Alter Shift Gate Auto Console Shifter

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JD Erisman

JD Erisman

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I would like to add some type of "stop" to the shift gate on my stock auto console shifter. I want to stop the shifter from being able to move directly from Drive to Neutral, I want to have to depress the shift button to make the shifter move so I don't accidentally move it from Drive to Neutral. I thought of welding a small tab on the shift gate in the middle of the Drive/Neutral slot, that slot is pretty wide and looks as though it wouldn't be difficult to do but don't know if it will work as I want it to. Has anyone done anything like this? Thanks for your replies.
 
I thought about trying to put a push-pull interlock/ hinge deal, finally just went to a Cheetah. You used to be able to buy a modified gate that fit some of the Mopar OEM shifters
 
I've done it and it works great. There's a pic here somewhere...not mine but exactly what I did....searching it out.
 
I installed a 4 speed GM auto trans and modified my factory floor shifter to use the extra gear. You can see the last notch that's normally on the shifter in the first pic. I also installed a switch that only lets me start the car in park for safety since I couldn't hook up the factory 4 speed auto trans neutral safety switch. Your idea to weld a tab in the drive/neutral slot should work, just be sure and make a good weld so it doesn't break during hard use??? I would weld a heavy piece of metal to the outside of the shifter so that it bends down and stops the shifter pawl from advancing but you still get past it by pushing on the shifter button.

DSC02117.JPG

Here you can see that the last notch as been filed down so that I can put the 4 speed auto trans on low gear and also use 2nd, 3rd and
4th! My point is that once you get the shifter out of the console there's tons of room to modify it.
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Here is the shifter with the reverse light switch:

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DSC02203.JPG
 
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Here's the thread for modifying our shifter with a 904/727.
It's more of a notch but I welded a very small triangle piece to mine to ensure a positive stop on the 2nd to 3rd shift.

What aftermarket shifter?

Treblig makes a great point...you def need it out of the car.
 
Unmodified gate.


upload_2020-5-14_23-39-51-jpeg.jpg



Modified with the notch. You just file that drive notch/detent deeper in one section. The spring will push the stop down into the notch and lock it there.


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I thought of that too Gil...so I welded a small triangle piece at the end of the "D" detent, high enough not to allow it to speed right over the detent into neutral on a hard shift. I filed the triangle so it allows a smooth transition from neutral to drive. Pulls back smoothly from nuetral to drive if not wanting to utilize the transgo TF2 kit manually, allowing full automatic for the wife and boys. There's no way it's going to miss the drive detent.
 
67dartgtgo said:
I thought of that too Gil...so I welded a small triangle piece at the end of the "D" detent, high enough not to allow it to speed right over the detent into neutral on a hard shift. I filed the triangle so it allows a smooth transition from neutral to drive. Pulls back smoothly from nuetral to drive if not wanting to utilize the transgo TF2 kit manually, allowing full automatic for the wife and boys. There's no way it's going to miss the drive detent.
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Now that I've seen what you did ....I would done this:
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Make a ramp so that the spring loaded shifter pawl is "directed" to the drive position by the ramp. But I only came up with this idea after seeing what you did so you can say that I stood on your shoulders??
 
Treblig said:
Now that I've seen what you did ....I would done this:
View attachment 1715678791

Make a ramp so that the spring loaded shifter pawl is "directed" to the drive position by the ramp. But I only came up with this idea after seeing what you did so you can say that I stood on your shoulders??
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I like your idea better....wish I would've thought of it before I did it.
Then you could slide it back into second without any action. A direct downshift to passing gear.
 
67dartgtgo said:
I like your idea better....wish I would've thought of it before I did it.
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It's always easier to make improvements on someone else's idea.....the hard part is coming up with the original idea to begin with (making the extra notch). That's why I said that I stood on your shoulders to make the improvement!!!
 
I'd like to take all the credit but ...I think I got it from another member here. I can't remember who though.
 
Here's the best version (I think)?? The "D" notched area doesn't have to be flat, but for other family members it might need to be flat??

DSC08304.JPG
 
Def works either way I think. Smoother for sure but I'm not so sure you'd feel much of a difference. Have to try it and see. Do the second version first to the spare....swap it out, then do the first version to the original which already has the notch. Hmmm.
 
I like to throw the shifter from hi, straight up to Neutral as I go thru the lights, and coasting thru shut-down .
Also handy if you break, just slap the shifter forward, and it goes straight to Neutral.
 
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Thanks to everyone for all of your great responses. Some good ideas here and I'm going to file a ramp and deeper detent for Drive. I appreciate everyone's time.
 
JD Erisman said:
Thanks to everyone for all of your great responses. Some good ideas here and I'm going to file a ramp and deeper detent for Drive. I appreciate everyone's time.
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We don't want your thanks..............we want pics of the finished product for others to COPY!!!:poke::mad::thumbsup: Cuz that's what we do!!
 
Agreed, so here are a couple of pictures of what i worked on last night; each picture shows the lever in a different position to give a complete view of the shift gate. I need to buy a more narrow file as I was having trouble "ramping" the slide between second and Drive. I notched the Drive position fairly high but I decided to also file a notch for Reverse so I would have a nice positive stop there and not accidently bump the lever into Reverse from either Neutral or Park. I also put a very shallow notch for Second; I didn't like the way it slid into Second from either forward or backwards movement of the lever so I thought
Shift Linkage.jpg
Shift Linkage- other view.jpg
a shallow stop there would give a nice positive lock that could be overcome with a slightly firm bump, it seems to work pretty well. Since I live in the frozen north I have about three or four months before I can drive the car to test it. This was a spare shift mechanism I had lying around with no intention to use it but I really like how the shift gate feels now and I may use it if I can keep the cable from not sticking, I think somewhere in it's life it was learning how to swim...rusty!
 
JD Erisman said:
Agreed, so here are a couple of pictures of what i worked on last night; each picture shows the lever in a different position to give a complete view of the shift gate. I need to buy a more narrow file as I was having trouble "ramping" the slide between second and Drive. I notched the Drive position fairly high but I decided to also file a notch for Reverse so I would have a nice positive stop there and not accidently bump the lever into Reverse from either Neutral or Park. I also put a very shallow notch for Second; I didn't like the way it slid into Second from either forward or backwards movement of the lever so I thoughtView attachment 1715679388 View attachment 1715679389 a shallow stop there would give a nice positive lock that could be overcome with a slightly firm bump, it seems to work pretty well. Since I live in the frozen north I have about three or four months before I can drive the car to test it. This was a spare shift mechanism I had lying around with no intention to use it but I really like how the shift gate feels now and I may use it if I can keep the cable from not sticking, I think somewhere in it's life it was learning how to swim...rusty!
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Looks pretty good....as long as you're happy with the way it feels going through the gears then you've accomplished your goal!!! Nice pics!!:thumbsup::thumbsup::steering: Good pics help everyone else on FABO make decisions before they mess things up.
 
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