Suggestions to remove slop in gear lever pivot

[julianharty]

As part of refurbishing a 250 2C I've discovered the pivot for the gear change lever is very worn and the surrounding area of the lever is also quite worn. The wear might even be visible in this photo, it's roughly 0.15mm diameter reduction on both ends of the pivot, in the lever the wear is slightly less, just under 0.1mm in diameter increase. The overall effect is the lever can move from side to side by about 2cm and up-down movement is sloppy.

I'm used to reaming out the lever and fitting a bush, I'm not familiar with how to repair the pivot. It looks like I could have a new pivot made (including the shoulder), cut/grind off the current pivot and weld the new one on - hopefully sufficiently well aligned. Before I go down this path, do any of you have suggestions for how to address the wear please?

PS: For now I'll use another lever and pivot (having a spare rolling chassis comes in useful at times like this) so I don't need an immediate fix. I do have a basic lathe, I don't have a mill. I do have TIG and MIG welders.
Thank you

Gear lever and pivot for forum.jpg (465.28 KiB) Viewed 4663 times

[Parker3865]

Mine is quite sloppy. Haven't measured it but the gear change works well.

I'll measure mine, though, to see what it is. Might be helpful?

[Parker3865]

Have measured mine, dimensions on the photo. Not sure if this helpful or not!
FYI you probably know this but fit the linkage before the exhaust, or the exhaust gets in the way and you have to 'spring' it out of the way to get link onto the gearchange shaft. Another lesson in rebuilding!
(Can send you a video of the slop in my linkage if you want).

[3potjohn]

I just wrapped a strip of thin shim metal around a worn pivot and a slather of grease which seemed to work. Probably classed as a bodge. If the sides of the pivot pin could be dressed to remove the uneven wear then a bush ( Glacier bush ?) might work.

[MickeyMoto]

There is a bush in the lever, I believe. The elegant solution would be to try and modify the pivot and fit a needle roller bearing.

[julianharty]

Thank you all for the measurements and suggestions. I'll try various approaches ranging from a metal shim (e.g. tinfoil folded double at either end just might do) to fitting a bearing or replacing the bearing if there's already one in the lever.

[mbmm350s]

Julian,
Many years ago i mounted the footrest part somehow in a four jaw chuck and turned it to fit a bush in the lever. I also drilled the lever to fit a grease nipple. It all seemed good but after 10000 miles it went back to the same sloppy state and has remained so for the last 50000 miles. I think the steel of the pivot is quite soft and a proper job would probably mean making a better pivot and bearing solution.
At least the end float can be dealt with by filing the lever down and fitting a shim, gearbox shims seem about right. Our other 250 which done only 25000 km is just as bad!
Mark