ppressle

Mike,

Very nice work.

Question for you. On the tranny side of the universal, what did you do? I see the safety wire, but don't understand the silver portion. Is that a welded in bung? A washer?

Thanks,
Pete

Essexmetal

With the added length of the lower portion of the short shifter causing interference problems. I know a clearance bulge is required on a 4wd. car. I was wondering if anyone has tried inverting the guide tube?

I am going to RWD on my turbo and have to install the 2WD shifter guide tube and mounting “box”. For those not familiar the shifter guide tube is part of the torque tube assembly on 4WD cars. While looking at the part and getting ready to free it from it’s donor shell I noticed that the plastic oval retainer insert can be switched 180 degrees. This would supply much needed clearance for the shifter to the lower tunnel cover but in turn maybe create a stack of clearance issues above.

Shifter too high ( which I would like), stock shifter boot not long enough, linkage crashing into things, etc. Also easy to flip these things while the part is loose but I am sure it will be a nightmare in the car.

Kind of just a thought starter. I will be able to check the fit when I mock up everything in the coming weeks but was wondering if anyone has done this in the past.

Rick

1pcarnut

"While looking at the part and getting ready to free it from it’s donor shell I noticed that the plastic oval retainer insert can be switched 180 degrees. This would supply much needed clearance for the shifter to the lower tunnel cover but in turn maybe create a stack of clearance issues above."

That I believe is the correct solution because you definitely don't want the longer part of the short shift kit hitting the tunnel. On my car the PO actually bent the tunnel cover to make clearance and I had to straighten it again.

chris walrod

Rick, yes, this is what the 2wd folks do to avoid having to hammer the tunnel cover. Quite a slick way to get around having to do so.

I am trying to find this tunnel section for the thoughts of converting my car to 2wd. Great reference image!!

ruffy

hey chris,
will the kit you are developing work for 4wd TTs also?
just curious
TIA

Essexmetal

Chris,

As you know there are guys out there selling 2WD conversion kits and one of the parts in the kit is the shifter" box" Porsche part #993 501 059 00 GRV. Hope I have that correct, but the dealer did check with the right number and they were NLA. I would think that availability needs be rechecked. I was not going to buy the whole conversion from someone just for the box so Parts Heaven supplied the one in the photo. I hate splitting / removing spot welds. I am sure its not your favorite thing either so I hope you can find a new one.

Before noticing the insert could be repositioned I was going to rework the box and just mount it higher into the car while balancing any other issues caused by the relocation. I have to agree with someone who earlier said that having the shirter closer to the steering wheel is a good thing.

Thank you for confirming that the tube can be repositioned.
Rick

chris walrod

That is the correct part number but the dealer lists this as a TIP part. Current status was 4-6 weeks out

Anyhow, great project!!

MB965

Pete,

The silver part is a heavy washer. I filed a flat on the universal joint were the washer contacts.

Mike

Essexmetal

In the process of switching to RWD from AWD and have to put a 2WD shifter in. Trying to build as much on the bench before putting the car on hoist. The shifter is an aftermarket short shift lever.

Removed the original ball studs by grinding off the rosette weld on the back and knocked the stud out. Used the original hole for installing the new rodend studs and rewelded the back in. The rodends are low price .375" teflon lined stainless from McMaster Carr #59915K24 Right Hand Thread. These inexpensive ones have very little preload and feel like they will work for the shifter right out of the box.

All that is needed to complete the linkage is the U-Joint for the transmission shift rail. Will post some more pics as things progress along with some documentation on installing the 2WD shifter box.

Rick

AOW162435

Rick,
Beautiful! Did you re-use the mystery metal tube, or start fresh? Do you have a part # for the correct studs?

I think there would be quite a bit of interest from the 964/993 crowd for someone to offer a conversion service. If I could weld, I'd do this modification now. Would brazing be sufficient, strength wise?


Andreas

chris walrod

Great work indeed!

Be sure to check for clearance at the base of the jet nut, or K-nut as they are called such that it doesnt interfere with the rod end at one extreme or the other fore/aft etc.

I like it!

Essexmetal

Andreas,

The tube is new. I used stainless because it was handy and I have a love / hate relation with the plating house I use over small lot charges. Normally if it were regular steel it would get zinc or eletroless nickel plated. No part number on the studs since they are made in house. Did not give any thought to supplying them. Even though these were done as a one off semi-manual / CNC I could write a program for them and turn them up quite reasonably. I won't consider anything until I have had a chance to install it and confirm it works. Not worried about strength but more angles and clearance issues. I am also flipping the guide tube as previously discussed in this post and want to make sure that does not create any other fitment issues.

If you have enough heat for brazing I would chose to use silver solder instead. The studs are a tight fit in the original holes and braze would be strong enough but then you never know when "Monkey Boy" might drive your car and test the limits of your work. Silver will actually wick in under the stud were as a regular braze (if that is what you meant) is only a surface bead.

Chris,
Got you covered. There is a lot of angle before it gets to the K-nut but I have plans to turn down the flange if there are any issues after I mock up the installation.
Rick

1pcarnut

Rick, very nice work, I love seeing craftsmanship like that.

Looks like we are going down parallel paths here. Just ordered the Heim joints from Midwest Controls. They had both stainless and zinc available. I went with zinc since the zinc had a hardened chrome finish ball which I thought might wear better than a hardened stainless ball. Plus the zinc model had a 10,000 lb. rating, so it sounds pretty stout.

Here is the link: http://www.midwestcontrol.com/catdis...ort.php?pg=509

It's M10 x 1.5 thread.

Midwests prices were $5 for the zinc and $10 for the stainless and they are available in metric so the reaction plate connection will be a bolt in fit and I'll only have to weld the shifter end. I ordered two extra since the price drops nicely with 3 or more and they had a female bung for the shifter end but it was not available in metric so I ordered a 5/16" that I will tap out to 10M x 1.5. They also have a neat stud called a Scotty Bolt that is similar to what you machined up but it is new so I called them and was told it is not available until June. Any chance I could get a couple of your studs?

For the rubber coupler I'm going to try adding the washers that were mentioned earlier in this thread since $60-70 for a universal seemed a little pricey for what looks like can be accomplished more modestly at less than $2.

If this works, all told I'll be in this mod for about $25 A very cost effective upgrade.

1pcarnut

Update:

Did the mod yesterday but with mixed results. Instead of completely removing the ***** I cut them off (sounds perverse) at the base, see pic, then tapped for 10 x 1.5.

Made some washers with a bevel to allow movement without binding and it worked great first time in.

I didn't want to install the universal on the shift shaft but instead added washers as recommended earlier in this thread and that worked great, eliminating the free-play that Porsche put in there. The washers go under the head of the retaining bolt to allow the shaft to clamp more snugly on the rubber connector thus taking out the fore-aft play, very simple and efficient. Couple of caveats, be sure to measure your your original centerpoints of your reaction rod, and measure the original height of the shift lever ball joint with the factory joint still installed so you know what you clearance needs to be, otherwise you could end up with the assembled piece being to low and hitting your tunnel cover, it's pretty tight in there.

What I'm not happy about is the play I found in the aluminum slide housing. It is really sloppy. I tried shimming the teflon/rubber bushings inside but with little success. I'll order new bushings and try again but I think these come with this play because they didn't look that worn.

The end result is a more direct feel to the mechanism but its still got more movement than desired. May need to go with the short shift kit also. For those that have the short shift lever, I've heard you say it is slightly taller and ergonomically better but if it's taller, is there enough play in the leather boot. I've notice mine is tight on the 2-4-6 position. I can't see how this wouldn't be too tight with anything taller.

HiWind

seems I might have over done my road side fix a bit


tape is to keep the grease in, and come to think of it the grease might be what attacked the plastic cup in the first place (hence the crumbling).

Planning what to do when I do my RS shift kit install re this issue - seems you guys have the right idea ie metal not plastic.

ps - some good 993 content from that day here .... 993 stash