Reverse Gear.

[Grim]

ahh you've got an aftermarket gear lever / quickshift, not a normal/modified lever. I'm not sure how to adjust that.

[Guest Gargoil]

Well, I just don't get it.

It went a little bit like this.

Tinker, tinker tinker.Nothing.

Web search.

Look, someone has been driving around without the plastic saddle inserted....didn't know you could.....

Can I?

 

That's interesting.....can get reverse without using the saddle, but how is that going to work long term?

 

Tinker tinker tinker. Nothing.

Right, that's it for tonight, had enough. I'll put the old saddle in and close up shop.

 

Scuse me, why is the gear lever now springing down, why am I able to get reverse, just like I used to?

What's the difference between two exactly the same, bits of plastic?

 

Like I said,I just don't get, but it's working now and that is enough for me.

 

Thanks for your help Gents, once again you give confidence to those that don't have it.

[Longboarder]

Have you got a straight stick and a ball that allows the lever to rotate 360 degrees? They only go on one way, cut out on the fork to the right. Put in 180 degrees out of sync and you only get forwards.

 

Nigel

 

I know that doesnt explain the original problem. For that try holding the clutch cable in a U shape, the two ends brought together parallel. Like in the pic below. Does the cable still pull and push freely? If not, change it.

Edited September 25, 2014 by Longboarder

[Guest Gargoil]

Have you got a straight stick and a ball that allows the lever to rotate 360 degrees? They only go on one way, cut out on the fork to the right. Put in 180 degrees out of sync and you only get forwards.

 

Nigel

 

 

That is the type of stick I have, it does swivel 360 degrees. I looked at pictures of old sierra sticks to work out which way the cut out went but it still didn't let me select reverse until I refitted the old saddle.

 

I will try the cable test if after a test drive it's still difficult to engage., thanks for the tip.

 

This really isn't Wheeler Dealers, is it?

 

[Guest 547140hayward]

Sorry for jumping on someone else's (old) thread. I have a related but different problem in that the 'gate' to stop accidental selection of reverse doesn't work.

 

Just removed the gear lever and the plastic saddle is a collection of bits. Ordered a new one but is there anything else I need to check/do to solve the gate issue. Thanks.

[Guest alexpink]

Sorry for jumping on someone else's (old) thread. I have a related but different problem in that the 'gate' to stop accidental selection of reverse doesn't work.

 

Just removed the gear lever and the plastic saddle is a collection of bits. Ordered a new one but is there anything else I need to check/do to solve the gate issue. Thanks.

When I had this problem it was literally just a new saddle that completely fixed it.

[Guest Gargoil]

Coincidence?

It may be an old thread but it's still current, so perhaps we could share is Jamieh?

 

For whatever reason and it has been a long time, today the latest clutch cable had arrived,

Fitted and with a bit of a knocked together manual adjustment which gives me about 6mm of tightening or slackening, I still can't get reverse gear.

Everything about the feel of the clutch, where it bites and how easy it is, tells me that the cable is working as it should.

So am I missing something?

Reverse gear has slowly left the building (it used to improve over the winter months) and I just cant get the lever to move across the gate.

 

Also, do you need reverse gear for an MOT, because that's due in a week, too.

[Longboarder]

Critical measure time. With the gearstick on the bench, set the gear fork as close to perpendicular to the mounting plate as possible by eye. Then measure as best you can from the base of the U shape in the fork to the mounting side(underside when mounted). Should be about 29mm. (without the saddle). SEE FIRST PIC. Note this pic is upside down(Doh!) and viewed from the back of the car looking forwards.

 

I will include a pic of the saddle in place on the selector rod and an old 'strip down- make your own quickshift' sequence to try to clarify positions and bits. The saddle is black plastic.

 

You can also see in the last frame the spacer you have to make to lift the base plate so that with all the fiddling with the fulcrum to fork length that a quick shift entails the fork still sits in the same and correct position relative to selector saddle as before. Lengthen the fork, raise the mount plate the same distance.

 

If I remember right the saddle is a snap fit on the selector rod and should be fitted first, then the lever fitted into it. If you put it onto the fork first it may not snap onto the selector rod when you fit the lever assembly and won't push on as the fork stops it expanding to snap on, so no reverse gear. If it's not a snap fit it's worn!

 

Nigel

Edited April 1, 2016 by Longboarder

[Guest Gargoil]

Now, that has given me something to think about. I remember having problems reseating the gear lever with a new saddle. Could be I was putting it on the lever first, not on the rod. Time to dig out the new saddle again.

Cheers Dude.

[Guest 547140hayward]

Thanks all. Will give it a blast when new saddle arrives. Jamie

[Longboarder]

And measure the gap indicated to confirm your aftermarket short shifter is the correct dimensions. Of course it could just be a fubarred gearbox!!!

 

Nigel

[Guest Gargoil]

 

Cheers Nigel.

You got me looking in the correct direction.

After removing the gear lever to measure, I noticed that the body of the lever had come unscrewed from the lever itself. This meant the distance you mentioned wasn't available. After tightening , reverse has made an appearance. It needs some fine tuning but it looks like problem solved.

Thanks again for the info.

What a great club and membership, well worth the fee.