Transmission fork "upgrade" possibilities?

[Dimitrios]

I have been purusing a few threads here and. I am tempted to purchase a shift fork (the one that a few people seem to be breaking), mic it out (i.e. obtain precise dimensions) and machine a new out off high alloy stainless steel and determine a decent heat treat value to anneal it to.

Basically, reverse engineer it and improve on it. I'm surprised that B&M or Karboy (*wink, wink*) hasn't designed and produced such an "upgrade". I just want to make it in a manner that I won't have to ever worry about it....I understand the principles of driver error, etc in the failures that HAVE occured. I think something along these lines might benefit those that are generating more power and or want more reliable shifts.

Some questions:

1) Does anyone happen to know off hand what the cost of JUST the fork (shaft, rod?) is? I'll bother the dealer tommorrow...

2) Has anyone seen one of these break/broken? Is it cast iron or aluminum or what? Just wondering about the material.

3) Installation/removal. Is this possible to do on one's own or is the dealer/competent shop?

Thanks....any ideas or discussion to the matter at hand would be good too.

 

[changedman]

good idea! good luck. ive heard of this problem too, and have been worried...

 

[Dimitrios]

Thanks. Now from the looks of it appears we have "multiple" forks? Does anyone have a diagram of how the linkages are all set up? I haven't been underneath as yet (have Kartboy bushings on the way though)...

 

[uclap5]

2 forks.

hyar you gho, picture attached.

 

[Mike R]

I don't see any forks in that pic? The shift linkage yes, forks no. That pic looks like an external pic, you need an internal parts pic.
or that one just got cut off.

The thing that is surprising to me is all the RWD cars have shifters with stops on them to keep you from going too far and breaking the forks. Why couldn't they do that for a FWD tranny?

 

[Dimitrios]

Thanks for the info once again. I'm going to head over to dealer land and see what the parts would cost and look like (i.e. assembled print)....then I'm off to the junk yard to get one and see if it's feasible.

So, if it's internal I basically need to crack the tranny open? hmmmm