A big irritating issue for me with my 2000 vintage MkII has been that the shift lever hit the back of the radar panel when put into forward. This resulted in an incomplete engagement sometimes. Replacing the cable does not solve the problem (been there, done that) and there is no easy adjustment down at the transmission. I happened onto an easy solution. Just take the shift lever off (mine required drilling out the frozen set bolt of course), put it in a vice, and very very slowly bend the lever back until it is closer to being straight. This definitely solved the problem of incomplete throw into forward. Cosmetically it looks a little tacky, but the problem is solved. I see others have grappled with this problem and I'm sure transmissions have been chewed up because of it.
Al Fricke
sv Jubilee Catalina 36 MkII 2000 #1867
Al Fricke
S/V Jubilee San Francisco Bay
Catalina 36' MkII #1867
Universal 35-B
I had a similar problem on my (new to me) 1995 MkII. The gear would shift into forward just as the binnacle shift lever hit the instrument panel support. I'm convinced that years of "incomplete shifting" by the previous owner caused the demise of the Hurth 100 transmission. When I upgraded to a ZF-15m transmission, I vowed to also fix the shift lever travel problem. After finding insufficinet adjustment capacity at the transmission and binnacle ends of the cable, I modified the transmission cable bracket to move the cable mounting point 5/8 inch further from the shift lever. Now the transmission shifts cleanly well before the binacle shift lever runs out of travel. I'm not saying that 5/8 inch is the right meaurement for everyone... but it was for me.
Steve Bogert / Bonnie Sprague
"Wild Spirit"
1995 Catalina 36 Mk II, Tall Rig, Fin Keel, Hull #1412
Bellingham, WA
Hi Friends,
I am confronting this exact problem right now. I have replaced my cables and the little plastic levers. The replacement Stainless Steel levers (from Catalina Direct) are beautiful. The Throttle lever is fine but the Shift lever reaches the binnacle support just as it engages forward gear. I was able to reclamp the shift cable at the transmission and acheive reliable shifting, but I would like a proper/permanent repair. BH could you post how you modified your cable bracket? That would be great help. I am reticent to bend the lever to acheive the same result. Thanks again.
Cheers,
PO
Paul O,
S/V Pelican
1989 Catalina 36 Mk I #894
Oceanside, California
OK, so here's my process for making the cable bracket extension : (See attached photos for clarity)
1) At the transmission end of the shift cable, manually shift the transmission to neutral. Then remove the shift bracket cable clamp. Leave the end of the shift cable attached to the transmission shift lever. Removing the clamp allows the shift cable to float freely and not shift the transmission regardless of the binacle shift lever position.
2) At the binacle, run the shift lever through its entire available range of motion. When moved all the way in the "forward" direction, my shift lever hits the instrument panel support. When moved all the way toward "reverse" the shift lever stops due to obstructions inside the binacle. Move the shift lever to the center point of this range of motion. You can use a protractor or other measurement device, but it is important to get the shift lever as close to "centered" as possible. Leave it in this position - You might want to use a piece of tape to keep it from moving during the next step.
3) Down at the transmission (still in neutral) see how the cable clamp groove on the cable matches with the cable clamp location on the cable bracket. In my case, the clamp groove lined up 5/8 inch behind the original clamp location. (Your measurement may be different)
4) I bought some 3/16 flat bar from Home Depot and spent an hour or so with hack saw and drill to make an extender plate and a spacer plate as shown in the attached photos. When bolted together, this assembly moves the cable clamp back exactly 5/8 inch from its original position. This centers the shifter lever at the binacle when the trans is in neutral, and it gives clearance at both ends of travel for the transmission to shift completely into fwd or rev. (The shift lever on the transmission usually has 2 or more holes at different distances from the pivot. If you have centered the shifter as described above, and are still running out of shift travel, try moving the end of the shift cable to a hole closer to the pivot point. This reduces the throw required to shift the transmission.).
5) Good Luck!!
Steve Bogert / Bonnie Sprague
"Wild Spirit"
1995 Catalina 36 Mk II, Tall Rig, Fin Keel, Hull #1412
Bellingham, WA
Hi BH,
Thank you! That is brilliant. My cable mount differs slightly , but that solution will work just fine. Thanks again for the potos and great description of your process.
Cheers,
PO
Paul O,
S/V Pelican
1989 Catalina 36 Mk I #894
Oceanside, California
Al wrote: "I happened onto an easy solution. Just take the shift lever off (mine required drilling out the frozen set bolt of course), put it in a vice, and very very slowly bend the lever back until it is closer to being straight...."
I personally would be somewhat leery of bending the shift level, out of concern that it might become fatigued and snap apart at the worst possible moment (I don't recall what the metal is, but as we know some are less able to be bent like this). My paranoia comes from a somewhat traumatic incident a number of years back when Murphy intervened and caused the set bolt snapped off as I was in the middle of a complicated manouver at a fuel dock with many expensive boats around us and a healthy cross wind. (In the end, no boats or people were hurt, but there were some seriously quicked pulse rates...).
I think BHamster's solution would make me more comfortable.
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
Looking back on this exercise almost a year later, I probably could have accomplished the same thing by re-indexing the shift lever on the transmission shifter shaft. It might have been easier, but I'm still happy with my solution as posted here.
Steve Bogert / Bonnie Sprague
"Wild Spirit"
1995 Catalina 36 Mk II, Tall Rig, Fin Keel, Hull #1412
Bellingham, WA