Hey guys,

I need to make a slight bend in my shifter linkage and am not sure of the best way to go about it. Bend is like 15 degrees at most, nothing major. All I have currently is a vice and a propane torch. Not saying that setup couldn't work as I haven't had a moment to try it yet, but if someone knows of an easier or safer way I'm all ears.

This is a spare linkage I purchased for $20 on ebay so if it snaps it snaps, but if it bends that's better lol.

Anybody bent stainless steel at home with limited tools?

Thanks!

-Nick

It's not made of stainless, unless I missed something. Stay away from attempting bends near the weld joints. If it's chrome, it will most likely break the chrome finish and it'll flake off the stressed areas. You shouldn't need heat to bend it, just good leverage. You can lock it in the vice and use a pipe wrench with guarded jaws (you can do that with thin pieces of hardwood) as your bending leverage. I'm assuming you are bending to long side ( the flat face) and not trying to alter across the short side of the sheet steel. That would be a whole different event.

Curious, why do you need to bend the shift linkage. Might give us a better idea of what you are thinking of bending and in with direction. Ride on, Mike.

Sorry, a picture might be helpful here as I'm realizing. I do believe it's "bending to the long side" as you put it ace, but here's a snapshot.

The red line illustrates the trajectory I need the linkage to bend at.

Not the shift linkage I was thinking of. A high strength tubing bender would be the way to bend that rod.

IMHO, bending that rod would create one heck of a weak spot in a very inconvenient location.

May I ask why you need the bend in it? What are you trying to clearance?

You do know once you bend it there won't be enough clearance at the engine to make adjustments by rotating the rod to lengthen or shorten. To bend it lock it in the vice on the short length that is t be bent. Next take a BIG box end wrench and place the opening in the box end over the rod end that is out of the vice. Get the box end at angle parallel to the floor and so it won't slip and pull like a fool until it bends. LEVERAGE is your friend!

If you are going to attempt to bend the rod in a vice I would wrap tape around the part of the rod that will be bent. Not sure what that tubing is but if it would break while bending might keep it from ending up somewhere you might find painful. Good luck with your mod. Ride on, Mike.

Hey guys, thank you for all the tips. I was able to put the rod in a vice and just pull on it as hard as I could to get a little bend in it. I didn't want to mention what it was for until the job was complete because I know there's quite a bit of disdain for this modification. Luckily nobody but me has to ride it! Kudos to N0THD for inspiring this mod at the thread below

http://roadstarclinic.com/component/option,com_fireboard/Itemid,187/func,view/id,130834/catid,57/limit,10/limitstart,0/

Wanted to make this thread so I could post a few pictures up close of what it looks like, as that was the only thing I saw missing from the original thread. Enjoy and be safe out there.

Full system (that's the shifter peg from my XS650 which won't be needed because guess what's going on that bike too?)


Closeup of the linkage system. Clutch arm set to 12 o clock if looking at the bike from the left side.


It should be noted however that the system has one flaw. As you know, the clutch arm has about 15 degrees of free play (or at least mine does). This allows the system to "rock back" into this position at speed, raising the front foot peg to an uncomfortable height. I plan to remedy this by attaching a spring or rubber band around the front foot peg which keeps it from raising beyond a certain height, but does not exert any downforce which would engage the clutch. Updates to come.


PS: Still can't get my front brakes to bleed correctly, this setup is pretty interesting as a result lol. Lot of shifting into neutral.

Yea you kind of need front brakes with a foot clutch, at least enough to hold you on a hill while stopped. If / when I get a sidecar I will do this same mod. I have a H-D Jockey shift shifter with a crystal doorknob shifter knob (removable) that would look a lot better than your little XS shifter. With some creative welding it could be made to work. I can make you a deal on it if interested. PM me & I can email you pics.