aftermarket heel toe shifter

[littlebeaver]

Just after I got my floorboards for a great price a few years back I noticed that the heal shifter was too high for me, I found my poor foot in a ackward position, I had to reach my heal way too high to shift and I would get cramps in my feet and calves, it didn't fit me good, so I made it fit better by making a extention[1/2" chrome flat stock] to bring it down about 2- 1/2 " or so placing the shifter lower. Now I lift my heal just enough off the board to shift, ahhh much better.. anyone else do this..?

[Britanicus]

Pics please.

I hate my floor boards and heel/toe. I find it too ackward to use and find that I use my heel to lift the shifter to lower gears.

I was thinking of going back to pegs and getting good highway boards.

[littlebeaver]

When I made this mod. it changed the whole picture, I got spoiled using my Nomad shifter and I was used to it so I just made a change.. All the difference in the World for shifting gears.

This is the only photo I have for now, my daughter took my camera..You have to look hard, sorry.. You will get the idea..

[dingdong]

I did exactly the same thing to mine. Worked a lot better but I finally took the boards off.

[78AzWing]

I have the boards and shifter off of my parts bike sitting on my work bench.

I have been wondering about putting on the boards without the heel/toe shifter and just using the stock shifter with the boards.
Any one done this?

[fysty-1]

I have picked up a used 2 pc shifter from an H-D and as soon as I get a stock shifter (broken or in good shape), I plan to make a direct linkage to the shifter shaft by means of a SS marine turnbuckle. I have everything except the stock 1200 shifter as I would just as soon get this part for free as to waste money on something I will end up cutting the lever off of as all I need is the part that attaches to the trans.

[dingdong]

I have the boards and shifter off of my parts bike sitting on my work bench.

I have been wondering about putting on the boards without the heel/toe shifter and just using the stock shifter with the boards.
Any one done this?

Can't be done. That's the reason for the heel and toe shifter with the boards. There isn't enough room with the boards to get your toe under the shifter. If you move the shifter up enough to make room then it won't move up high enough due to the head interference.

[78AzWing]

That's too bad.
I find that heel/toe thing to be a real pain in the butt!

Wonder if I can locate the shifter linkage from a CL or CB 350. That linkage went from the side of the case to back behind the foot peg, and then back to where your foot would set on it while riding.

[WingAdmin]

I liked the foot boards when I first got my 1100, but too hated the heel/toe shifter. It was clunky, awkward and inaccurate. A few times, I found myself accidentally upshifting instead of downshifting, and vice versa. I tried to figure a way of leaving the toe shifter with the foot boards, but was unsuccessful. But then a funny thing happened - I got used to the heel/toe shifter. I got good with it. Now I can shift quickly, effortlessly and gracefully with it.

[maestro319]

I've only had my trike (my very FIRST bike!!) for about 6,7 months,and I can say, while NOT shifting smoothly or effortlessly all the time, I AM getting better at it. BUT part of my problem seems to be a "wobbly" shifter. I have tried and tried but can't seem to find the right position or bolt tightness for the shifter to work smoothly. Once in awhile I have to "jam" it into first, or use my heel at an awkward angle to upshift. Then I don't wlays hit neutral!! Or sometimes I DO hit neutral when I don't want to. But, overall, I guess I like to heel/toe shifter since that's all I've ever known, and I'm "sorta" getting used to it.

[littlebeaver]

This is kinda rigging it but I put some duct tape around the front part of the shifter to remove some of the play making it less wobbly and it gives a better feeling when shifting, it wears out after some time but I just change it, wrap that little shaft that the forked part of the shifter goes into but not too tight, made a difference for me..

[maestro319]

Sounds good. i might try that. Thanks.

[littlebeaver]

I am considering making a new piece of steel that holds the shifter, you replace the whole piece, with a new one but cut it so the rear is wayyy lower than the original, then I won't have that ugly extention anymore, hey, it's ugly but it works great..for now..I wonder if any of you fools would buy one if I made a bunch.?

[78AzWing]

How about this;

If you don't want to use the heel part of the heel/toe shifter, then take a cut-off wheel or grinder and cut off that part, leaving just the toe shifter and mount/pivot to contend with.

bet you could adjust that setup high enough your boot-toe will fit under it all right.

I'll have to lay all that stuff out on my work bench and see what comes to mind.

[littlebeaver]

Have you lost your blinking mind man....

[78AzWing]

Heck no!
I keep it in that little box in the back left hand corner of my desk!

See, there it is, right there ->

Woops! No, it's not! Some-one has thrown the darn box out again!


So what is wrong with my layout?

[littlebeaver]

You know something, thats a pretty smart idea, so you could shift with your toe is that correct? You could just drill a hole out an inch from the pivot point and come out with a shifter stick [peg] sort of like the original toe shifter right. I think you are on to something there but I have a problem with it, I love the way it shifts in the position now after I dropped it down it's perfect..

[78AzWing]

Pictures?

Maybe a combination of your idea and mine?

[littlebeaver]

you know what I though of doing once was, you know those old hotrod foot pedels that are chrome and look like feet, I thought about bring one of those into play by placing it at the pivot point and rigging the shifter somehow to work and all you would need to do is place your foot on top of it and click down or up with the flat foot lever..I wonder if that would work, it would be the talk of the town and look cool I bet..

[78AzWing]

Would one of those be long enough to cover both the heel and toe pads?
Interesting idea. And with the way the early Wing floorboards stick out to each side you probably would have plenty of room from side to side.

[littlebeaver]

Yeh, I see two problems, the first is its probably gonna place the shifter too high, and the second one is it's probably gonna be too wide to put your foot down on the floorboard, No, it wouldn't be long enough but I was thinking of making a longer piece like the one that's there now and make it work going to the front bottom of the pedel..Probably have to do some welding..

[78AzWing]

If it will fit between the two pads, then the height won't be a problem.

[littlebeaver]

Yeh, I think you are correct sir...I'm gonna mess with it later, today is my b-day so you know what that means...Taco's.... Beer and Taco's.. later

[78AzWing]

And a Happy Birthday to you!

[fwsundance]

Concerning the shifter wobble problem, here is a fix and an excellent one.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16399

This auxilliary shifter pivot is pure genius in my humble opinion