AutoThority short shift probs fixed!

[toolboy62]

Hey all,

just figured I'd check back in and let you know that I "fixed" my AutoThority short shift kit. what happened was the bolt supplied with the kit to mount the Heim joint to the little piece that goes on the selector shaft is too long! (I'm talking about the Allen head bolt, for those of you familiar with the kit.) So when the PO installed the kit, per instructions, he totally hosed the Heim joint and according to him "backed off the bolt a few turns and then it was OK." So it was actually pivoting on the bolt and the heim joint was done locked up good, with the result that the bolt would work itself loose every couple weeks. (yeah, I know, he's a good guy but sometimes he does s**t that makes you shake your head.) I clamped the sucker in a bench vice and worked some valve lapping compound into the heim joint until it was somewhat free, then reinstalled with a shorter bolt. I still wasn't happy with the effort or feel so I bought a "good used" similar kit from another lister (thanks!) for the heim joint. When I got that I found that even my shorter bolt was kissing the ball of the heim joint (I couldn't tell the difference with the old one so barfed up) so I installed a shorter one yet, this time without a lock washer and with some loctite as I was a little nervous about it backing out again. Well this time I'm a happy camper, shift feel is wonderful and effort is almost nonexistent. I'm considering going back in and setting it for the shortest throw setting.

So there's the story... short version, if you buy the AutoThority short shift, mock it up on the bench and don't crank down on that bolt until you are sure that it is short enough.

My GF lives right up the street from AutoThority's shop, so I'm going to send her by with my old parts and see if I can get them to give me a new piece. If I do I will have a short shift kit for sale cheap. I was going to try this originally before I bought more stuff but I couldn't get through to them by phone and as the car is my daily driver I couldn't leave it unassembled.

nate

[carsontc]

nice job Nate ! and thanks for getting back with a great follow-up !

um..you've got a PM