Sloppy Seconds...

Firsts, thirds,fourths and fifths!

Just been under the motor ready to fit the eliseparts linkage to sharpen up mi’shiftin.

I reckon the link is the last thing it needs.

The cable connected to the large bell crank (at the gearbox end) has a rubber grommit obviously there to provide some cushioning. The pin on the bellcrank pushes through this grommit and the grommit sits in an eye at the end of the cable. The centre of the grommit is worn and so is allowing what looks like 1.5 mm movement - ie the hole in the grommit is about 1.5mm oversize.

Thats pants in itself but theres more.

The pivot hole on the bellcrank has worn so the hole is elongated by about 1mm.

All small figures but in this situation equal a crappy shifting experience!

Thers no apparent slack in the adjustable link - that seems by far the best bit!

Plonker

Just found the Nylon sleeves for the ends of the selector cables in the bottom of the bag - Knob!



I was very late and quite dark

Well, that’s about what the Eliseparts shift kit is about, substituting the rubber grommets with harder Nylon ones. All the rest is not really needed if (like in my case) they’re in good nick.

Pretty expensive for a pair of nylon bushes if you ask me… (I have the rest on a plastic bag as I found the original stuff to be in perfect condition+ it had some rubber boots which the Eliseparts didn’t)

All the rest is not really needed if (like in my case) they’re in good nick.

Pretty expensive for a pair of nylon bushes if you ask me… (I have the rest on a plastic bag as > I found the original stuff to be in perfect condition+ it had some rubber boots which the Eliseparts didn’t) >

Exactly what I was thinking…


I had the bolt head welded to the bellcrank this morning so that chuffer wont be moving again

The adjustable link from Eliseparts is theoretically an improvement because it should have virtually no friction whatsoever. It was certainly less stiff than my original one. I don’t know how long they stay that way without the rubber boots, though.

good point fella - I’m going to put it on anyway and blather it in grease

Maybe Lotus fitted several different types of rose joints because in my car the originals were in fact, rose joints and about the same quality as the Eliseparts ones, but with boots, and they were definitely not stiff.

They would have both the same (little) friction so I can’t see an improvement.

better whip the boots off and check mine then

My original ones were quite stiff. Maybe they just needed cleaning out and lubing.

The Eliseparts ones I had were extremely free as they actually had a small amount of play in them. Apparently they’re designed to work without any lube.

As long as the standard ones are working smoothly, I guess there’s no point in replacing them. In which case, the kit certainly is expensive for a couple of nylon bushes

My car… an early 99 Elise had crappy plastic ball end type things instead of rose joints.

Pretty much these, but more crap:

[image]http://www.briandrought.com/miscpics/ballandcup.jpg[/image]

Fitting the nylon bushes made a huge difference in ‘feel’ and fitting the rose joints made a huge reduction in friction :slight_smile:

Aaaahh, in that case, now I understand all the hype of the Eliseparts kit.
Of course rose joints would be much better than those plastic things!.

It only shows all the extra bits that we get for our cars: rose joints in the shift linkage from factory, all SS bolts (undertray and others), alloy winders, adjustable ARB, LSS, a roof

Curiously, a lot of Elises (both before mine and after mine) had crap spec rose joints…

but then it IS a Lotus.

pah!

Fitted the Nylon bushes to the cable ends last night - no snaggs

Came to fitting the rose joints together, under the car after 23.00hrs struggling to screw the second rose joint onto the threaded shaft. couldn’t get the thread to start. It was covered in grease and coppaslip etc… Tried a bit longer til I was loosing mi rag

Cleaned everything down to find the Rose joint had been supplied without the tread being cut - I just have a hole

Put the perfectly ok old one back on for now… tsch!

How bizarre!

should read - Cleaned everything down to find the Rose joint had been supplied without the thread being cut - I just have a hole

Replacement on it’s way from Elise-parts