9 replies to this topic

[mini-mad-mark]

Hi All,

A subject that divides opinion I know. I understand that they do not make the shift faster, just shorter, and if I do shift faster I am likely to wear out the gearbox - I just happen to like the lift collar reverse (IMHO that is quicker than lifting the whole lever?) and also they are aesthetically pleasing with the alloy gear knob and chrome lever.

 

I have a copy quickshift in one mini and it works fine with no issues.

 

So I bought one for the second mini and it doesn't work fine (won't go into fourth easily) no matter how I play around with it (mainly rubbing the ball down to reduce the size as I think that was an issue, when comparing to a standard gear lever) but then its hard to keep it round which is why I think it is only in one gear I have an issue

 

I realise this is due to the fact they are copies and whoever copied them doesn't know all the correct sizes and tolerances so like a lot of things (wheel bearings spring to mind here) sometimes they work and other times they don't and its a bit random pot luck.

 

My question is - is it worth spending 100 quid to replace the non-working copy for a KAD one? Will it work properly or do they suffer the random "may or may not work" that affects the copies? I know that I can get a standard ratio KAD version to get the lift collar and aesthetics but I do like the shorter travel also.

 

Alternatively I may spend 35 quid and go for a fluke that I get another copy one that does work OK.

 

 

Cheers, Mark

[Northernpower]

I don't care for them but putting that to one side will KAD not give an assurance / guarantee in spending that amount of money theirs will work.

[Spider]

I have the Mini Spares short shifter in many of the cars and love them. They do need a bit more to fit them up and get them nice than suggested in the included instructions, but not difficult nor rocket science. For the most part, like you, I just like the shorter throw of the stick.

 

I know what you have is a different stick, however, just thinking about the problem you have, it could be if the stick is too long in the shifter body, it could be rubbing on the lower plate. You could try it with the plate removed. The other thing is it could also be fouling on the Reverse plate. This happens when the shifter body is twisted on the steady rod (the upper of the two rods), easy to correct by slackening off the nut on the rod at the shifter housing and swiveling the shifter body over a little (may need twisting clockwise as viewed from the back of the shifter housing).

[nicklouse]

changing the size of the ball will do nothing. 

 

i would suggest removing the plate from the bottom of the housing and see how it is. Invert it and re fit to keep the crud out if you are going driving just be careful of reverse. (as above) also look for witness marks to see where it may have been touching.

[mini-mad-mark]

Thanks for the quick responses.

The ball did not fit at all when I got it so I had to rub it down just to get it to fit in the socket

 

Agree the size shouldn't do anything except I may have made it oval or a bad shape that wont work properly (which is what I suspect now) 

 

It works in 1st, 2nd 3rd and R but in 4th it just not so good - needs a bit of technique to "slip" it into gear otherwise it just sticks and you have to go back to third and try again.

 

Its off the car ATM so i'll have another look (with the plate off) and see if I can tell what's happening.

 

I agree KAD should give a guarantee but then so should all the other suppliers.

 

The second shifter was an Ebay bargain (private seller) for around 16 quid IIRC so I don't mind spending some time to get it to work if i can  but just wanted to know if anyone could say categorically the KAD would fit first time and work properly.

 

Cheers again

[nicklouse]

all i can say is that i have had two ,one for each gear change type, KAD shifters when they first came out and they did what they said. and then we put them in the bin. after a 1 and 3rd disagreement.

[AeroNotix]

all i can say is that i have had two ,one for each gear change type, KAD shifters when they first came out and they did what they said. and then we put them in the bin. after a 1 and 3rd disagreement.

I am having trouble understanding your wording. Do you mean you changed to KAD shifters when the earlier ones broke or that you put the KAD ones in the bin after a 1st/3rd disagreement?

[hazpalmer14]

Think he means he selected the wrong gear, and sent the rpm through the roof

[Cooperman]

I had a KAD short-shifter on a 1275 SPI and rather liked it for normal road driving. I was careful not to use it as a 'Quick-Graunch' changer though  .

Then when I was building a 1990 Cooper 1275 into an endurance rally car I didn't want to use a short shifter due to the ease of mis-shifting on a bumpy road. So I 'tightened-up' the linkage by fitting all new bushes. I cut about 1.5" off the top of the gear lever and made up some stronger rubber rear rod mountings using some cut and modified old heavy-duty engine mountings I found in a drawer in my workshop. I think they were from a Mk.1 Cortina GT. This worked very well and although the amount of movement was not as short as a KAD one, it was really very much better than standard.

[nicklouse]

 

all i can say is that i have had two ,one for each gear change type, KAD shifters when they first came out and they did what they said. and then we put them in the bin. after a 1 and 3rd disagreement.

I am having trouble understanding your wording. Do you mean you changed to KAD shifters when the earlier ones broke or that you put the KAD ones in the bin after a 1st/3rd disagreement?

 

what i mean is the driver did not get the right gear as the cross car gate is so close he most likely over compensated for the closeness and trashed the engine. bent valves ETC. and it was only a practice run. the time runs were the next day. a long drive that became expensive.  

 

what i dislike is the closeness of the cross car gate i like the reduction in the for aft direction.

 

Oh this was on a Dog box so no syncros to worry about but it did mess up my timing for clutch-less changes.

 

so when rebuilt it went back to standard stick and i binned mine and refitted the old one and reverse lock out plate.