gearbox feel
Author
Discussion

funbobby

Original Poster:

1,683 posts

281 months

Monday 3rd March 2014
quotequote all
Quick question about the car I drove and the gearbox feel, when in gear there was some side to side movement and just felt a bit vague is this normal on a 6 sp box? Heard the gearbox isnt particularly slick on these?

Adrian W

15,095 posts

251 months

Monday 3rd March 2014
quotequote all
sounds about right, unless you have an M400 linkage

Jarcy

1,559 posts

298 months

Monday 3rd March 2014
quotequote all
The linkage on the non M400 cars is very sloppy, and feels inprecise at first. You do get used to it, and avoid missing gears but you need to have your wits about you on track. Many have uprated the linkage to either M400 spec, or Jetstream do a kit. Some are quoted as saying that this is the best mod that you can do to the car. I've got used to mine, but would like the gear change to be more rifle-bolt.

funbobby

Original Poster:

1,683 posts

281 months

Monday 3rd March 2014
quotequote all
yes def a bit sloppy, had a chat with dave at jet stream and they do a kit but works out at about £800 so will see how I go , wont be used for track work just used to a more precise change.

AMG Merc

11,955 posts

276 months

Monday 3rd March 2014
quotequote all
Gearchange can be adjusted via the selector fork on top of the gearbox after which it can be transformed. Should take a specialist 30-60 minutes. First option before paying for a mod I'd say.

V1DL3R

560 posts

152 months

Monday 3rd March 2014
quotequote all
As said above, you get used it very quickly, especially third which isn't quite where you expect. Some cars are worse than other - I test drove a black Noble back in Nov and it was so sloppy, it even popper out of gear once.

Green3R

400 posts

271 months

Monday 3rd March 2014
quotequote all
£800 sounds pretty good if it's supply and fit.

I did mine myself with a little research, help form people on here, easy access to some CNC machines, and a reasonable degree of swearing.
Doing the job would be simple if you had easy access to any of the nuts and bolts!
Factor also that the center trim needs messing with as the gearstick is shifted over to the left. I managed to peel back the leather, cut back the fibreglass, and stick it back down.

It's now nice and precise though having done it I can now see how correctly adjusting the original would be worthwhile. Very simple to do- if you have enough spare adjustment on the gearbox ends of the cables.




Edited by Green3R on Monday 3rd March 12:50

StreetDragster

1,569 posts

241 months

Monday 3rd March 2014
quotequote all
So far i thought there were only two types of linkage, an 'early' one, and the ST220 one.

Is there three? Is the M400 one different to the ST220 one? How do you identify which one you have?

My gear stick is in the centre of the tunnel, i thought this means i have the ST220 one

Thanks

Matt

Green3R

400 posts

271 months

Monday 3rd March 2014
quotequote all
If you have the late shifter (m400 / st220) you will have the late shift tower crank parts (2 triangular bits of alloy) and the shift cables will come in from the front, rather than round the drivers side of chassis (on the top rail) and in from the back.
The common mod uses the st220 shifter.

I'd be interested to know if the actual shifter in the 400 is st220 derived or a custom make- given that the 400 tunnel is narrow I'd have thought there wouldn't be room for the 220 shifter to sit centraly.


TuxMan

9,011 posts

261 months

Monday 3rd March 2014
quotequote all
The M400 tunnel is the same size as a std gt03 and a 3R .

Green3R

400 posts

271 months

Monday 3rd March 2014
quotequote all
TuxMan said:
The M400 tunnel is the same size as a std gt03 and a 3R .
Ah, I had it in my head that's what made them 'wide footwells'.


StreetDragster

1,569 posts

241 months

Monday 3rd March 2014
quotequote all
Green3R said:
If you have the late shifter (m400 / st220) you will have the late shift tower crank parts (2 triangular bits of alloy) and the shift cables will come in from the front, rather than round the drivers side of chassis (on the top rail) and in from the back.
The common mod uses the st220 shifter.

I'd be interested to know if the actual shifter in the 400 is st220 derived or a custom make- given that the 400 tunnel is narrow I'd have thought there wouldn't be room for the 220 shifter to sit centraly.
Dammit, i have the early type.

Matt

TuxMan

9,011 posts

261 months

Monday 3rd March 2014
quotequote all
The M400 uses a different shifter compared with the GT03 and the 3R .

roadracer690

2 posts

204 months

Tuesday 4th March 2014
quotequote all
AMG Merc said:
Gearchange can be adjusted via the selector fork on top of the gearbox after which it can be transformed. Should take a specialist 30-60 minutes. First option before paying for a mod I'd say.
What should I tell a specialist that he needs to do with the selector fork to improve the shifting?

Green3R

400 posts

271 months

Tuesday 4th March 2014
quotequote all
This is what I'd do (happy to be edited and corrected)

Put in neutral
Pop the cables off the pivot arms at the box end (6mm ball ends, you have to release the locking clip on them).

The gearbox levers should be in their neutral position now. You could at this point pull on the cables to see how much slop there is further up the chain.

Shorten the cables a little by adjusting either at the joint near the ball, or the large thread on the cable outer. I'd be trying to take out any play caused by stetch in the cable. The other end of the cable would be a bugger to adjust!

Pop the cables back on and try it. It's only a few minutes work- maybe 10!

The other aread to look at is the gearstick pivot. There followed a long winded description; I'll take a photo tonight if I can so you see the complete layout. Then you'll see where the slop is.


AMG Merc

11,955 posts

276 months

Tuesday 4th March 2014
quotequote all
roadracer690 said:
What should I tell a specialist that he needs to do with the selector fork to improve the shifting?
I'd have said pop into Mole Valley, Bespoke or Jetstream but I see you're in the US Simon! Are any Rossion shops within reach of you?