Stupid question about gearshift modifications

[StephenH]

Because stupid questions should be asked.......

Has anyone reversed the lower traverse link of the gearshaft to change the gear lever fore/aft ratio?
I know I would then probably also need to play with the length of the vertical links as well.

I'm just cleaning up the various small amounts of play in balljoints and while having lunch wondered about this.....

[BDA]

Interesting idea! I'm assuming that the pivot is offset for a reason and either it might be harder to shift or the shift pattern would bee too short. It would be a fairly simple experiment to try. I have a similar setup on my NG3. I wonder if mine is backwards! I think it's equal length (I got mine from Richard with my NG3), but I'll have to check.

I don't think you'd need to play with the lengths of the vertical links since they provide the rotation of the shift arm to the gear box and that wouldn't need to change. If you wanted to experiment, longer vertical lengths would provide more rotation and thus a narrower pattern. Also if there is a bow or offset in your shift arm to the gear box, adjusting the depth of the bow or offset will also change the width of the shift pattern - the deeper the bow or offset the narrower the pattern. Since you're just moving the shift "finger" through the forks, there's no force multiplier issue - only shift pattern width.

I'm thinking in terms of my NG3 linkage, but I think the trannies that use that parallelogram type arrangement work pretty much the same. 

[StephenH]

I have answered my own stupid question by trying it.
You can do it, but the throw becomes very short, probably too short.

I have compromised by adjusting the lengths to bring the ratio back by 'a bit'.
The throw is now a little shorter and doesn't feel heavy, all the gears are selecting without the engine running so it should only improve when driven.

Didn't have to play with anything else other than replace the bush in the bottom of the gearshift lever, that was the source of the gates being a bit wide.
On the subject of replacing that bush, I haven't tried to get my hand that far up the chassis before, I hope to not have to do it again for a while.