Ghetto fixing the shifter!

[LovingOffroadPain]

This afternoon I'll be riding with a buddy, he's only 18 and broke as a joke.  He's got a 2000 model smoker, but the shifter is horribly stripped and he can't afford a new one.

 

So I brought with me my drill, bits, tap and die set, and hardware to fix this thing for him.  I was thinking about drilling through the shifter shaft, but is that case hardened steel too durable to tap?

 

What other jimmy riggin' fixes could we incorporate for his bike?

[Mike in OK]

I don't know if you could tap that or not, it's pretty hard steel. You could just tap the shifter part and use it like a set screw or you could drill all the way through and use a bolt and nut.

[Still Bill]

Ghetto fix?  You mean you are going to steal a new bike for him?

[LovingOffroadPain]

I don't know if you could tap that or not, it's pretty hard steel. You could just tap the shifter part and use it like a set screw or you could drill all the way through and use a bolt and nut.

 

My thought was to mount the shifter as my buddy wants it, then drill through the shifter and the shifter shaft, tap it, and thread a bolt through both units.  Use plenty of high strength thread lock on the new bolt that holds it in place too.

 

We're thinking the same thing, but tapping it would be a lot tighter/better.

[LovingOffroadPain]

Ghetto fix?  You mean you are going to steal a new bike for him?

 

Even if I stole this kid a brand new bike, it would look just his bike now within a year.  I'm trying to get him to understand the importance of maintenance.

[William1]

Dremel 'good teeth' on the shaft. Wrap shim material (abeer can metal) adound the shaft. Cut notches in the old shift lever, spread it open and cram on the shaft.

 

 

If you want the kid to learn, make him buy the correct parts. Boo Hoo if he has to wait to save the money.

[FUDad]

Dremel 'good teeth' on the shaft. Wrap shim material (abeer can metal) adound the shaft. Cut notches in the old shift lever, spread it open and cram on the shaft.

 

 

If you want the kid to learn, make him buy the correct parts. Boo Hoo if he has to wait to save the money.

Welcome back, Mr. Compassion?

[tvalliere220]

I wouldn't try tapping the shift shaft your better off to drill through and use a bolt and a nut. I don't think that shift shaft is case hardened either but I've been wrong before.

[not_again]

Best bet, get another shifter, $30 or so. Drilling through the shaft will compromise it horribly and it's hard to repace. MSR makes universal-type steel ones that won't strip splines so easily. Lots of bike shops and MX tracks have them hanging on the wall.

 

For a quick fix that won't compromise the shaft, grind a notch across the end of it. Drill a hole through the shifter toward the outer edge and drive a roll pin through it. Mount it outwards a bit from flush with the pin in the notch. It'll be positively engaged that way and won't weaken the shift shaft like drilling through it would.

[RyanM]

Best bet, get another shifter, $30 or so. Drilling through the shaft will compromise it horribly and it's hard to repace. MSR makes universal-type steel ones that won't strip splines so easily. Lots of bike shops and MX tracks have them hanging on the wall.

For a quick fix that won't compromise the shaft, grind a notch across the end of it. Drill a hole through the shifter toward the outer edge and drive a roll pin through it. Mount it outwards a bit from flush with the pin in the notch. It'll be positively engaged that way and won't weaken the shift shaft like drilling through it would.

That's one of most innovative things I've read on this site.. Good job Edited June 6, 2014 by ryanmcc555

[RyanM]

Disregard this post I was covering for a mistake but my phone let me fix it.

Edited June 6, 2014 by ryanmcc555

[heythatsmybike]

Dremel 'good teeth' on the shaft. Wrap shim material (abeer can metal) adound the shaft. Cut notches in the old shift lever, spread it open and cram on the shaft.

If you want the kid to learn, make him buy the correct parts. Boo Hoo if he has to wait to save the money.

I've had to do this also.

Works pretty good, (didn't use a dremel tool though)...I was out riding when it happened. Made it back to the truck, cut some small slivers of can (3 to 4 of them, bout an eighth of an inch wide or so) slipped them in between the shift shaft and shifter, snugged it up, rode out the rest of the day with no issues. ?

[Zimman]

[kawboy96]

I was just gonna say JB weld it lol

[Beau 88]

Dremel 'good teeth' on the shaft. Wrap shim material (abeer can metal) adound the shaft. Cut notches in the old shift lever, spread it open and cram on the shaft.

 

 

If you want the kid to learn, make him buy the correct parts. Boo Hoo if he has to wait to save the money.

+1 on the shim i wouldn't drill that shaft , brass shim or as william said an old aluminum can will work. or JB WELD  ? 

[Beau 88]

This afternoon I'll be riding with a buddy, he's only 18 and broke as a joke.  He's got a 2000 model smoker, but the shifter is horribly stripped and he can't afford a new one.

 

So I brought with me my drill, bits, tap and die set, and hardware to fix this thing for him.  I was thinking about drilling through the shifter shaft, but is that case hardened steel too durable to tap?

 

What other jimmy riggin' fixes could we incorporate for his bike?

Just buy the kid a shifter we all know you're loaded. Then claim him on your taxes next year .

[Wild Alaskan]

better yet just clamp a set of vice grips on it and weld a tab to the side of the vice-grips so he has something to push up and down ?

 

fully adjustable!

Edited June 7, 2014 by Wild Alaskan

[jmcn R]

+1 on the welding!

Friends old XR had a shifter that was allowed to wobble a long time before he bought it. So since he knew the spline wasn't so pretty either, he just welded the whole thing on and its worked perfectly since then! Being a beefy IMS shifter helps too....not gonna bend just for any random thing.

[SellYour4Stroke]

A new shifter on ebay is $22. Have him pay you back. Or tell him to donate blood.

 

Or jesus...ill buy it.

[The Spanky]

Shift shafts aren't all that hard to replace.