Novak shifter install -- bending the cane

850GLT · 11-15-2008, 11:51 PM

I'm at the step in my Novak install where I need to bend the shifter cane to fit.

I've heated it with a small Benzomatic MAPP torch but I just can't seem to get it hot enough to bend. I've got it in a vice and I've tried bending it by hand while wearing welding gloves and by hitting it with a small sledge.

Should it glow red-hot at the bend point? Because I can't get it there with the MAPP. Do I need to use acetylene? Any other tips?

RVA_TJ06 · 11-16-2008, 12:09 AM

Yeah it needs to e glowing a the bend.. I took a pipe and put it over to help bend it.

Tim · 11-16-2008, 12:24 AM

do not quench it. it could snap when used.. let it cool on its own.

850GLT · 11-16-2008, 11:18 AM

Bump for the afternoon...

I'm definitely not going to quench it. Anyone else used MAPP to bend their Novak shifter? I swear I was heating it for 30 minutes yesterday and could not get it glowing red.

Scotch740 · 11-16-2008, 11:35 AM

I used MAP on mine, but as stated above I also put a pipe on the end for more leverage.

canuck_bob · 11-17-2008, 11:26 AM

When you heat in a vise it is often best to make sure your bend point is not near the jaws. They will suck up huge amounts of heat. Set the bend point a few inches above the jaws at least. It will bend where you heat, don't worry.

**Bigbob** · 11-17-2008, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 850GLT

Bump for the afternoon...

I'm definitely not going to quench it. Anyone else used MAPP to bend their Novak shifter? I swear I was heating it for 30 minutes yesterday and could not get it glowing red.

The shaft on the shifter is sbout 7/16"-1/2" isn't it? MAPP ain't gonna work. If you don't have a buddy with a Oxy-Acty torch you can do what folks did for eons of time. Charcoal. Hot coals in the BBQ with good forced airflow will get that sucker cherry red in no time. You never see a blacksmith use a MAPP torch! I had to bend a piece of 1" cold rolled shaft once at home and did not want to bring home the torch from work. A nice bed of coals worked great. Once the coals were all nice and hot and completly surrounding the shaft I took a blow dryer to get more air to the coals to super heat everything. Worked great.

Oh BTW, once the shaft is where you want it toss some Brats on the grill and enjoy.

**Jerry Bransford** · 11-17-2008, 12:44 PM

MAPP works fine, that's what a friend and I used to bend my Novak shifter rod. However, it's still not an easy bend even when cherry-red hot. A steel pipe slipped over the rod to increase the leverage is what it took to get mine bent as precisely as it needed to be. Make sure you don't booger up the threads when doing so, I did and had to use a die to clean up the threads before I could screw the shift knob down onto it.

Once bent and you're installing it, make sure the two bolts for the clamp that hold the rod in the shifter are TIGHT TIGHT TIGHT!!!. Getting it tight enough to prevent the shifter rod to rotate to the side at times proved impossible for me. I ended up tack-welding mine to the moveable part of the clamp on Saturday which finally took care of the shifter rotating out of position problem.