Removing reverse lockout

[The S is Silent]

I'm putting the shifter in my charger right now, and I really don't like the tab that needs to be pulled up to get into reverse. Is anybody running an a555 or a520 without the lockout? I drove an a525 that didn't have one for the longest time, and it wasn't a problem at all...is the a555 different with that respect?

[mcsvt]

Mine hasn't had the lock-out since I bought it back in November. I think I have accidentally gone for reverse from a stop once. Never have I had a problem downshifting to first. Once you know your shift pattern I don't see it ever making a difference. It's kinda engrained in my head :)

[The S is Silent]

Mine hasn't had the lock-out since I bought it back in November. I think I have accidentally gone for reverse from a stop once. Never have I had a problem downshifting to first. Once you know your shift pattern I don't see it ever making a difference. It's kinda engrained in my head :)

Ok...it's like that with my horizon. From a stop, I'll occasionally put it in reverse, but the millisecond I start rolling backwards instead of forwards I catch myself and put it in first.

If that's all, I'm going to spend the rest of the day hacking up my a555 shifter. Goodbye reverse lockout! Hello short throw shifter!

[mcsvt]

My current trans has a built in reverse warning indicator(read grind) so it's hard to miss if I go for reverse :D My method for reverse is to go into 3rd then reverse which will give me no grind most the time. Can't wait to put my new trans in, it will be so wierd without a grind.

[The S is Silent]

ahhhh, I see. The way I always made sure I wasn't going to go into reverse in the horizon was to shift into second, and then go straight up into first.

Any idea how I can remove the ball from the bottom of the a555 shifter without ruining the ball?

[Garret]

you gotta unbolt that metal housing on the top first, then it all comes apart.

Best thing to do would be to just run a light off the reverse light that lights up in the dash when you're in reverse, that's what I'm going to do after reading this thread, I want a different shift knob in my car but I don't want to shift to a 523/568 tranny

[mcsvt]

Thats a good idea Garret. Might have to do that when I put my 555/520 eventually...

[The S is Silent]

you gotta unbolt that metal housing on the top first, then it all comes apart.

Best thing to do would be to just run a light off the reverse light that lights up in the dash when you're in reverse, that's what I'm going to do after reading this thread, I want a different shift knob in my car but I don't want to shift to a 523/568 tranny

I have the shifter apart...I just need to get the upper plastic ring off the a555 shifter, and then figure out a way to swap the ball joint that is on the very bottom of the a555 shifter onto the other shifter I have. (if that makes any sense) I'm going to attack it with a grinder probably.

I'm going to look into running the light...I have no idea where that stuff is though. How do I do that?

[Garret]

To get the ring off, push out the pin that goes thru the plastic shaft that goes up the middle of the shifter, then just pull out the top, as for the ball joint on the bottom it's welded on... so it ain't going anywhere

For the reverse lights, just find out which wire is the signal wire and then run it to an LED or bulb, one will have voltage at all times, the othere one won't have any voltage when you're not in reverse.

[The S is Silent]

http://people.clemson.edu/~mkessin/Pictures/Charger%20Pics/a555%20and%20neon%20shifters.jpg

http://people.clemson.edu/~mkessin/Pictures/Charger%20Pics/Modified%20Neon%20Shifter.jpg

There it is. Shortened shifter for the a555 with no reverse lockout.

[mcsvt]

Wanna make me one? :)

[The S is Silent]

Here is a picture of it installed:

http://people.clemson.edu/~mkessin/Pictures/Charger%20Pics/a555%20shifter%20install.jpg

Gary,

You've got a PM.

[Tony Hanna]

I've been kicking around the idea of trying something similar but keeping a functional reverse lockout maybe by running a small rod up the outside of the shifter with a little "T" handle on it. If it comes together the way I'd like it to, it should look like the reverse lockout setup used on alot of aftermarket auto shifters.
One of these days I'll give it a shot...

[The S is Silent]

Gary,

No luck finding another a520/a555 shifter, but I may have found another neon shifter.

[mcsvt]

hmm well I will see what I can do about finding one. I would like to try to get one made up. I will let you know what I find out.

Thanks for looking :thumb:

[Clay]

did you actually shorten the throw, or just shorten the shifter? There is a difference. You need to lenghten the shifter after the pivot point (where the cables connect) to shorten the throw.

[mcsvt]

He changed the shaft if I remember correctly. Which changed the throw.

Matt no longer checks here I think, I haven't see him around in Months... I have some PM's from him about this that I will have to check out.

[Moparbishi]

so reading this i make the assumption that i can get rid of the reverse lock out and run 523 short throw shifter. am i correct

[mcsvt]

No, a 523 shifter won't work.

Yes you can remove the reverse lockout.

[Garret]

yeah the shift cables are different