Compbrake Quickshift Setup & Uprated Linkages

4th June 2009, 07:15

I have made up my own opinion on this peice of kit..

But was wondering what the rest of you all think?

Since I had this fitted with a set up uprated (rose jointed) linkages, Ive had terrible/clunky gear changes.

Now I had a new box fitted not long after, I was originally blaming the box for my issues. Okay the gear selector pin on it does need changing. But other than that I dont think its the box causing me grief.

I think I will be changing back to standard housing and then slapping a B&M in place. But what do you guys reckon on the compbrake setup and also what your thoughts are with the B&M. Ive mostly heard good things on the B&M.

The design imo is poor and the grommits used top and bottom to hold the kit in place are terrible. I can push down on my gearstick and the whole thing just drops down.

Its another bad purchase imo on my behalf..

4th June 2009, 08:19

i basically had the same problems with the top and bottom collars not tightening up enough.

basically what i did was buy and extra gear stick and modify it, i actually worked out where the collars needed to be and then welded them in to position which worked quite well. After that though i fabricated a custom gear stick and a new set of collars. The sticks bottom half was made of 12mm screwed rod and the collars were tapped m12. By doing this i got a very precise way of adjusting the level of throwand the collars could not come loose as i has put lock tight on them to secure them.

All in all though the gears did come quite clunky as you found and i ended up removing the compbrake as i was worried about the effects it may have on the synchro.

Now i have just got a standard linkage and a shortened stick, feels much better.

This is just what i found in my instances, im sure that the product is very good it just didnt feel good on my car.

James

4th June 2009, 08:37

Im also finding this a problem at the moment. I dont have a problem with the stick moving freely from the collars, although I am getting the clunky-ness.

Hopefully once I reset it, it should be much smoother, if not, back to the standard jobby.

4th June 2009, 10:13

I personally dont think its a good design or think it does your gearbox any favors. Dont think I will be fitting my new S1 Box until its been swapped over.

What a load of pap!

4th June 2009, 10:19

never had any problems with mine

4th June 2009, 12:18

i had a b&m and love it a you know

had a compbrake
never even fitted to a car
and sold it as i just didnt like the way it worked tbh

4th June 2009, 14:45

I wouldnt change from the standard set up tbh, for a start i dont see what the problem is... and there is rubber / flex in the gear selectors for a reason, because the box's are shite!

4th June 2009, 15:50

Rushy you know my thoughts on these too:

B&M on the Saxo:
May not particularly do alot in terms of shortening the shift, but it does feel alot more solid and smooth- so with this in mind surely a smoother gear change itself throughout your action and moving parts this can only be a good thing for the gearbox

Compbrake on my AX
Does pretty much sod all other than look quite nice and tidy. No problems with any of the gearing before fitting, since fitting and trying various adjustments it has been a pain in the arse at times to shift the stick into gear

4th June 2009, 19:24

Personally, I don't run a quickshift at all, its not faster, wears the syncros out quicker and makes the changes utter shit. Just run some new linkages and put some grease on them every so often!

4th June 2009, 21:09

if your a serious track day going person then well worth it just think over a minute lap you might make 30 upshifts, at .05 of a second a shift faster. you will make up 1.5 seconds a lap over someone on standard shift throw.

on the road not worth it really is it? on a 100mile journey you will save 60seconds

4th June 2009, 21:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpsaxo

I wouldnt change from the standard set up tbh, for a start i dont see what the problem is... and there is rubber / flex in the gear selectors for a reason, because the box's are shite!

best answer.

the standard setup with new o.e equipment is the best as it will offer a nice change and save your synhros from the dreaded "quickshift".

4th June 2009, 21:22

Shame all this information wasnt mentioned before i bought it. Lesson learned I guess.

Josh think your spot on as Danny said. And like Matt said, its just there to be bling.

Thanks for all the insight guys. Had my mind up before hand to get rid but I seriously think other people should take advise before they buy. Will flog it on 106OC

4th June 2009, 22:27

I have a compbrake and i run it just a little shorter (but hardly at all) from the standard throw. I bought it not because i wanted a shorter shift but just because my saxo is all stripped out, like yours mate with no carpet or anything inside except some buckets and i just love the way it looks.

5th June 2009, 08:29

It does look good, but Im not convinced that it improves the "quality" of gearchanges. Like you said it doesnt really make the throw that much more different.

I had mine fitted just before FCS last year. I remember at Rockingham when I had just come gone round the oval and was approaching the left harpin, I would drop from 4th to 3rd, then 3rd into gearbox limbo rather than 2nd. Of all the sessions Ive done before Ive never had that issue. So for a few seconds I was coasting rather than engine braking as well as braking and lost the driving flow (and gave off a few abusive shouts in the car).

Was running the uprated linkages and the compbrake. I should have realised then but continued to use it. That brings me to a point, do people rate these rose jointed gear linkages?

5th June 2009, 08:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by rushy_23

It does look good, but Im not convinced that it improves the "quality" of gearchanges. Like you said it doesnt really make the throw that much more different.

I had mine fitted just before FCS last year. I remember at Rockingham when I had just come gone round the oval and was approaching the left harpin, I would drop from 4th to 3rd, then 3rd into gearbox limbo rather than 2nd. Of all the sessions Ive done before Ive never had that issue. So for a few seconds I was coasting rather than engine braking as well as braking and lost the driving flow (and gave off a few abusive shouts in the car).

Was running the uprated linkages and the compbrake. I should have realised then but continued to use it. That brings me to a point, do people rate these rose jointed gear linkages?

to be honest mate, i think standard work better as JPsaxo said earlier in the thread.

why not try fitting standard linkages with the compbrake and see what that feel like?

5th June 2009, 08:36

Its all being reverted back to normal once Ive settled in the new house. Cars off the road atm and wont be used until all the niggles are sorted.

Currently in process of collecting various parts, all will be revealed in the new thread

5th June 2009, 08:39

sounds goos mate, will keep my eyes peeled for the new thread!

You have by far the nicest 106 ive ever seen.

5th June 2009, 08:42

Im really looking forward to it. ATM the car is a terrible drive, wanted to get a few track sessions organised but Ive really lost faith in it.

Hoping to get everything sorted come summer time. Cheers man.

Are you running the standard setup though your gearstick/linkages btw?

5th June 2009, 09:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by rushy_23

Im really looking forward to it. ATM the car is a terrible drive, wanted to get a few track sessions organised but Ive really lost faith in it.

Hoping to get everything sorted come summer time. Cheers man.

Are you running the standard setup though your gearstick/linkages btw?

all ive done and this may sound silly is cut 2 inches off the length of the gear stick, feels so much better.

5th June 2009, 10:57

B&M seems alot better purely because the stick itself seems alot more sturdy whereas the standard setup appeared to just wobble about alot.

Ive had no problems with mine using the B&M coupled with the xsport linkages. It feels much nicer to use than a standard setup. Whether it has any negative impact on the syncros is yet to be seen, i cant see that this has been proven in any way

Too many other factors can affect gearbox condition in my eyes such as how harsh you are changing gear, how often gearbox oil is changes, how old and knackered the box is before you've even fitted the stuff.

Fit what feels right for you

5th June 2009, 18:34

when you say rose jointed linkages do you mean the proper rod ends which require the metal balls to be ground off the linkages and the rose joints bolt on??

or do you mean the metal ones that fit onto the std balls??

i have the pug sport kit and cannot fault its build or "feel" in use...

as for compbrake/tas/gmc style quickshift i machined my own from billet and havent had any issues with it moving or having a clunky feeling..

i`m not sure if its because i used bigger grub screws in the collars or what the reason but either way the combination is a hell of lot better than the std rubber joints and the glorified plastic traffic cone and ball setup that comes as standard....

5th June 2009, 19:22

Im on about the linkages that fit the standard balls on the box. However the guy I had the new gearbox off has actually packed some Pugsport gear linkages with it. Havent had a good look at the setup yet (its actually still wrapped up!) so will give them a whirl and see how I get on.

As for the Compbrake unit, I cant really see why it doesnt work as it should. Using larger grub screws. That wouldnt really make yours any different from mine in principle. Like Matt mentioned, can be other factors that go into this. But from my experience as soon as it was fitted I wasnt 100% pleased.

5th June 2009, 19:26

nah the larger grub screws would only allow me to get a bit more grunt on them onto the shaft but the actual throw/movement of the lever shoude be the same...

as for the "proper" rose jointed arms i love them... its a bit of a bitch grinding the std balls off and the mount that fixes to the gearbox (down near lower enging mount) needs the ball cutting off and a bolt welding onto it.. but the works worth it...

5th June 2009, 19:33

If the throw/movement is the same then thats what I want to get rid of. Its the feel of the unit Im not happy with. Its "robotic" and clunky.

Ah you have to weld a bolt onto the box? Thats pretty hardcore man lol. So the linkages thread onto the bolt to hold them in place?

5th June 2009, 20:15

basically instead of relying on a ball and socket joint they use a rose joint (or spherical rod end if you want to get techy) with a bolt gong through them and into the arm...

heres the kit i have... you can also see the bracket with the bolt on that fixes to the box...

13th July 2009, 21:10

I have a compbrake fitted and find it fine, I think you should replace the cotter pin (the gear selection rod thingy) then use threadlock and tighten the collars bloody tight. Then try it?

13th July 2009, 21:17

you really must use thread lock to retain the grub screws

13th July 2009, 21:31

I have those xsport ones that Kam sell and think theyre fine.

Had them on for a while now, bought them in a group buy on here.

They made the gearstick feel more solid but i always change gear slowly and carefully so im not too worried about ruining the synchros.

14th July 2009, 23:24

Me personally Im not a fan of the feel/fit of the Compbrake. Pure personal opinion.

The linkages I cant 100% comment on as I had them fitted the same time as the Compbrake. But reading up on them people do say there not so good on the gearbox/synchros. Way I look at it, Id rather my gear linkages wear over time rather than internals in my box.

15th July 2009, 00:18

I used a compbrake and it felt awfull. Didnt drive the car enough to get used to it, but i could select gear properly.

On my old car i had a GE with xsport linkages. First impressions tbh were shit, apart from the fact it went into reverse first time. After a few weeks of getting used to it, it felt fine, though still a little bit clunky. Once im use to it its fine though.

15th July 2009, 00:39

i was thinking putting a combrake quickshift on mine - but got told by a few people not to bother :O

15th July 2009, 00:40

i go through gearboxes quick enough as it is without the help from a quickshift lol

15th July 2009, 19:53

lol I just remembered I have a GE and a Compbrake fitted so am I gonna have any gearbox left next week?

5th August 2009, 21:09

Ive removed my compbrake, but have had a thing about "improving" upon its current design. I think with better grumb screws and some welding i can make a beast out of it. Will use the standard stick as a guide.

5th August 2009, 23:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by rushy_23

Ive removed my compbrake, but have had a thing about "improving" upon its current design. I think with better grumb screws and some welding i can make a beast out of it. Will use the standard stick as a guide.

Let us no how you get on mate...

5th August 2009, 23:56

to be honest i fitted a compbrake and linkages from kam and i think it is the best upgrade i have done yet the gear changing is nice tight also stops any wobbly gearstick movement it gets 110% from me never had any problems

6th August 2009, 00:14

i just fitted new linkages from kam, and it feels better.

6th August 2009, 00:20

Am gonn aget linkages but no quickshift this time, see ho it goes.

6th August 2009, 07:54

People who upgrade to the X Sport linkages may have fcuked linkages in the first place so hence will experience an improvement. I find the X sport very clunky, they dont provide a smooth change.

From changing from the Compbrake back to standard gear stick I now realise that the compbrake wasnt causing an issue, but with mine the grub screws kept coming loose.

2nd September 2009, 16:37

They cant be that bad for your gearbox and synchros, as long as you change gear smoothly and dont keep fluffing the changes, surely it wont do any harm?

People wouldnt fit them if they where that bad at the end of the day?

4th September 2009, 11:32

Well Ive reverted back to a standard gear housing and the clunkyness still remains. This means that its the X-Sport linkages now the Compbrake.

What Ive now done is made 2 more grub screws on each ring on the Compbrake. Low and behold again I popped a ring loose the other day... What I now plan to do is weld the rings in place so they CANT come loose. When I get my box changed I will get the linkages changed for standard ones. Will report back then.

4th September 2009, 11:35

hope you get it sorted mate, must say i think the design of the compbrake sleeves is very dissapointing.

4th September 2009, 16:02

I had new ones and they were a bit tighter than the old ones (had to poke em a bit with a hammer). Still didnt stay in long even with the extra grub screws.

It will work lol eventually

4th September 2009, 16:15

Fitted my quickshift today, feels fantastic love it.

4th September 2009, 16:18

Thread title relates to both the compbrake and uprated gear linkages.

I havent said today that the compbrake "feels" bad, I said the collars pop out of place. I suspect the uprated linkages to be causing the "clunky" changes..

5th September 2009, 10:46

are these actual real quick shifters which actually for a micro second cut the spark on the engine so you can do clutchless upshifts without coming off the throttle ? have one on my motorbike and there epic

5th September 2009, 10:48

No they are not.

5th September 2009, 11:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asherz86

are these actual real quick shifters which actually for a micro second cut the spark on the engine so you can do clutchless upshifts without coming off the throttle ? have one on my motorbike and there epic

ha ha ha

5th September 2009, 13:29

not exactly quick shifters then are they

. sound more hastle than worth

23rd October 2009, 18:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asherz86

not exactly quick shifters then are they

. sound more hastle than worth

Well I don't know much about bikes but in a car the flywheel would keep the engine revs up for too long to make the bike system work properly

Nice idea with the collars though rush, did you get them online or make them yourself, Im tempted to do it to mine but I have never had the slipping problem, just locktite'd them up nicely

23rd October 2009, 20:11

I have the original collars tapped for the extra grub screw holes James.

Its worked well, but I still feel the gear changes are poor unfortunatly..

23rd October 2009, 20:39

Yeah they aren't great for me with the two quickshifts on, Im thinking I will take the GE one off at the weekend, sell it for some bucks on 106oc eh?

I think the thing with the compbrake is that if set up properly it "can't" make the gearchange worse...

I mean if you want it just for looks just set the travel to standard and your away, Im wanting a little bit of travel but I think ill be covering it up with the gaiter when I reinstall my interior...

Starting to think my linkages are a bit worn though, Im sure that the ball on the end of the hinge gear selector (the one that bolts onto the bulkhead) is slightly worn.... I just replaced the cotter pin too but they wear quickly with abuse...

Didn't bic have a sequential box with flappy paddles? now that would be win!

23rd October 2009, 21:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asherz86

are these actual real quick shifters which actually for a micro second cut the spark on the engine so you can do clutchless upshifts without coming off the throttle ? have one on my motorbike and there epic

you can get full throttle shift setups for cars but for them to work properly ideally i would say a sequential box is needed (hence there good on bikes) but in a saxo then spunking 15grand is beyond what most people will be willing to spend lol

28th October 2009, 14:14

i have this quickshift, was a bit of a pain to put in (compared to others) and it took my 3 attempts before i got the set up right, first attempt was a real struggle getting it into 1st gear, second attempt couldnt get it in 5th, but then 3rd time lucky and it goes into gear very easy and smooth, hardly any play at all. just make sure u do the collars up tight

28th October 2009, 14:15

forgot to say mine had the standard linkages on

28th October 2009, 14:24

I just have the Griffith engineering one, and its perfect. One of the best modifications out there for the money.

28th October 2009, 17:23

Anyone got pictures and detials of what one is what?

The GE engineering one is the one that bolts onto the linkages themselves.

What are the others? the ones that go around the gearstick?