Gear Shifter Installation

Locating the gear shifter

The motor/gearbox set back resulted in the R-28 gear shift lever being 12 inches back from the stock 1.9 shift lever location. Putting it right next to the emergency brake handle base. The bracket and linkage needed to be shortened as much a possible to move the lever into a workable position.

Stock Shifter Assembly

The R-28 trans has the same shift mechanism as the Getrag 240. The 240 mount bracket and the linkage will fit. 

Linkage and Bracket Mounting 

I made two "U" brackets out of flat stock to match the ends of the stock linkage. They were tack welded together and the assembly installed to determine how much material needed to be removed from the bracket.

Stock Linkage and "U" Brackets

New Linkage in Place

The bracket was cut down and gussets added for support.

It was now time to align the assembly and final weld the linkage.

Weld "Fixture"

Finished Linkage

That bend in the stock bracket was there for a reason. I needed to shim out the bracket mount on one side in order to get 5th and reverse to work smoothly.

Results:

First Gear

Neutral

Second Gear

Further mods to the shift lever or the need to make it a "short throw" will be determined once the seats are in place.

Brakes:

Parts for the brake install will be arriving soon. That is next up.

Exhaust:

I installed the exhaust pipe and there were no clearance issues. It even lined up with the existing 2 inch middle pipe. The over the axle pipe has a hole in it so I may just replace the existing setup.

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