[Tigers] Short v Long Shifters

[Larry Mayfield]

I am sitting here a bit bleary eyed over the plethora of anecdotal comments
on short v long sifters.  In my lifetime, I have found that any discussion
without evidence or data is worth camel spit, lol.  At least a good diagram
of what is being discussed is paramount: we used to call them free body
diagrams intended to provide a common ground for discussion. A good set of
definitions helps the discussion along as well.  As does the comparison of
other shifters thrown into the mix. 

So, a set of rules to aid this discussion perhaps?
1. No other transmissions or cars with different transmission included. Adds
no value to the discussion.  Newer and modern manual transmission shifting
functions differently. They have the benefit of about 50 years of
development to fall back on.  Plus how good you feel in shifting your
Bimmer, or Scooby or tractor does not have much importance in the
discussion.  Stick to the thread, please.

2. Our old transmissions have the shifting fork movement applied by a lever
on the shifter shaft (generally), The length of that small lever is a direct
relation to how far it has to move to engage the synchro rings.  

3. The length of the shifter lever below the fulcrum pin in the shifter
assembly is a function of how far it needs to be moved to get the shift
forks to move to engage the synchros.  If that design has a set of   levers
on the shifter mechanism the same length as the shift fork levers then it
will take a lot of rotation to engage. If the shifter mechanism levers are
longer then they only have to move a short distance.

4. The length of the operator shift lever is a direct function of the length
of the other levers in the  system.  The shorter the operator lever, the
shorter the Throw. Long lever, longer Throw.  Longer lever also means that
the gate movement of the lever is longer as well. 

Danger, anecdotal  comment: In my 55 plus years of driving, Throw of the
transmission shifting has always meant how far the shift lever ball, that
thing that fits the driver's hand, has to move. 

5. In any technical, not feel good, discussion, please use real data: crawl
under the car, measure the different lever lengths make direct comparisons
and then comment please... 

6. If ya want opinions of anything, just remember that opinions are like
noses, everyone has one and they are all different and the meaning behind
every one is vast. 

Off soapbox now...

larry




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drmayf
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