Enough horses?

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com (SteveH) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

You want to try a Tatra. RWD, transaxle, column change...

I was taught how to double declutch and had no trouble engaging a non synchro gear on the move.

The Imp had a very fine gearchange. Much better than the Mini.

"Dave Plowman (News)" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Mine didn't.

I was of course meaning front engine RWD.

Must be very badly designed. Plenty managed a rear engine and decent gear change.

Early Mini etc. But still more linkages than a basic front engine RWD.

Needed fixing, then. Nothing lasts forever.

"Dave Plowman (News)" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Considering the gear lever is forward of the front wheels, and about 3ft long itself...

Mmm. Like the Mk2 Escort I test drove once. Change gear, and the entire lever came out of the top of the box.

Ah, I remember my Dads brand new Morris Marina doing that.

Coach, bus? I've driven a lot of those with similar gearchanges, and they worked fine when new. To restore that, we replaced the ball joints, and greased the linkage and where the rods go through various bearings, while adjusting everything. On the cable linked ones, new balljoints and cables, lubricate it all, and make sure the plates holding the linkage to the chassis haven't come loose. The Volvo B10M and B58 come to mind here....

I had a Vauxhall Viva like that once. The bit that held the lever in was like a larger version of the metal screw top on a pop bottle. A disconcerting habit, when it happened as you dropped a gear to overtake.

John Williamson gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

It'd be a damn sight longer than 12ft, if t'was.

VW T25.

I wasn't taught; I learnt.

When struggling up a hill with a loaded Thames in 2nd gear, do you hope it makes it, or do you risk a slow change into first that may well leave you worse off?

They really were hard work. I drove one to the Isle of Man from Berkshire with a race bike, loads of spares, and six people in it. Attempting the ramp into the ferry as the last vehicle on before sailing at Liverpool (pre RoRo), the throttle linkage fell apart...

Chris

Ah. But no, the mid engine buses and coaches I'm talking about aren't all that much over 12 feet, maybe 14 or so. I'd still check for loose bits and wear in the linkage, though.

In message , John Williamson writes

Viva HC, circa 1970? That happened to me as I was driving with the family along the main street in Bournemouth on a busy day, 240 miles from home. I drove to Poole, where we were staying with friends, changing gear by moving the gear stump with finger and thumb.

I had a hell of a job getting the lever back into the hard rubber hole in the stump, and resorted to a certain lubricant[1] designed for a different purpose. It worked, and scarily the knob never came loose again before we sold the car around 1980. [1] Beware of KY...

You discovered how all on your own?

Same with synchromesh, then. Only less so. In those days you tended to select the gear needed before the hill, or before it became a problem.

You seem to have had a load of badly maintained vehicles. ;-)

You never had a Mini change fail? The link rod used to come lose and eventually lost grip on the shaft - despite the splines. Of course it got sloppy long before that.

As regards the Escort and Viva mentioned in another post - wish modern cars had as sweet a gearchange. When in good condition, obviously.

"Dave Plowman (News)" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

I never owned a Mini. Apart from not particularly liking them, I plain don't fit them.

Fine if you always knew what was around the corner...

What were the others?

The Thames wasn't mine; it belonged to one of the passengers, who was racing in the Island but was on a driving ban.

Throttle linkage failure was a very common fault on the Thames.

Chris

Splines?

Maybe its just old age but I can't recall any splines on any Mini gearchange linkage.

You didn't look close enough. One of the first things that gets lose and causes slop. I'm talking about the original non remote change.