Give my short shift kit back then.

 

You moved it with Vice grips??! Wow. That's pretty tough nylon (?) and I think it's 'cooked' on the shaft from the factory. So you must'a put A LOT of force on those vice grips!!? (remind me never to arm wrestle you... )
When I cut mine, the heat from welding actually started to loosen, then melt the ball a bit. When I slid it, I swear I saw so divits or tabs on the shaft that the nylon ball 'grabs' onto? Not feeling like that would hold-up under long-term use, I opted to go get another stick and re-do it - controling the amount of heat I applied to it a little better the 2nd time around. Then when I added length below the ball, I had to contend with TWO nylon pieces - the ball and the bushing. THAT was a pain, but I made it work. Just had to cool it in some water whenever the nylon started to show signs it was about to actually melt.

So has your shifter never slid down from use then? What is the holding the ball to the shaft in it's new position?

 

maybe I will





after I try adjusting it first

 

hey look at my post above "another home fabricated short shifter"

 

Although threading the top probably could be done (and apparently HAS been done), it'd be problematic. The threads are M10x1.25, and M10x1.25 and M12x1.25 dies are easy to find (albeit at a cost of $4.69 each), so we're good so far. The problem is, the shaft below the threaded part is 9/16 in diameter, which is essentially an M14, but M14 dies are rare and they don't even MAKE one with a 1.25 pitch. 9/16 dies are readily avaible, so a guy could start with a 9/16 instead of an M14, but then the M12x1.25 would be a different "pitch", with the risk of cross-threading or otherwise buggering up the stick. It might work, but it might not, and it'd cost me $25 in dies and a "wrench" to find out.

My next stop was a machine shop, with huge lathes with chucks big enough to swallow the ball end of the shifter. I was told they COULD turn down the top (so that I could thread it with an M10x1.25 die), but that it would take them 30 to 45 minutes of jury-rigging since the shifter has all those bends in it, and it'd cost me $25 (minimum). Oh, and they might destroy it in the process.

OK, so cutting off the top and cutting new M10x1.25 threads does not seem to be a realistic option. It probably can be done, but it wouldn't be easy or without risk.

Next up, Lowes, to see if I could find pipe of an appropriate diameter to make a "sleeve". The idea was proposed earlier to cut out a section and then use such a sleeve and JB Weld to "glue" the two pieces back together. While not wild about this idea, I did pursue it, albiet briefly. The problem is, the only pipe I found of an appropriate diameter was 1/2 ID copper pipe. I'd have to slot it lengthwise to make it a bit bigger, since it's slightly too small, but copper isn't very strong. I gave up on this idea pretty quickly. Again, it could probably be made to "work", but it's not very elegant and I wouldn't have a lot of confidence in the finished product.

I am left with the following options:

1. Cut out a section and weld it back together. As mentioned above, the weld would be quite close to the ball, so care would have to be taken not to melt the ball. OTOH, since I only want to shorten it 1" to 1.5", the section could be taken out of the TOP, eliminating this as a potential factor.
2. Use an after-market (e.g. Momo) shift **** that does not require threads. This option is looking better and better.
3. Thread the rod with a 9/16 die and then tap new threads into the shifter ****. I need to pull the **** off to see if this would even be an option with the stock shift ****.

David

 

don't worry about the thread pitch of the larger dies... you're going to cut those threads off anyway when you run the smaller die down over it. heck, you can even use a file and shave them down before running the next die down on it. all you're doing with those dies is trying to make the shaft progressively smaller, instead of forcing a tiny 10mm die down over a 9/16" shaft.

 

Matt93SE, would you start with a 9/16-20 or a 9/16-12, or would it matter at all since those threads will just be cut off on the next pass?

Assuming I could get to the final M10 on the 3rd iteration, should I try for an M12 (same thread pitch as the final die) on the second pass or, again, would it matter at all what die was used?

 

doesn't really matter exactly what die is used as long as the next one threads on properly. you can use a 1/2" instead of the 12mm, but the 12 is slightly smaller and will make the 10mm easier- which is the one that's important to make sure the threads are not damaged.. the thread pitch really won't matter, other than the more coarse threads will remove more material and make it slightly easier on the next smaller side (OD stays the same for all thread pitches, but the larger threads will cut deeper into the shaft)

 

OK, I'm going to give it a try, starting with a 9/16-12 (coarse) then proceding to an M12-1.25 (ultra fine pitch), and finally the M10-1.25. Rather than buying a huge tap and die set, I'm just going to buy the ones I need. Wish me luck.

Update: Life isn't simple. A 9/16" die costs almost $10 (at Ace Hardware) and requires a 1-7/16" 'die stock' which neither Ace nor Sears had. Even if I used an adjustable wrench to turn the die, I would have had to buy a 12-incher since the largest I have is a 10. I could use a pipe-wrench, which I have, but I'd rather not bugger up the die.

Before I "invest" $30 in a 9/16 die and a 12" adjustable wrench, I'm going to try to grind down the shaft with a bench grinder, which I have, to where I can thread it directly with the M12 die. It will be difficult to get it exactly round, but I'm hoping it won't need to be.

Note: An M10x1.25 has the same thread pitch as a an SAE 7/16-20. The only difference is the 7/16 is slightly larger in diameter. In other words, a 7/16 fine-pitch nut will thread easily onto the OE shifter, but will be just a little bit loose. What I'm saying is, if you have an SAE tap and die set, or can't find an M10x1.25 die, you might get away with just threading the shifter with a 7/16-20 die and I'm guessing an OE shift **** would thread onto it OK. The threaded portion inside the OE **** is rubber and should expand enough to thread over the slightly larger theads. In fact, this might even be a good thing since the **** would fit tighter.

 

I have been successful in threading the top of a cut shifter.

I took pictures, but it'll take me a bit to crop them and upload them to my website.

Here are the basic steps. Note, my shifter had already been removed from the car.

1. Use a bench grinder to reduce the diameter of the shaft in the area of the new threads. I didn't get **** about this, I just tried to make the rod more or less round, but small enough in diameter that I could use an M12 die.
2. Thread this new section with an M12x1.25 die. As mentioned in a prior post by Matt93se, a 1/2-20 would also work. In fact, ANY 1/2 or M12 die would probably work. Because the bar was not ground down perfectly smoothly, some of the threads were flat, but this didn't matter in the least since these threads will be cut off. Also for this reason, because it's difficult to be very precise with the bench grinder, I would start with the M12 or 1/2 die rather than attempt to jump straight to the M10.
3. Follow up the M12 die with the final M10x1.25. I used Tap and Die Fluid (aka cutting oil) to make the cutting easier, but this is purely optional.
4. Thread the M10 tap onto the shaft.
5. Cut 1" (or whatever) off with a Dremel (rotory tool) with a cut-off wheel. Use a file to taper/shape the end a little bit.
6. Remove the die to clean up the cut threads.

Edit: Write-up here