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Wondering what people have done with the wire for the Line Lock button on Dual Gate shifters. I have a 4 speed DG but I am pretty sure (without having actually looked) that the frame and lever would be the same as 3 speed, in this instance. Am I just a weenie for using it on auto trans? Actually it’s because I lost a leg & half o’ pelvis a year ago and can’t two foot it when I want to, hold the car in water box or stage car if I get back to a track day.
The issue is the sharply defined edges and spaces where the lever settles in. For instance, in Park the lever is in a very defined, open slot, firmly against sharp frame edges on front, back & right side of the stick with no clearance. Might as well be a wire cutter so wire can’t really be run down front or left side of the stick, if wire is on right side of stick it is still vulnerable and would cut right through in the ratchet gate. Wire on back of stick would cut on frame pulled into low in either gate.
Has anyone tackled this before or have any ideas to offer?
Last edited by bccan; October 16th, 2020 at 08:56 AM.
Way back in the last century I contemplated the same issue and had the same observations as you. I don't think there is any clean way to do it using the "traditional" wiring method, but you may be able to do it with modern technology. Put together a remote control (Bluetooth) switch with a battery powered transmitter on the shifter handle and have the receiver/switch in the console or under the dash.
If you are set on using the button on the shifter ****, you could cut a small grove up the front of the shift lever to inlay the wires into. This should be barely noticeable if done carefully. If you are not willing to do this I think your only option would be to put the switch on the wheel. The Bluetooth set up is a great idea but you would need to find a **** with the transmitter electronics integrated into it and I don't think anyone makes one. I suppose you could mount a small box on the side of the shift lever for the electronics, but I think cutting a groove in the front of the lever would give a cleaner look.
If you can get away with holding a momentary contact down, you could use the horn. If you need a switch, I am thinking you could put a switch on the console in front of the shifter with long arm, so like off is 6 inches in front of the shifter in first, and on is back leaning against the shifter. Get up to the line in first, hit the brakes, pull the lever back to "on" against the shifter, grab the shifter with palm of hand and thumb and pinky and ring, and, at launch, flick the switch arm forward with index and middle finger. It goes off, moves way forward, and you still have your hand on the ball. Or I guess you could get a set of lightning rods from some place, they might take a wire better on the back side of one of them.
I had the same “option”, except I used the set button for the purge function. I had a progressive controller for the actual nitrous activation, on a WOT switch. Turn on the master arm, stand on the throttle, the controller did the rest.
How abut a small switch like this, that only closes with the dual gate shifter in the race side? Use the switch to trigger a relay to switch the horn power from the horns to the line lock.
with the shifter in the normal left side, the switch is open, the relay is off, the horn button and horn functions normally.
Put the shifter in the right side, the switch closes, activates the relay, now the power from the horn relay is switched from horns to the line lock solenoid.
I’m not familiar with the internal construction of the dual gate shifter, so I have no idea how well this would work, or how easy that would be to fabricate. Just an idea.
How abut a small switch like this, that only closes with the dual gate shifter in the race side? Use the switch to trigger a relay to switch the horn power from the horns to the line lock.
with the shifter in the normal left side, the switch is open, the relay is off, the horn button and horn functions normally.
Put the shifter in the right side, the switch closes, activates the relay, now the power from the horn relay is switched from horns to the line lock solenoid.
I’m not familiar with the internal construction of the dual gate shifter, so I have no idea how well this would work, or how easy that would be to fabricate. Just an idea.
So your tooling along on a winding road for some spirited driving with the shifter on the "race side" and suddenly you need to activate the horn for some reason...
So your tooling along on a winding road for some spirited driving with the shifter on the "race side" and suddenly you need to activate the horn for some reason...
Simple solution, girlie man. Don’t have the shifter in race mode unless your racing!!!
Ok, I can see your concern. Personally, “spirited” driving on a public road is pretty stupid in my opinion. If your on a winding road, common sense should tell you keep the speed within reason. If your going too fast to keep the car in your lane, then you deserve the consequences. Hopefully your “spirited” driving stupidity doesn’t hurt someone else.
Ever been on The Tail of The Dagon road in the Smokey Mountains? There is a rest stop called Deals Gap, inside is a wall of shame covered with photos of wrecks from idiots practicing to become the next A.J Foyt.
Having said all that, I’ll revise my idea. Install the micro switch in the shifter, but have a master arm switch. Master arm switch off, the micro switch and relay won’t do anything. You could have the shifter in any position, honk the horn, and drive as “spirited” 🙄 as you like.
Don’t have the shifter in race mode unless your racing!!!
I have driven with a Dual Gate since I got my license 40 years ago and it has ALWAYS been on the "race" side. It just makes a lot more sense to have positive stops for upshifts and downshifts even during regular daily driving.
You can use a conventional line lock micro switch with a rubber band and just use it when you need to. Leave enough wire to hide it in the center console and when you need it out it on the handle. You hold the button with your thumb while gripping the shifter. When you are done remove and stash.
They sell switches with rubber bands like wide ones already done up for this purpose.
A month or two ago I finally got around to eliminating the line lock button dangling from the gap in the console door. I purchased a ‘66 style cruise control signal lever, installed and wired it. Works perfectly, the slightest touch of the button activates the solenoid. As a matter of fact, if I push button more than a millimeter or two it goes past the contact as I found out on first test, had me scratching my head trying to figure out how I coulda screwed it up. Turns out I had it right, just operator error. If I figure it right, there are two contact points in the switch, one at sort of a “tip in” touch which is what I have connected and one with a deeper push.
The ‘66 style is shaped similarly to the Ming Dynasty valued ‘70 style lever but is all smooth instead of fluted. Make sure lever mounts compatibly with your column/signal switch, I saw a lot of confusion and misinformation in listings. Hope this helps anyone else trying to figure a good install option for the button when running a Dual Gate shifter.
October 16th, 2020, 05:40 AM
