Long O/D gearstick

[sahtuning2000]

My friend recently pointed out that my gearstick is longer thsn the normal MK2 and hes right,but i don,t think its a Stag item,any ideas why this would even be changed,but it is about 3 inches higher than the normal ones.

[Dave B]

Its more than likely a gearlever from a face lift Mk2 from the way you describe. Wouldn't be my choice, I much prefer the lower stance of the earlier Mk2 lever! Easy enough to change if you have the shorter one.

[sahtuning2000]

Should of said it is a facelift 2500!

[SiennaTC]

Sorry to go slightly off topic here Sahtuning2000, but im just about to convert my 73 TC to manual O/D And all we got here in Aus are the awful long gear sticks. Ive looked everywhere for a short one and havent been successful. Anybody have one they would be willing to sell and post to Aus?

[CAR]

If you have a die set you could thread the lever further down and cut off the excess, make the lever the length you wat it to be really.

Colin

[tony]

Colin,
Don't think so mate,
My lever is threaded down the top parallel bit but then goes to a larger diameter. If you were fairly good with a grinder you may be able to get the diameter down to get a die nut over it but it would be a bit of a bodge.
Tony.

[Dave B]

Colin,
Don't think so mate,
My lever is threaded down the top parallel bit but then goes to a larger diameter. If you were fairly good with a grinder you may be able to get the diameter down to get a die nut over it but it would be a bit of a bodge.
Tony.

Well, I wasn't going to say owt, but I thought it was a gently tapered increase in diameter from the threaded bit downwards.

[Alan Chatterton]

Plus there is the hole and hollow section for the od wiring.
Only option is to fit a short stick, or cut n shut at the base.

[Alec]

Hello Tony,

" If you were fairly good with a grinder you may be able to get the diameter down to get a die nut over it but it would be a bit of a bodge."

Rather you than me, and I've regularly wielded an angle grinder for years, by the way a die nut is not designed to cut threads, merely to clean up damaged threads.

The neatest way to shorten the gear lever is to cut off to the required length, drill and tap the lever the same thread as the original end and screw in a long grub screw, drilled down the centre for the switch cable.
I must say I've not felt that the original lever is too long?

Alec

[Mike Stevens]

The gear lever was made longer late in production, maybe when the 'S' came out but I've never really been sure why. Maybe when the 'J' type came in due to it's different mounting arrangement, or perhaps when/if the later seats were higher.

I don't think re-cutting the gear knob fixing will be very easy. You could probably cut a section out lower down and re-weld it, but make sure it's a good weld. You don't want that coming off when driving!

Of course, the better approach would be to find the 'right' length gear lever!

Cheers,
Mike.