gearstick/gearbox

[David Biss]

Gents, I am renovating a Moke originally CKD' to South Africa and I find the gearbox has the gearstick entering virtually underneath the diff housing held in place by a plate with a bulbous hollow in it allowing the movement of the gearstick.
Is this the correct diff housing for this 1968 produced Moke and if so does anyone know where I can obtain the Dust seal that the gearstick goes through and is held in place by the a recess in the plate.
The diff housing has a movable plate that seems to locate the slot on the gearstick when put in place.
Is anyone out there????
Dave Biss 3.45 English/SA Mokes

[Tim]

I wouldn't have a clue if that's standard on a '68 SA Moke but was used on the Australian Mokes from about that time until the mid '70s. It uses the Mini 4 synchro 'remote' gear box without the remote extension. The same box was used in UK Mini vans and pickups and possibly the poverty pack Mini sedans (it was in Australia) about the same time. It enabled them to use the new gearbox with the old floor pressings.

I don't know where you can get the seal, but Mini King in Australia has NOS of most of the mechanical parts, I'm told.

Tim

[David Biss]

Tim,
Many thanks for info, I cannot find any details about the system in any of my numerous mini books, no details, diagrams or anything despite the fact they used the system on the vans. Perhaps I will ring around a few mini places in England for the seal. Once again many thanks.
Dave Biss 3.45 English/SA mokes

[Tim]

Dave, somerford Mini has a good range of parts manuals online. They call it a "direct change 1968-on". There are some pictures here
http://www.somerfordmini.co.uk/eshop/in ... age&id=151

I think the dust seal you're after is part number 22A1380, Somerford list it, but there are probably several other places that have them.

http://www.somerfordmini.co.uk/eshop/in ... s_id=12243

Tim

[David Biss]

Tim,
What would the club do without you!! ( no contributions please). Once again thanks and I will try Somerford mini and let you know how I get on.
Dave Biss 3.45 English/SA mokes

[David Biss]

Tim, Yes. spoke to Somerford minis and they are sending me a Seal (gaitor) as they call it. The system seems strange as the locating pin for the slot on the gearstick is on a revolving axis and there is a large open area beside it. Does this not cause problems. Anything can get in the casing of the gearstick selector area??
Dave Biss 3.45 English/SA mokes

[Tim]

Hi Dave, yeah I guess stuff could get in there, but I've had ones in the past with knackered gaiters and it hasn't seemed to have mattered much. The whole thing is a bit of a compromise/afterthought I think.

There can be major problems with wear in that area. In particular the pin that aligns the ball wears down and the slot in the ball widens. You start to get a really sloppy gear change (maybe where the pudding stirrer description comes from) then eventually the pin breaks completely and the gearstick flops all over the place. I've used sections cut from drill bits to replace the pin and sometimes people build the slot up with weld, but I've never needed to.

Tim

[janz]

Tim, will take what you say on board... can lift my gearstick out in any gear and almost impossible to select reverse. Mind you, I have looked underneath and it looks like someone has cut down Mini Saloon rods and stabilisers to fit.....

[Tim]

Sounds like a rod change. That's what the later Mokes had, it could either be the way the factory did it, or it might be a home made conversion. The earlier rod change has a spring loaded thing at the bottom of the gear lever and you originally had to pull the gear stick up to select reverse, they can get a bit loose too, but they usually don't get as sloppy as the pudding stirrer ones. The best thing about the rod change is that they were used in so many minis, so spares are readily available, even if it requires shortening the rods.

Tim

[janz]

Sounds like it makes sense. My Aussie shelled Moke - was built a bit 'hybrid' style had the cut down rod system fitted whilst trying to maintain a centre of tunnel position ie the bracket and bobbin setup is above the changer instead of under. I think I'm going to have to replace all, but would like to use the correct length rods. Not easy to find...

[Tim]

Yes, they're even hard to get here, but shouldn't be too hard to make from Mini ones if you have some to copy. There were two lengths of rods used. The first ones were shorter than the later ones, but both were shorter than Mini ones.

Tim

[Nigel(no top)Sykes]

The main problem I tend to get is the pin that locates the gear stick seems to loosen itself! The only way I've thought of fixing it is to put a large jubilee clip round the top.