General Gear selector cable rubber boots?

[YEAH]

Hello,
I have had the stiff gear problem on my 2005 1.1 Fiat Panda Active.
I have resolved this to a satisfactory useable standard but require new rubber boot covers (the bellow type near the ball joint end at the gearbox) as the old ones are shot.

Could anybody point me in the direction to where I can source new ones or something that will fit.

Thanks in advance for any info, advice or help.

 

[koalar]

Nope. No idea.

Had the same problem on mine quite I while ago. Did see on here someone greasing the cable. Tried it and it improved. However after a few trips dirt stuck to the grease. Pretty obvious really. Cleaned again with meths. Again only lasted a month.


Ended up getting a latter selector cables off the latter model.


You do have to change the gearstick and plate on top of the gearbox as well. It was only a few quid from the breakers


Is a fairly straight forward swap except the rubber grommet in the middle. You have to cut the old one off and swap onto the new cable. I cut down the mould lines then super glued it to hold it back together. Once fitted it is pushed together anyway. The plastic ring at the bottom of the boot also needs swapping over.


Fiat have realised the cables with bellows were a problem. From about 06 they changed the design. If you can find these in a breakers it would be a straight swap.


The later gearsticks and cable are better made and have a return spring so it alway rest at the third and fourth position. You just have to live with the black colour of the new parts.

 

[rmjbn1]

Discovered the gear cable boots were falling apart on my 2004 1.2.

Unlike the OP I don't have any gear selection issues. All seems fine... for now... I assume this is how muck gets in and causes problems.

Replacement boots don't seem to be available separately. And I guess it would be a pig of a job to replace just the boots.

Some careful application of superglue later...

I know this is a temporary fix as the rest of the rubber boot is disintegrating due to age (Hehe, aren't we all...).

Fiat have realised the cables with bellows were a problem. From about 06 they changed the design. If you can find these in a breakers it would be a straight swap.

All the replacement cables I've found (including S4P) seem to have the same bellows type of boot on the gearbox end. Is an alternative type available?

At £50-£100 for replacement cables, I'll leave it as is unless I get any gear selection problems.


Can anyone suggest a better fix than superglue, please? I was thinking about maybe a type of gaiter that I could wrap around the cable?

 

[portland_bill]

These might work: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-TF-MG...NT-END-SEALING-GAITERS-NEW-PAIR-/122066392968

Marketed for MGF, but may be usable for Fiat if bore sizes are good.

Needs someone to 'invest' in a trial and report back. I don't think I need any yet.

 

[DaveMcT]

eBay item 282004582651
20mm OD with 6mm/7.5mm end holes.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rubber-C...582651?hash=item41a8c870fb:g:X4UAAOSwUdlWd84L

eBay item number:173946190475
Large end 20mm small end 8mm 60mm long
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-set-NE...190475?hash=item2880003a8b:g:QOoAAOxyOalTaQsi

There's always this
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cable-Ge...594037?hash=item23cbf396b5:g:opUAAOSw10Fd43HV

 

[koalar]

Yes the cables with the boots were the ones that normally cause a problem. However it could just be the age as they were fitted First and we have now seen are first post 06 cable with the same fault


I wouldn't worry too much about it until it becomes a problem although if you can find some replacement boots that fit and will expand enough to fit over the cable end can only be a Good thing

I struggled on for several months cleaning and oiling before changing mine

wow £40 s/h £80-£200 new. Looks like demand has driven the price up.

I payed something like £15 for mine from a breakers

it was from a post 2012. Should be Good for another 100K at least. Not hard but a bit of faffing. Bonus as its a bit of an upgrade.


you need the gearstick cables and the plate on top of the gearbox


All this is a straight bolt swap.


The faff is the grommet in the middle as they are different. You have to cut the original most of the way down the middle and super glue it back on the new cable.


You then have a choice with the cloth gearstick gaiter. Either swap for the original. As mine was in a poor condition I kept the new black one and swapped the plastic insert at the bottom over. Does look a little silly in black

 

[dac69er]

These might work: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-TF-MG...NT-END-SEALING-GAITERS-NEW-PAIR-/122066392968

Marketed for MGF, but may be usable for Fiat if bore sizes are good.

Needs someone to 'invest' in a trial and report back. I don't think I need any yet.

I used a set of them to replace the knackered ones on my cinq sporting.

I cut the 'fat' end off and cable tied each end up to keep in place. They are borderline too short, but can be made to work with minimal effort. They look ok and protect the cable, which is the main thing.

They have been on the car over 2 years now and are still fine. Can take pics when I get the chance.

 

[rmjbn1]

Brilliant, thank you chaps Great to know I've got some options when my boots finally collapse altogether. I'll keep a beady eye on them for now and see how the superglue holds up...

I like the look of DaveMcT's first option, for the motorbike brake sleeve, seems like it should work:

@dac69er, what kind of a job was it to put new boots on old cables? It looks like there's a locknut and then the cable end unscrews, is this right?

If it turns out to be a real faff, then the post 2012 cables sound good, @koalar, seems you got a good deal there!

Thanks again everyone!

 

[DaveMcT]

The cable ends will be crimped in place with a six jaw hydraulic crimper. You could slit the gaiters and superglue together. Try the activator type wearing tight fitting disposable gloves.

You could also make your own gaiter from bicycle tyre inner tube material with zip-ties to hold each end. A cycle shop should be able to give you an old racing tube that should be small enough.

 

[MarkoRantala]

Here is one working solution without having to buy a new cables. In this case car is Fiat Punto 1.2 8v MK2/2B 2004.

I ordered 2 rubber bellows from here (picture 1): Rubber bellow Ø 7/10 x 135 mm
Price was 22€ with postages.

Preliminary work: Clean the area to be worked on and dry. Put vaseline on the wire. When applying the rubber, avoid touching the vaseline.

1. First I cut the rubbers lengthwise and crosswise from the thinner end. The 2 pieces shown in picture 2, from which you can calculate how much you need to cut. The remaining longer rubber will be lower and the shorter rubber will be higher.

2. Next, install the longer rubber in place facing right.

3. Put the 2 gear on and put the glue. Do not use quick/fast super glue, it is too hard. The glue used here is stretchy.

4. Put the cable ties on both ends. Stretch the elastic to the extreme position. Tighten the cable ties. Rotate the rubber until you find the point where the rubber appears to have the original appearance.

5. Install the upper one in the same way.

6. Let the glue dry and make sure it stays in place at the beginning. Wait at least 12 hours, preferably 24 hours.

7. Turn the glued seams down.

Picture 3 shows the rubbers installed. In the picture, the rubbers look ugly because I used too much glue.
Still, it's better than rubber in flakes. And the seams are turned down, so they are not visible.

 

[koalar]

Well done in fitting new boots

Not sure if they are strictly necessary

Some of the latter cables omitted the rubber boot all together

OEM cables on my 05 and 2011 both had boots

06 did not

OEM cables for the post 2012 do not not sure if that's every case

 

[MarkoRantala]

Well done in fitting new boots

Not sure if they are strictly necessary

Some of the latter cables omitted the rubber boot all together

OEM cables on my 05 and 2011 both had boots

06 did not

OEM cables for the post 2012 do not not sure if that's every case



View attachment 453621

You're right, those rubbers aren't necessary. Only where the water freezes are rubbers almost mandatory. My car (Punto 1.2 8v MK2/2B 2004) has a water drain in the plenum tray directly above the lower cable. And if even a drop of water gets inside the cable and freezes, after that only one gear or none at all. Or if you ride in a snowstorm and the snow melts on the cable. After that, you turn off the car and let the car cool down overnight and the melted water freezes inside the cable. Then you're in big trouble. So I live in Finland, where the water can freeze for half the year. Therefore, some kind of protection for the cables is necessary.