Thread: New Locar shifter..anyone with experience??

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Hi,
I just installed a new Locar trans mounted shifter on my Willys with a turbo 350. I'm running without a kickdown as I don't want unexpected down shifts expecially going around interchanges. (bad experience).
so..park is ok, push the button and shift forward, it stays locked untill released.
Reverse..push the button and pull back a little, it's ok I can live with it.
neutral...push button move to neutral, shifter is locked from reverse, this is ok, 3rd or drive is unlocked both ways, starting out in drive will be ok but if in 2nd and going up under healthy power it is going to be a trick to hit only 3rd and not neutral. I can hold the shifter and rest my leg against it and just use finger pressure to finesse it but not what I had in mind. Starting in low or first, is just a click and no stop going to 2nd so I will have to again finesse it. It will be easy to go from 1st right to third. Under good power the trans will stay in 2nd untill the gov'r causes a shift to 3rd. I still would not like to hit neutral on a hard run from second. Still not really a good situation I don't think.

Fortunately I have a 5spd and 4.10 in the Dodge dually so hand shaking is easy for me. Haha The Willys is a lot quicker and things happen fast so it looks like I'll be one handing this one too.

I maybe I was looking for too much with this shifter. It fit very nice..in fact perfect with my modified floorboard. It is reasonably smooth and will get better as it breaks in. Very much adjustable as far as position.

In the end I guess I'd really like 2 & 3rd to be such that I could go up or down as these will be the most used gears. Neutral would be gated up from 3rd. (push button to go from 3rd to neutral.) I may be able to modify this with just a little machine work. What's the opinion?? Put it back in the box or get used to it???

thanks

You probably should have got a ratchet shifter if your going to shift it often. Those Lokar shifters are not designed to shift like that.

I think you're right but I'm stuck now. I'll just have to live with it.
Hopefully I can just leave it in drive or 2nd around town. It will shift up automatically to the selected gear but not down except for stopping.

Maybe I should just re install the kickdown. I just don't want it dumping a load of extra power while going around corners when traction is marginal.

Big rear tires are a pain when you put more than casual miles on them.

My car only weighs 2600# and has 400 hp on the dyno. It comes on pretty strong right at 3000.

I have a Lokar floor mount unit on my th400 and that is pretty much the same operation. 99% of the time I just leave it in drive and let the trans do the shifting. I also don't use a kick down unit, got one still sitting in shrink wrap, never installed.


Bob
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