craaaazzy

iTrader: (4)

thanks for confirming sc1jzgte. i won't be using the w58 housing. i think the easiest would be to simply increase the angle of the shifter (this is not necessary though) instead of adding an inch via cutting/welding.

sc1jzgte

can you clarify that craaazy? which method are you going with, bend or extend?

craaaazzy

iTrader: (4)

if i do anything, it will be bending the shifter. no cutting, no welding.

SMP142

with the welded shifter have you kinda sat next to the tranny and tried shifting it? in the other thread about extending the R154 housing i read that the angles will be off if you do this. like when you shift into 1,3,5 you will kinda have to push at an "up" angle and in 2 and 4 its almost like your pushing down on the top. it only being 1" diff i dont think it would be that noticable. have you noticed anything like this?

craaaazzy

iTrader: (4)

smp142, yes, what you described is correct. shouldn't be too much of a difference with the extension but based on geometry, that will happen.

i have yet to modify the shifter. i'm going to first install it totally stock (i want to prove that no modification is required) and later will modify it if necessary.

sc1jzgte

Hey Craaazy, when do you think you will do this, prove that modification isnt required) if I had a lift i would to it this weekend, but i am working on the ground with not enough tools! I only want to do it once! Maybe I'll wait until you find out(although I'd love to be the pioneer)

craaaazzy

iTrader: (4)

i'll be using my buddy's 4 post at his house but scheduling is tight. vacations, wedding, etc...it's looking like it'll be 4 weekends from now. ur more than welcome to attempt it...but like u said, i would not want to be doing this on the ground. i've done this several times and it's killer...i'm old enough now where i've learned to be patient. =)

2jzlex

iTrader: (3)

I can confirm this because that is exactly how mine shifts, and mine was cut and welded 2" directly back. It doesn't bother me really, and to be honest cutting and welding made it very simple to install. All I had to do was cut the hole in the tunnel directly above where the shifter goes. The shifter came through the bottom of the tunnel, then came straight back 2" where I welded it, and sat perfectly in the center of the shift boot, just slightly to the driver side, but nothing unnacceptable. If you try bending the shifter, I hope you get it right the first time...... If you guys want some pics I will post them up later, I have a few more that weren't in my thread if you're curious.

Good luck and great progress btw.
Jon

craaaazzy

iTrader: (4)

update guys, r154 installed yesterday.

a MKIII R154 with a W58 swan neck shifter does in deed fit. i did not have to trim the tranny tunnel at all. the shifter does not hit anything...but here's the problem: with the rubber boot installed over the shifter, the shifter and boot combo touches the support piece in the center console (without the boot, it's shifter is fine). it puts pressure on the shifter when in 1st, 3rd, and 5th and will cause it to come out of gear with the slightest touch. not good. what i'll be doing is bending the shifter back and increasing the angle a bit. this should resolve this issue. =)

here's some info that will be useful to some (again from w58 to r154):
-did not have to hammer in the tranny tunnel to get r154 to fit
-used w58 tranny mount (it's slightly off but u can get it in there)
-used w58 speed sensor, did not change gear as it had the same # of teeth, just build bracket to hold it in place
-replaced shifter bushings w/ after market parts from http://www.marlincrawler.com/ shifter is tight

97-SC300

iTrader: (17)

can you please post some pics of how you did the speed sensor bracket thing. i want tos ee what it looks like.

craaaazzy

iTrader: (4)

97-sc300, i don't have a pic of that but it's pretty simple. i just used some aluminum to make it. something like the following (don't mind the dot's as i need those to push the | a few characters to the right):
|_
...|

here is a pic of the tunnel inside the cabin w/ the tranny installed:


here's the shifter w/ the boot hitting the support piece (in 3rd):


instead of bending the shifter, here's what i've done. i notched out the support piece a little as well as on the trim piece. doing this helped a bit. 1st and 5th take the usual effort but 3rd still takes little effort (currently researching this). here's the pic:


here's how the shifter sits in neutral:


in third, side view:


in third, back view:


in forth:

craaaazzy

iTrader: (4)

so from research, the coming out of gear is due to a bent shift fork. not sure exactly what's involved in replacing this but it would at least require taking apart the housing. i'm just going to keep driving it until it pops i guess, first 500 miles will be easy since i'm breaking in the clutch.

sc1jzgte

hey craazy, got this from some site btw, might want to take preventive measures..

"most shift forks are made out of cast aluminum and they usually break before bending. If this has occured, all the pieces are now little tiny pieces floating around in between steel gears and like a hand put in a meat grinder....it's now a really big mess. Best bet, drain the tranny fluid into a white plastic container and look for shiney, glitter floating in the fluid. If you got that, you got problems"

craaaazzy

iTrader: (4)

thanks for the info sc1. haven't read that before. tranny was already drained when i got it but i opened it up and there was nothing shiny coming out of it.

drove around yesterday and it has the usual amount of force if i'm accelerating a bit. once i lift, that's when it is very easy to shift out of 3rd.

evileagle

noych out the support piece some more for some piece of mind...Grinders are your friend =)