Shifter gate accessory pkg

[babak]

I just got mine in the mail from my dealer. Looks yummy, any installation tips/advice?

[mikester]

Please post photos/installation notes/impressions when it's installed ! TIA

[babak]

First glance it looks great, trying to figure out what goes where and how still. It looks like that the external gate screws in with three polished screws over the leather boot on it's base. The E brake handle is easier, the shift knobi is only the top half not the whole sphere of the shift knob.

[darkSol]

OK Bobby, we need:

- to know where you purchased it (Behlmanns?)
- how much it cost
- how long it took
- some good BEFORE installation pictures...

More details dood!

[babak]

David,
--Got it from Behlmann's
--Cost around 190ish
--It is the first one they ordered so it took longer, ordered it when I went for my 1200 mile service last month. But now they're going to stock them.
--Will do photos, don't plan on installing it until after my boards in mid april.

[Ridgemanron]

I remember the tech guy at Valenti saying that he would have to glue
the lower edging of the boot to the internal (not visible) base of the
unit. Also, make sure you go through all the gears with the plate
temporarily set in place.....including reverse. This will guaranty the
allowance for proper spacing during (gear shift) throws.

[babak]

Thanks, that's good to know. I still have not been able to unscrew the shift knob.

[Racer X]

Originally Posted by babak

Thanks, that's good to know. I still have not been able to unscrew the shift knob.

I had that problem when I was installing one of the Lotus Aftermarket knobs. The tech at the dealer did it. There was a lot of Loctite type product on it. He just used a lot more force than I was willing to use without being sure how it was attached.

YMMV I would hate to see someone break off the threaded part of the shaft. It is only about 7mm.

Greg

[APOGEE]

Originally Posted by Racer X

I had that problem when I was installing one of the Lotus Aftermarket knobs. The tech at the dealer did it. There was a lot of Loctite type product on it. He just used a lot more force than I was willing to use without being sure how it was attached.

YMMV I would hate to see someone break off the threaded part of the shaft. It is only about 7mm.

Greg

After 5 min with the heat gun the Loctite should let go, I then use a strap
type oil filter wrench. Don

[RepsolRoss]

So I'm reviving this thread back from the dead. I bought the interior kit and was wondering if any of you had pics or install tips or instructions. Mainly concerned about the gate.

[babak]

A couple things:
--I glued the retaining bolt/plugs under the console, this helped quite a bit.
--The boot will not fit under the gate. I ended up taking off the hard plastic rim for the boot and glued it.
--The single bolt on the bottom part is for looks only so don't worry about it.
If I were going to do this again I would do this:
--Pull out the boot, and strip the round plastic thing off the boot
--Leave the console in place
--Mark your holes and drill them out. I used progressively larger bits to not stress the plastic
--Glue the bolts under the holes
--Glue the boot to the bottom of the shift plate
--Screw it in place.

[RepsolRoss]

Originally Posted by babak

A couple things:
--I glued the retaining bolt/plugs under the console, this helped quite a bit.
--The boot will not fit under the gate. I ended up taking off the hard plastic rim for the boot and glued it.
--The single bolt on the bottom part is for looks only so don't worry about it.
If I were going to do this again I would do this:
--Pull out the boot, and strip the round plastic thing off the boot
--Leave the console in place
--Mark your holes and drill them out. I used progressively larger bits to not stress the plastic
--Glue the bolts under the holes
--Glue the boot to the bottom of the shift plate
--Screw it in place.

Cool, thanks! BTW, is there a type of glue you would recommend or have experience with for the boot? also for the bolt/plugs?

[Val]

[Ridgemanron]

Originally Posted by babak

A couple things:
--I glued the retaining bolt/plugs under the console, this helped quite a bit.
--The boot will not fit under the gate. I ended up taking off the hard plastic rim for the boot and glued it.
--The single bolt on the bottom part is for looks only so don't worry about it.
If I were going to do this again I would do this:
--Pull out the boot, and strip the round plastic thing off the boot
--Leave the console in place
--Mark your holes and drill them out. I used progressively larger bits to not stress the plastic
--Glue the bolts under the holes
--Glue the boot to the bottom of the shift plate
--Screw it in place.

Since the bottom screw has nothing to connect to, the plate
has difficulty remaining tightly secured. Another problem is that
when shifting to 5th or 6th, wearing out of the leather begins.
Lotus has changed the boot leather for me once but the second
one they installed is also having a problem. I believe the design
of the shift plate is a poor one and was told by Manhattan Motors
that it tends to move to the right when shifts into 5th and 6th
are attempted. They told me that Lotus is working on a
replacement design but I haven't heard anything for a few weeks
now.

[Lotus F1]

Originally Posted by Val

Ditto we need pics

[babak]

Ridge, there is a solution. I had my shifter centered by adjusting the cable (had the dealer do it) this helped with the issue greatly. Now the leather is not crushed against the Also, taking out the slack in the leather seems to help. The dealership had theirs blued to the bottom of the hole in the console, I'm thinking of gluing it to the bottom of the shift indicator plate thus reducing the slack more. At this point it's just free floating in the hole and is actually kind of OK. One more thing. I turned the boot sideways so that the long axis is left/right thus the excess is not pushed against the teeth of the plate.

[Ridgemanron]

Originally Posted by babak

Ridge, there is a solution. I had my shifter centered by adjusting the cable (had the dealer do it) this helped with the issue greatly. Now the leather is not crushed against the Also, taking out the slack in the leather seems to help. The dealership had theirs blued to the bottom of the hole in the console, I'm thinking of gluing it to the bottom of the shift indicator plate thus reducing the slack more. At this point it's just free floating in the hole and is actually kind of OK. One more thing. I turned the boot sideways so that the long axis is left/right thus the excess is not pushed against the teeth of the plate.

Babak, mine is glued to the bottom of the shifter plate and there
was an adjustment recently done to where the actual shift rod
sits. I do notice however that when I throw into 5th of 6th, the
plate actually moves slightly to the right. I was thinking that
Lotus would file down the right-side edging of the opening, allowing
our 'heavily leaning to the right' shift motion (in 5th & 6th) to not
come in contact with the metal plate, but don't relly know what fix
they are pondering? Makes no sense that the third screw, at the
base of our tri-pod screw-down set up, has nothing to attach to.