Has anyone every tried it? Cut from the top of the stick? cutting it a few inches and than seeing if they could reaply the shiftknob? I know it sounds ghetto but Anyone?

I know obviously you can't from the bottom because the lockout. Might seem like a noob question But I was just curious......

 

yes someone has ...they made a thread on it with pics.. cut it..welded it back together.. search harder.. its here..

 

http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...r-project.html

yeuh

 

OH DAMNNNNNNNN, my bad. I posted this and thought I deleted it after realizing the reverse is at the top almost, and the whole plastic that wraps around the stick follows all the way down. Forgot about it fro a sec, was a blonde moment. Anyways thanks for the posts, I thought it didn't post and was like "good thing, stupid post".
Thanks anyways.

 

I've done this also. Sold it to a local guy. I have a spare shifter in my basement so I can do it for myself. Problem is my new boss is an a-hole and won't let me use the machines at work anymore. Hopefully I'll be getting a transfer soon and I can get this done. Then I can modify my original and sell it.

 

How much would you charge to do this If I traded my older one and boughtt he modded one off you?

 

Actually, I might try taking this project on on my own whenever I have a day or two to spare w.o my car.

 

Man, I have always wanted that shifter to be a little shorter. I would gladly buy that from someone. If you want to sell a spare one I would be more than happy to buy that....

 

I was skeptical about being able to shift the car, and I was laid off of work for about 3 months, so I sold it to pay my bills. I had a chance to get in the car a few months later to try it out and I was actually very impressed even though I had done the work myself. So it is on my to do list, but for next spring.

I may be able to do this in the future for other people. The problem is I am picky, I won;t just cut the shaft and try to wled it straight. When I did the first one I actually made a small jig out of aluminum which was basically a thick piece of aluminum with a cutout. I drilled the diameter of the shaft through and drilled and tapped 6 set screws into both ends of the jig. Then I insert the ends and use the set screw to guarantee the weld is straight. Tig welding gets hot fast, so I tacked it, then welded it and then tried to grind/sand the excess weld. I was not able to keep the jig intact. I have a new design in mind now that I may be able to use more than once. It isn't a cheap project in terms of labor. I got 200 dollars plus I wanted his shifter in return so I could do it again.

 

For the record, I'm not really sure if you can cut the threaded portion down and thread it some more. For 2 reasons. The first is I think the shaft below the threaded portion is a larger diameter. And secondly, I think the rod is semi hardened material, something like thompson rod which is not very easy to thread. Especially with a store bought threading die. As a toolmaker I hate these damn things with a passion, they can't cut a straight thread to save your life.

 

I did mine for the price of a $10 weld and some epoxy. unfortunately, I havent found any epoxy yet that holds it for more than a few months. Really im not sure why nothing seems to hold it since it doesnt really see that high of stresses. But anyway, its not that hard to do.

Step 1: Cut the length out that you want
Step 2: Weld the rod back together (straight as possible obviously)
Step 3: Cut out necessary length from plastic sleeve
Step 4: Glue or epoxy the sleeve back together and install
Step 5: Profit??

 

the one I made has been in the car for over a year. Hasn't fallen apart yet

 

what did you use to piece the plastic back together?

 

something made by loctite

 

The write up seems pretty easy as long as you can access a welder and some of that plastic adhesive sealer stuff. Didn't read up in TOO much detail. Just one q Knight, what did you do with the dowel pins and spring? I didn't see them in the pics. Just re-attach them?

 

yup, you have no choice if you want to keep the lockout

 

And it all re-attaches fine? correct? Is it just me or does this seem too easy.... Cut both the metal stick and plastic shouldn't take long. Be extremely careful with the plastic piece obviously... Have a welder weild the metal back toghether and use the plasic adhesive to reconnect the plastic? and reconnect dowel pins and spring? that's it?...

 

I didnt use the lower dowel on mine, but I used the upper one since thats the only way to retain the spring. On mine, I didnt use the lower dowel because the welding meant that the lower hole was no longer there. As a result, the reverse lockout pin from the shaft CAN come out of its vertical connection, because the lower dowel is what keeps it from rotating. On mine, i secured that connection using some black RTV, seems to work fine, never comes apart now

 

nice job knight, i didnt know you finished that project. you have any pics? how much were you able to get it down to?

 

I shaved it down 1.75" and i was able to keep both dowel holes, as I said I am picky and i made sure both dowels were still in line with each other. The member who bought the setup is d's036spd, maybe he can post some pics. I didn't take any myself.

 

Found a product by devcon called plastic welder which seems to have worked really well on the plastic

 

no problems with shifter/lockout either, installed may 08'
i believe the plastic stuff i used was made by weld-on, number 3 or 4