Gear Shift - Ouch ! My Fingers

[Jonathan]

Just refitted the centre console to the GT2 and moved the car - into 1st gear and my hand smashes into the dials !

TBH I've not driven the car since I've had it and been working on it so I dont know what it should be like.

Close inspection there is definatly flex in the gear selection shaft (as well as having more knotches than a crocodile's back !) when I go into a forward throw gear there is a fair ammount of flex there - this flex is probably allowing my hand to clatter the dials for the heaer etc.

Just found out there is supposed to be a bearing there to support it...not on my car

Is this to be expected ?

It seems the later cars with the left side gearbox exit had a much beefier shaft - I can turn a supporting collar up on the lathe np tomorrow, should this fix my prob ?

[Vulcan Grey]

Some cars have the extra support bearing for the cross shaft, and some don't. My 89SE does, but I know the '91 X180-R doesn't.

Here's mine

Your shift will be longer on the SE, but shouldn't be long enough to smash your fingers into the dash...

Does it go into each gear properly?

[Jonathan]

It goes into every gear fine, but it is knotchy which is why I ahve to give it a little push...compared to the GT3 it's stiff as hell.

Doesn't overly help that the new centering spring I made is a tad too strong so going to 1st you have to be assertive, you kinda use the same force to go forward and thats when I bashed my finger into the fan speed dial (gone all black now )

I think it's a combination of this, the gear know style which has very little material on the palm side and the bendy bar.

Changing the gear selector knob for an S350 one soon which will help due to it's shape - who knows it might firm up with the shaft sleave I'm making.