Gear linkage/front pivot play

[MLB]

Good evening,

I've got quite a lot of play in my gear stick, left to right, when in gear.

Solid engine and gearbox mounts, purple powerflex dogbone bushes and brass bushes/Yanoo V1 all fitted and still a lot of play.

Had a good look around recently and found a lot of play where the gear linkage attaches to the pivot underneath the gearbox but can't really find any info on this. Would this cause the play described? If so what parts are needed to sort it?

And is the rubber boot still available? I believe it's part number 7700718856?

 

[imprezaworks]

@NorthloopCup

 

[NorthloopCup]

Rubber boot - not sure.

Pivot play more than likely needs the entire linkage replacing tbh. Not much you can do unfortunately.

 

[MLB]

Thanks, I was hoping it would just be a new bush/sleeve, but also can't seem to find the entire linkage new for sale.

Any upgrades available except the PMS (which looks good but apparently rattles a lot on the motorway?).

 

[plees]

@K_McDermott did his the other week. Managed to source parts from Renault 👍🏻

 

[DomP182]

Weld it up in your favourite gear?😁

 

[PhillipM]

Looks like a nylon or rubber sleeve still in the joint there? Must be able to get a new one I'd think, or have one made, that'd be a 10 minute job to knock something up if not.

 

[MLB]

It must be, looks like whatever is there has worn away by the knurled bit which seems to be in fairly decent condition. I might try to knock the bush out and see what it's made of.

 

[PhillipM]

That knurling looks like what youd normally bond a rubber bush around so I'm guessing its split away from the centre

 

[plees]

If its just the centre bush you can get away with, leave it with me. Possibly got a couple at home! 🤞🏻

 

[MLB]

That knurling looks like what youd normally bond a rubber bush around so I'm guessing its split away from the centre

Maybe it is, I'd have to take it apart again to check. Would make sense.

@plees if you could make something to replace the (presumably) worn top one that would be awesome!

I am thinking though, would the whole thing need a little play to account for the gearstick moving left/right for 1st/2nd and 5th gear? So a solid bush might not work?

Won't have time until at sometime in the new year though (newborn baby and toddler needing all the attention).

I'll do a bit more investigating and come back here to update.

 

[EthanMenace]

I have exactly the same issue, I've replaced the bushes under the gear knob with some brass ones from @plees which has made it slightly more solid but i still have so much movement around that pivot point.

I didn't have a bush around that knurled section but I've got no idea if there's supposed to be one there?

 

[MLB]

In the second picture it looks like there is some sort of bush in the front pivot.

Maybe those are still available from Renault and come with a new bush pressed in.

 

[plees]

@MLB from what I can see there is a couple of different linkage types.

I have two different linkages here and neither look like the one on the video.
Using the ones I have here, I can see where improvements can be made however and have just sent a drawing to the machine shop for a prototype to be made up.

 

[MLB]

That sounds great!

If you can let me know which linkage you have I can also try one of the breakers to see if they have the different type of linkage available and use your upgraded design.

 

[plees]

Just to keep things updated.
Bushes have been collected from the machine shop.
Fitting this week followed by a trackday at oulton park at the weekend so a nice mix of road and track miles. 👍🏻
Hope to be able to update further with positive news! Cheers

 

[EthanMenace]

Interested to see how this goes

 

[loggyboy]

Just fit a new one of these. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164052827558?fits=Model:Clio&hash=item26324f7da6:g:HCMAAOSwQ-Vgon1p

That knurled shaft should be smooth, as mentioned its come loose from the inside of the orginal pivot arm, a bit of lube and heat and that should stop off allowing you to fit a new pivot arm (the one in the link).

 

[MLB]

Just to keep things updated.
Bushes have been collected from the machine shop.
Fitting this week followed by a trackday at oulton park at the weekend so a nice mix of road and track miles. 👍🏻
Hope to be able to update further with positive news! Cheers

Any updates on this?

How was Oulton Park? Going there the 18th myself!

 

[plees]

Any updates on this?

How was Oulton Park? Going there the 18th myself!

Oulton was good! Solid day with no dramas.
The bushes that I had made I’m 90% happy with but there’s improvements to be made.
There’s an immediate initial difference in shift quality which is good.
Changes have been made to the design but I’m currently isolating with covid so that’s causing a delay 👎🏻

 

[MLB]

That's great to hear, looking forward to the updated design.

Hope you feel well soon!

 

[MLB]

Any news @plees?

I've bought a new selector lever as per the link from @loggyboy but that's not solved the problem.

The knurled shaft isn't part of te selector lever and the new lever has a slightly bigger diameter hole so even more play than the old one which wasn't worn.

@NorthloopCup, you're the gearbox specialist, is this amount of play not just standard to allow for up/down movement of the whole assembly to select 1st/2nd and 5th?

Maybe chasing a problem that's not there, ie part of the design? Hard to tell after 17 years without comparison to a brand new car.

 

[NorthloopCup]

Any news @plees?

I've bought a new selector lever as per the link from @loggyboy but that's not solved the problem.

The knurled shaft isn't part of te selector lever and the new lever has a slightly bigger diameter hole so even more play than the old one which wasn't worn.

@NorthloopCup, you're the gearbox specialist, is this amount of play not just standard to allow for up/down movement of the whole assembly to select 1st/2nd and 5th?

Maybe chasing a problem that's not there, ie part of the design? Hard to tell after 17 years without comparison to a brand new car.

Back and forth movement can be attributed to the selector forks in the box have worn, but for side to side, the nylon bush, the shifter pin and the selector lever at the box can have wear.

I’ve seen the nylon bush be inserted incorrectly and give strange movement too.

It only takes a small amount of wear on each item to exaggerate the amount of movement at the lever in the car.

 

[MLB]

It is side to side, hardly any back and forth movement. Nylon Bush is solid, so maybe it is the knurled bit that's actually worn, have to have another look at that.

Thanks for the info!

 

[NorthloopCup]

It is side to side, hardly any back and forth movement. Nylon Bush is solid, so maybe it is the knurled bit that's actually worn, have to have another look at that.

Thanks for the info!

If you got a washer that would fit over the knurled piece, you could then use a m8 repair washer over the top and a nylon nut to adjust the ‘pre load’. I imagine that would eliminate almost all of the movement you can see in the video you’ve posted.

 

[plees]

@MLB

I’ve come to a bit of a full stop with development as the car I was using for “road testing” and miles is currently off the road.

In terms of where I’m upto, V1 was a success in terms of reducing play. I then sent a revised drawing to the machine shop and had a prototype made up for V2 and this is what’s currently fitted. It’s not been tested enough to be “released” and I wouldn’t be comfortable for it to be used on anyone else’s car just yet.

 

[mattchurton]

@MLB

I’ve come to a bit of a full stop with development as the car I was using for “road testing” and miles is currently off the road.

In terms of where I’m upto, V1 was a success in terms of reducing play. I then sent a revised drawing to the machine shop and had a prototype made up for V2 and this is what’s currently fitted. It’s not been tested enough to be “released” and I wouldn’t be comfortable for it to be used on anyone else’s car just yet.

Hey bud.

I don't suppose you got any further with this?

Cheers. 👍

 

[ldubl]

In terms of where I’m upto, V1 was a success in terms of reducing play. I then sent a revised drawing to the machine shop and had a prototype made up for V2 and this is what’s currently fitted. It’s not been tested enough to be “released” and I wouldn’t be comfortable for it to be used on anyone else’s car just yet.

@plees did you have any luck with V2?

Was it a thin bush that you put over the knurled bit in @MLB 's pic?

Managed to get a a 360 degree piece of electrical tape in there and it helped; not perfect; a proper bush would be better!