Shifter spring install

[hemmah]

OK I did it. I removed the 2 springs in my shifter and I can't get them back in. See photo.

Any suggestions on how to get the springs back in?

Or can I not put the springs in and just bolt the plate back in?


1969 911T

[hemmah]

Folks I figured out how to get the springs back in the shift. I had to cut the springs down by 1/3 put then in with a bolts and lock-nuts. Lesson: don't take the springs out of the shift

See the photos:
Start with bolts, lock nuts, lock washers, springs and shift:


Add bolts, lock nuts, lock washers, cut sprints down by 1/3 and shift


Tighten nuts on springs and lock nuts on shift body. Tighten springs to good tension


Top view

[Discseven]

Aloha Hemmah,

I've been thinking about diving into my shifter... your post has pushed me over the edge! So I have to ask... why did you dig into this? What's to replace in that area?

[hemmah]

Aloha Discseven,

My adventure into the shifter was a mistake. I bought a replacement bushing pack and started taking stuff apart.

I got it all together again with new bushings. Works good.

Don't take the springs out of your shifter.

Steve

[Walt Fricke]

Steve

Sounds like a commercial: don't take the springs out of your shifter, or you'll end up in a roadside ditch (or selling your hair for wigs)!

Shortening a spring makes the spring stiffer. Guys who lowered their cars by cutting a coil found that piece of engineering fact out the hard way.

So have you noticed that you have to push harder when shifting to get to where you want to go? That's not necessarily a bad thing. You used to be able to, and may still be able to, buy stiffer springs for this application. Came, as I recall, with a warning that they were tough to install. But you cut quite a lot off, so it should be quite a bit stiffer.

And can we assume that you can get to all of the shift planes? You don't run into coil bind when going for the side where the springs are most compressed?

[hemmah]

Walt,

Yep the shift spring experience has been a bad commercial.

I did think about the spring stiffness and binding when I engineered the solution. The stiffness is set by how much I tighten down the inside bolts. So it is adjustable as the original was not but optimal to Porsche Engineering. I tightened until the springs just started to bend - similar to what was original. So no binding.

Bottom line the shift springs work as they did before - feels the same spring wise. The bushing are replaced. The commercial is a happy one now.


Take care,
Steve

[Discseven]

Thanks for the reply Steve! Got it on the "Don't take the springs out!"

... does sound like a commercial!

[tobluforu]

I remember doing this 20 years ago, got damn springs shooting accross the living room, swearing, etc..

[hemmah]

Yes the springs shot across the room. Swearing was involved. Even more swearing trying to put them back in.

[19-911-65]

I just rebuilt my shifter last week. The first spring removed...I caught with my chest...;-)...the second removed we placed a rag over it.

Placed in a vise, cleaned all the parts and inserted one end of the spring against the plate, driver's side (over the end of the pin pushed through about a 1/4") and "bowed" the spring upward in the middle and then pushed/worked the other end in place.

I would rate it as a one beer job.

Glenn

[Classic]

And old screw driver with an appropriate slot cut into it does the trick for the re install, about 5 minutes.