How to build a shifter (Finished Pictures)

[Uncle Stretch]

Since I changed 7 speed hubs to a Sach's 7 speed I needed to build a shifter. I know a lot of people build them like this , but maybe they don't show really how to do it. I had a twist grip shifter and hate the all the way to the bars look. I took my shifter and pulled the rubber twist grip part off. It has some plastic ears sticking up in several places. I sanded those off. Then I found one of the little tubes that normally go on a front brake. This will turn the cable back.

I had to have a short piece of handle bar to hold the shifter to the frame. I cut one and ground it to where it would fit the seat tube on my frame. I already had a hole through my frame for the nexus shifter , so I welded a nut inside the handle bar tube and ran a bolt through the frame. Nice and solid.

I found a piece of pipe that would slide pretty tight over the shifter part. I welded a cap on the end .

Now the idea was to glue that cup thing onto the shifter. I wanted to be able to change the position on the shifter arm so I found another piece of pipe that would slide over my cup . I cut off a short piece ...tapped a couple holes for the set screws and welded a short arm on it.

You could still see inside the shifter , so I cut a piece of the rubber shifter off to cover that up

If I could find my jb weld I could glue the cup to the shifter. Need to run to the store and buy some.

When its all together it will look like this. I still have to glue it , then shorten my cable ,and put it together.

 

[Beau]

Re: How to build a shifter

Looks good!

But...You did that much work, why not just make the whole thing out of metal? Are you using that piece simply for the indexing?

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Re: How to build a shifter

I probably would have but when I took it apart, the little steps inside weren't the same. As it got to a lower gear inside they made them farther apart. I knew that was going to toast my brain trying to figure out how to match them.

 

[Rat Rod]

Re: How to build a shifter

Very cool....I love this kind of stuff.

 

[gashuffy63]

Re: How to build a shifter

After all of the messing around that I have done over the years to get a downtube shifter to look good, here it is. I don't know how I couldn't come up with something similar. Ingenious, thanks for the post.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Re: How to build a shifter

It wasn't my idea , It has been done by a few members. I had to figure out how I wanted mine to look and I thought while I was doing it, I would also do a how too. The simple way is to stick a piece of tubing on your frame and just stick the twist grip shifter on that without all the sillyness I did. I just wanted to have a handle instead. They make a PVC cap that fits them snug too , if you wanted to do one out of plastic.
Should look like this when I finally quit messing around and finish.

 

[ckdesigns69]

Re: How to build a shifter

Man, that is cool! Some nice work there! Thanks for posting this as well. I am looking to do the same to one of mine.

 

[c.p.odom]

Re: How to build a shifter

Very cool!

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Re: How to build a shifter

Man, that is cool! Some nice work there! Thanks for posting this as well. I am looking to do the same to one of mine.

thanks. Maybe if you look at the way I did it ,you can figure out something simpler. It seemed like a bunch of work for just a shifter :lol: :lol:

Very cool!

Thanks. Once its all painted and hooked up It should look pretty good. The jb weld is going to set overnight and I should finish it tomorrow. Will post some finished pics.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Re: How to build a shifter

Ok, got off my lazy rear and finished the shifter. I got it all hooked up and running. For a nothing deal it turned out pretty good. Now its not a fancy billet aluminum one , but hey just a little work and its not too shabby. :lol: The little metal 90 tube was kinda loose when I slid it in the shifter. I took a piece of shrink tubing and slid over the little end and heated it up . It tightened it right up.

 

[c.p.odom]

That is the price of a high cool factor!

 

[Beau]

Looks good!

I think you could easily measure those notches for a reference. Then just use the old Shimano 3-speed shifter style. Just drill a hole at the peak of each notch. Run a ball bearing on a spring and you would have the indexing.

I still love it though!

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Looks good!

I think you could easily measure those notches for a reference. Then just use the old Shimano 3-speed shifter style. Just drill a hole at the peak of each notch. Run a ball bearing on a spring and you would have the indexing.

I still love it though!

Your hard to please. If I had done all the drilling , springs, and ball bearings ...then stuck that in a shimano shifter that I don't have ...you would say ....You did all that why didn't you build the housing too. :lol: I used what I have at hand , but glad you like it anyway.

 

[Markm]

Very Cool!!!

 

[XC204]

I might have gone this way if I had seen this first and hadnt thrown my grip shifter parts out . I like the noodle right outa the box to turn the corner. very efficient.

By xc204 at 2010-12-16

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Man that setup looks good. I thought about going the mechanical linkage route , but didn't think I could pull it off with a 7 speed. What do you use for the part on the hub?

 

[XC204]

I kept the stock clevis from the shimano 3s and tacked it to the ss tube. Was'nt quite large enough thread on it to tap the tube for the threaded end and it was'nt a common metric pitch .75? so it got welded in. Could have just flattened the tube slot and drilled it but the machined clevis looks cool. Other end was right size fo 10-32 tap turnbuckle from salvage junk drawer .I think you are right on the 7 speed I'd feel safer with the factory detents.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Nice work on that one. I need to sit down with my fab guy...(he has a mill and a lathe) and see If I can design a shifter. The last time I asked him he gave me that get out of my shop look. He got a really nice buck , so maybe he will be a little more open to designing and building something.

 

[pepper]

Good stuff man

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Thanks David . something to look at and think about. :lol: