Problem with Shift Cable Installation

[tweetdriver63]

I made these posts on another thread, but I think I'll get better response by starting a new one, so my original posts follow.

[tweetdriver63]

If you look at the picture from the AB website above, you can see another problem with the bracket with regards the cross-gate cable. Notice that the cable in the picture is adjusted all the way to the end of the threads. On my car, I noticed that when I disconnect that cable at the bracket and move the gear lever side to side, when the shifter is in the area laterally where I think it should be in third/fourth gear (leaning slightly toward the driver's side as in the manual), the threaded area of the cable is completely behind the bracket. In other words, it's not possible to adjust the cable to the proper place using that bracket.

Is there any way the problem could actually be in the tunnel? Twisted cables or something? I don't think so. I pulled the cables through together like the instructions in the Wiki say, which was a bear. I don't think they're twisted though.

I think I'm going to fabricate a new bracket that will put both cables side-by-side on the bracket (not staggered), and will incorporate the angled face like my original bracket, for the cross-gate cable.

[tweetdriver63]

Just a couple more questions.

My cross-gate cable angles toward the front of the car about 5-10 degrees, and on closer inspection, it looks as though the original cable bracket was modified to accomodate the angle. It occurs to me that if a previous owner made a custom short-shift modification, which would shorten the cross-gate lever, moving the lever attachment point toward the front of the car, that could cause the angle off. This would also necessitate the modification to the bracket. Does this make sense to anybody?

Fed Elan owners: Have you ever adjusted your cables following the guidance in the service manual? I noticed this when I replaced my cables with newer OEM cables a while back: When I unlocked the locking sleeves and pushed the cross-shaft lever to the right (passenger side on Fed car) to put the gearbox in third, then positioned the gear shift lever 5 deg forward and 10 deg toward the driver's side as the manual describes, the result was that the shift lever couldn't be moved toward first/second gear. The only way to adjust my cables so that all gears were usable left the shifter basically vertical in first/second, and leaning toward the passenger side in all other gears. It occurs to me that that would probably be perfect in a RHD car. Are the brackets (both OEM and AB) designed for UK cars only? Is this an oversight on both Lotus' and AB's part? Or am I nuts?

[tigerdog]

I think your assessment is correct - the shift setup is optimized for RHD. I have a similar setup and am pretty happy with a slight cant to the right in upper gears. Keeps me from bumping the lever with my right arm during spirited driving. As you noted, the crossgate cable needs to be adjusted nearly to the end of its travel to achieve this gearlever position.