the back of my calf and I can't get the car into first gear... and if it were moved over about 3 inches I'd be able to drive it


The car also is fitted with the steering drop bracket and it's too low (can't get my knees under the steering wheel to get out of the way of the shifter.. I'm 5'11")... do you have to loosen the floor U-bolts to raise the steering back up and remove the bracket? or is that only on the installation of said bracket


thanks

I'll search in the meantime


Jimmy

[Big_Adam]

You can do what you like to the arm. It pops out (with some work). Pop it out and either bend it and shape it or hack it down. Then plonk it back in the remote housing.......oh wait.

You got an old old mini so the shifter is different to my one. Let me think, I believe you have a remote shifter sorta jobbie so I got no idea on that.

Sorry.

[Dan]

Yes you will have to rotate the rack properly any time you adjust the steering angle, this is very important.

For the gear lever, sounds like you are talking about a magic wand type I think. Whatever type it is though I can't see any real problem with bending it.

[J-Lo]

well my mini is '68-based but it's updated... to be honest.. I don't know WHAT I have (It's got internal door hinges, roll-ups, and a full burlwood dash, and puffy seats.. but no airbag...help)... I looked under the carpet in the interior and I can't find any U-bolts... just Dynamat and under that it's flat... can anyone post a pic of the location

also.. I looked at the bolt through the stock bracket and it looks like the head of the screw is sheared off....

[Dan]

Oh, it's one of THOSE American Minis. There will now be a 2 minute silence in memory of the actual 1968 Mini that died in order that your car could be produced.


Well if it's a rod change box then the lever shouldn't be all that far to the left really. As above though I don't think it will be a problem. With a late gear lever you will need to bear in mind the rubber isolator built into it when trying to bend it because that will absorb a lot of the bending but it's just a case of holding it in the right place.

Look where the steering column disappears into the floor, it is in a triangular-ish recess. The two nuts in the recess with it are on the U-bolt. Same the other side of the car where the RHD column would be. These are the ones that need slackening. They may be under the Dynamat. Keep the tension even on the U-bolt when tightening it or the rack will be pulled to one side. This means keep roughly the same amount of thread visable above each nut. If you don't the U-bolt will be pulled round and pull the rack with it, undoing your good work.

The bolt is a shear bolt. You can cut a slot in the head of it with a saw or cold chisel to turn it with a screwdriver. Or cut flats onto it and turn it with a spanner. The nut is retained in a groove in the bracket so it can't turn meaning you don't need to try to hold the nut still yourself. After cutting the bolt you should really replace it but it is unlikely to have been seriously weakened. If you do weaken it you should replace it with another shear bolt if you can get one. If not use a high tensile bolt of the correct size. The original nut will be fine.

[Guess-Works.com]

Oh, it's one of THOSE American Minis. There will now be a 2 minute silence in memory of the actual 1968 Mini that died in order that your car could be produced.

[J-Lo]

Oh, it's one of THOSE American Minis. There will now be a 2 minute silence in memory of the actual 1968 Mini that died in order that your car could be produced.

Sorry...

but it looks and runs great!... 'glass hood, 3-piece wheels etc...


thanks for the info... I'll look for the bolts...


as far as the shear bolt.... I forgot about slotting it (or putting flats in it)

could I use the bolt and nut from the drop bracket if the original is too knackered (experimenting with British slang... I love it)

Thanks again

Edited by J-Lo, 24 March 2007 - 07:26 PM.

[dklawson]

Welcome.

I just hope the powerplant isn't SPI or MPI. God knows how you'll get one of those serviced over here and getting parts is going to be a trick. You need to pop into the Mini Mania web site and introduce yourself there if you haven't already. Being in CA, you'll at least have Mini Mania and Seven close by to support you with parts.

Dan, on the early cars, assuming he may still have the early column, is it really necessary to rotate the rack if he's only moving the column up or down with the drop bracket? Am I wrong in remembering a u-joint right above the floor that should accommodate the small angular changes?

I can't advise you on what you can and can't do to change the angle of the rod-shift lever... which you probably have. For the early cars with remote or magic wand boxes there was a bent extender that could be attached to the end of the lever. I don't think that would help your situation.