LETSLA Short Shifter Linkage

[cutters68]

Got mine yesterday. I don't feel confident installing this. Changing the oil is about the only thing I am capable of doing. Is anyone within three or four hours of Nashville that has installed this and would be willing to install mine. I will come to you and make it worth your time. Troy if you are going to be at LOG29 in Birmingham in late May I would love to meet you and pay you to install.

[TroyLotus]

I am debating on going to LOG29. I really want to go, but I have a really bad back and I am scheduled to do Fusion surgery on 4-8-09 so I should be fine by then, but I am not sure. I am going to wait and see how I feel before I commit to the hotel and fees. I might feel great and finally have no back or leg pain (I have a very bad L5-S1 and the vertebrate are almost touching). If I go and I am up to it I might go a day early and see if people want to do installs. If I am not totally up to doing installs I can bring my tools (just basics is all you need) and can lead you through it.

Troy if you are going to be at LOG29 in Birmingham in late May I would love to meet you and pay you to install.

[elisesile]

Its really not that hard if you follow the directions closely. Takes a few hours, but not difficult.

If you can read English and operate a socket, you're set.

[Notorious L.R.G.]

Originally Posted by elisesile

Its really not that hard if you follow the directions closely. Takes a few hours, but not difficult.

If you can read English and operate a socket, you're set.

My big fear is being able to squeeze between the hoses without dropping the various bolts...I'm anticipating about 2 weeks downtime, with lots of swearing into the sky....if it goes well for me, you will know that anyone can do it.

Off to get me some Loctite Blue...which I have NEVER used before (This gives you an idea of my non-mechanical savvy.)

[Dragon]

Originally Posted by TroyLotus

I might feel great and finally have no back or leg pain (I have a very bad L5-S1 and the vertebrate are almost touching).

I'm with you on that.. L4-L5 here with a narrowed spinal pathway that affects my left leg. Installing the shifter linkage kicked my A** and I'm still feeling it, but it was worth the pain.

[goelise]

as it arrived:


beautiful work:


I don't want to mess with the settings and I'll install it the way it is setup as shipped.

Other angles:









Nice touch to include the bolt and spacer for the front shifter assembly:



Cable bracket:

[jim-clayton]

I finally got around to taking a drive with my Letsla installed.
I used the "shipped" settings.

It works great!

I really like it, highly recommend.

[Notorious L.R.G.]

OK, just took my first scouting "look"...the C-clamps and bracket should be the piece of cake everyone is saying, but...

...the side where the linkage and crossgate lever live seems a bit untouchable without intense contortions. What parts are you removing to gain adequate access for doing all of this feeling around that is required?

I am guessing the main air intake accordian hose might do the trick?

[craracer]

I had considered removing some parts to make access easier. In my experience, it would have taken longer, and been more of a hassle to do so (over simply doing it by feel and contortion).

[goelise]

Originally Posted by Notorious L.R.G.

OK, just took my first scouting "look"...the C-clamps and bracket should be the piece of cake everyone is saying, but...

...the side where the linkage and crossgate lever live seems a bit untouchable without intense contortions. What parts are you removing to gain adequate access for doing all of this feeling around that is required?

I am guessing the main air intake accordian hose might do the trick?

LOL! So did I notorious. I have a cold so its quick in and out of the garage right now. I took a quick peep and the c clamps/bracket looks like a given - i think a lot of the rest will be by 'feel' and using extensions with sockets will be key.

Up front - I've always wanted to see under the center console for myself.

[goelise]

Originally Posted by craracer

I had considered removing some parts to make access easier. In my experience, it would have taken longer, and been more of a hassle to do so (over simply doing it by feel and contortion).

Cool! Thanks for the advice since I was tempted to do the same, sounds like its not worth the hassle.

[mrcarcrazy]

The sheath's being on the correct cable was the 3r thing I checked, after making sure it was on the cable all the way, and getting the boot so it was all the way OVER the sheath...

covered all those bases, and its close..but the 1/3/5 gates dont feel as "deep" for lack of better term. and the heim joint is making contact with the sheath.

Having said that I did AutoX the car today, and had zero issues...but I do wonder about the chance of the gears being 1/2 touching...can't be good.

[Addictedto]

MRCARCRAZY, Could you post a pic of the cables and sheaths please. As well as the rest of your installed setup. I'd like to see if yours looks the same as mine and we may see something amiss. I've done the install a few times now and consider myself to be a pro installer and can do it in about 20 min. I'll explain that in a future post. I found a shortcut on the shifter console end as well and will include this in my next post in a few min.

[goelise]

Originally Posted by Addictedto

Could you post a pic of the cables and sheaths please. As well as the rest of your installed setup. I'd like to see if yours looks the same as mine and we may see something amiss. I've done the install a few times now and consider myself to be a pro installer and can do it in about 20 min. I'll explain that in a future post. I found a shortcut on the shifter console end as well and will include this in my next post in a few min.

I assume you mean this end goes over the sheath, correct?

[Addictedto]

Troy is a #1, top notch, all around good guy.
I had a small problem with my shifter and as soon as Troy heard about it he took a part off of his car and made plans to drive from VA to NJ the next morning, to personally fix the problem. Fortunately I was able to stop him. Thats the best customer service EVER. I have never met this man in person but I look foreword to it.

The post that is bolted onto the cross shaft arm, that the plastic insulator goes onto, did not get enough blue lock tight put on it on my shifter. I think mine is one in million as the rest of the shifter is perfect. The post came unbolted and fell off and I lost the ability to get into a few gears. Initially I thought the bolt, post and plastic insulator were lost forever. I was doing about 65 when it happened. I figured the car would be down for a week waiting for a new insulator. As it turned out, the bolt, post and insulator all dropped onto the diffuser tray and stayed with the car even after being towed. I was able to uninstall the shifter, double check that everything had enough lock tight (it did) and reinstall everything with no problem. I would suggest that if you have the shifter and have not installed it yet to take it completely apart, one piece at a time and apply lock tight if needed. Again the rest of mine did NOT need any additional lock tight, but I feel better having done it.
I am VERY happy with the shifter, and the man. I have complete faith that this was an isolated incident and I have no fear of the shifter ever letting me down again.Troy is top notch in my book and I would buy any product he ever makes. He WILL stand behind what he sells.

I also found a very easy shortcut for removing the shifter console. Instead of reaching under the console and cutting the zip tie that holds the shifter boot tight, I removed the shifter ball and reached up under the console and disconnected the reverse lever cable. It has a Z bend in it and it is very easy to remove and reinstall blind. Then you can remove the console and shift boot with the aluminum reverse guide all in one piece. For the reinstall I used my left hand to hold the reverse lockout arm down giving me plenty of slack to reinstall the Z bend. It also helps to pull the emergency brake up as far as you can to lift the console off. The batteries died on my camera so I couldn't get a picture.
Again, very happy with the shifter and the customer service.

[Addictedto]

Originally Posted by goelise

I assume you mean this end goes over the sheath, correct?

That is correct, long one goes on passenger side cable, short one goes on driver side cable. Also read my last post before you do the install

[TroyLotus]

mrcarcrazy
? for you - When installing the rod end bearing onto the cable did you turn it in 10 turns (until it stops) and then turn it back out 5 turns? If you did not it may be to close to the sheath protector. The heim joint should not make contact with the sheath. Maybe you sheaths are extra long? If you have a 7/16 drill bit you can take it down another 1/8"-1/4" in depth to get the extra space. Also make sure there is not anything inside the sheath when installing. Maybe a piece of cardboard or foam popcorn from packing or something like that got in there and will not let the sheath fully slide all the way on.

On the cylinder on the end of the crossgate I used a 16mm 8x1.25 allen socket head cap screw and put blue loctite on them. I did go out and get a 20mm 8x1.25 allen socket head cap screw and also used a 8mm flat washer and 8mm locking washer on it today and it works fine. I ordered all the bolts, washers and nuts yesterday for all the current orders and past orders just to make sure. I will ship them all out on to everyone who has ordered just to make sure it does not come loose. If you have not installed yours you can take that cylinder off and put some red loctite on it to be super anal. If you have and want to be super anal like me you can take that part of easy and put some red loctite on it. What I did was just take off the two 14mm bolts that hold the base down and then you can wiggle it loose and get to the allen socket screw. It should be tight and snap loose and when you take it off just put a drop or two of red loctite and reinstall it. You do not need to take it all out of the car to do it and should only take a couple of minutes if you want to. I will send out instructions when I send out the new bolt and washers. I should have them on Tuesday and ship out that day.

[mrcarcrazy]

Yes sir. screwed it all the way in, then exactly 5 turns out. to ensure proper length...I considered unscrewing another turn....but wasn't sure if this would effectively do the same thing as lengthening @ the shifter side (causing Reverse to be engagable w/o lockout being released.)...

The Shifter feels fantastic, and performed wonderfully @ the AutoX. I checked the insides of them, only reason I know this is I was admiring your craftsmanship.

I will try to drill it out a tiny bit if needed. Might try unscrewing the heim joint a turn or 2 first. based on what you think.

Can post pics, but it'll be a little bit.

[goelise]

Originally Posted by TroyLotus

On the cylinder on the end of the crossgate I used a 16mm 8x1.25 allen socket head cap screw and put blue loctite on them. I did go out and get a 20mm 8x1.25 allen socket head cap screw and also used a 8mm flat washer and 8mm locking washer on it today and it works fine. I ordered all the bolts, washers and nuts yesterday for all the current orders and past orders just to make sure. I will ship them all out on to everyone who has ordered just to make sure it does not come loose. If you have not installed yours you can take that cylinder off and put some red loctite on it to be super anal. If you have and want to be super anal like me you can take that part of easy and put some red loctite on it. What I did was just take off the two 14mm bolts that hold the base down and then you can wiggle it loose and get to the allen socket screw. It should be tight and snap loose and when you take it off just put a drop or two of red loctite and reinstall it. You do not need to take it all out of the car to do it and should only take a couple of minutes if you want to. I will send out instructions when I send out the new bolt and washers. I should have them on Tuesday and ship out that day.

your the kind of person that I want to design stuff for our cars!

[goelise]

Favor please for those who have the shifter kit but have not installed it yet - can you move your LETSLA shift bellcrank lever and tell me if the bearing for this is super smooth in movement or is there a bit of 'notchiness' in its movement?

The crossgate's bearing feels super smooth as I expected but I feel some sticking in the shift bellcrank lever's bearing. I like to compare this with others...