Rod change linkage

[Peter Laidler]

Probably a bit new for the forumers here but is there anything I need to service in the gear-lever end of a rod change ilnkage.

Just been under my Rover Cooper sport not-a-real-cooper mini and that end of the linkage looks a bit oily and greasy as though it's been slightly leaking oil or grease.

The rest of it seems to be OK. Is it a full carpets out, dive in from the top job? Thanks

[CooperTune]

I have been rebuilding rod change units since getting my first one. I strip the unit being careful not to break the shift eye. After a cleaning if still there i remove the plastic bushing in the housing. I found a reamer and oil lite bushings which allows replacement of front and rear bushings. Once in place I ream the bushings in line. Sometimes I can flip the shift rod end for end and polish the area that runs in the front bushing. I will be ordering drill rod as rust has attacked the rods I have left now. I have been chucking the shift eyes in my lathe boring them out, machine a bushing pressing into eye. Then I hone the bore to match the gear stick ball. I also press a grease seal into the front to keep trash out of the bushing. I also place a hose clamp around the metal cup that holds the shifter below the pins. Anything to reduce free play. Steve (CTR)

[Peter Laidler]

Send me a couple of photos of the thing opened up and in parts please Steve. And many thanks.

There's nothing wrong or not working on mine except that there looks like oily shite around the bottom 'sump' part. I can't imaging that there's oil inside so wonder what it might be. I'll give it a power wash tomorrow and.......... Then set about it!

Thanks again

[Spider]

Hey Pete,

I find the bushes in the Housing wear, especially the front one. Rover never offered them as a spare part though



The long rod that runs through the bush can wear too, as they pick up dirty, they grind nicely. A simple fix here is when you re-assemble it all, turn the rod around end for end. They didn't seem to be fitted in the UK, but we had a rubber boot on the front end of the shifter, that helps a lot with this wear issue.

Be sure to push the rods through the box too when punching the roll pins as the eyes are not strong and they'll break if unsupported.

The other items is the Eye that Steve mentioned and also the 2 rubber buses at the rear of the housing. Probably 9 times out of 10, they will be OK, but something to check all the same.

[Peter Laidler]

Got all that chaps and thanks very much

[Tim]

They didn't seem to be fitted in the UK, but we had a rubber boot on the front end of the shifter, that helps a lot with this wear issue.

The correct boot is NLA, but I recently learnt that the knuckle joint boot 21A425, is a good fit and will probably last weeks and weeks, if you buy a quality one.

Tim

[Spider]

The correct boot is NLA,

Tim

Tim,

I have the original ones if you need one



The knuckle joint boot does fit but isn't too effective, though, better than nothing

[CooperTune]

Since I order them in bulk I forget the exact size. I include a grease seal 1/2 inch inside, OD a press fit to the bore at front. I'm out so I will be ordering more soon. While I have no idea where they came from I had a bag of plastic cups that pressed into the rear bore to seal unit complete. Steve (CTR)

[Peter Laidler]

Some great info here. I'll do the oil seal modification while I'm here too

[Polarsilver]

Peter, I add a Lockwire through those two Roll Pins on the rod barrel coupling @ gearbox end .. lockwire may prevent an issue if one of those Roll Pins decide to exit.

[Tim]

The correct boot is NLA,

Tim

Tim,

I have the original ones if you need one



The knuckle joint boot does fit but isn't too effective, though, better than nothing

Thanks Spider, but I'm not going back under there again, the knuckle joint boot will have to do for now!

cheers
Tim

[Automark]

Spider, Pete, Tim, Steve, Et al,
I'm interested in this because of two of the ones I have DO have the slop.
Can anyone please give me the Part number, the Dims, etc for the bushings shown in the picture?
I'd especially be interested if the standard bushing has a known McMaster-Carr number ( or similar supply house )

Thanks in advance,
Mark

[Peter Laidler]

This info came to me from Spider, as follows, so thanks to Spider Chris........

The Bushes that I mentioned on the open forum are a stock DU bush you should be able to get from your Bearing supplier.

0.600" OD, x 0.500" OD x 0.500" long

They usually come under a part number R-08DU08

I tuned up a suitably sized drift to pop these in and out.

There's 2 in each shifter

[Automark]

Thank you, found them at Motion Industries here in the U.S. Dr. Goog** has it also as a very common Shock Bushing when rebuilding the shocks on Suspended bikes.
One last thought, does anyone know if the R prefix is indicating the Non Split type?
Best,
Mark