Gene Berg locking shifters HAVE ALL BEEN POSTED

[graybum]

I contacted Gene Berg over the weekend, and because of you lot they've run out of Bus locking bases! :x :lol:

 

[Guest]

I contacted Gene Berg over the weekend, and because of you lot they've run out of Bus locking bases! :x :lol:

:lol:

i was told they are doing a run every few weeks now so it shouldnt be too long until they are back in stock.

 

[BRAD]

Finished fitting mine today.
Seem to have all the gears but will test drive tomorrow.
8)

 

[Nugsy]

pics man pics :lol: :lol:

 

[ed.]

just to piss you all off, i got an uber cool gene berg teeshirt in the box. Just a shame im such a fat bastid that it doesnt fit . Im off the beer and on a diet

i'm quite slim, if the diet doesn't work out :lol: :lol:

you've got my address

 

[meowdmucker]

Just a word of warning on fitting. The lock is rather weakly made. Mine has broken on adjustment trying to get it to lock in reverse. My mechanic took the broken lock to a local locksmith who said that the lock fitted was one that he buys 30 of for £2.50 and can very easily be drilled out in seconds! The replacement we have ordered he claims will be much stronger made of hardened steel. Not mentioned to Berg but I guess it would be interesting to hear their response?

 

[Guest]

Just a word of warning on fitting. The lock is rather weakly made. Mine has broken on adjustment trying to get it to lock in reverse. My mechanic took the broken lock to a local locksmith who said that the lock fitted was one that he buys 30 of for £2.50 and can very easily be drilled out in seconds! The replacement we have ordered he claims will be much stronger made of hardened steel. Not mentioned to Berg but I guess it would be interesting to hear their response?

thats disappointing

im quite happy to mention it to Berg. I'll email Al asap and i know he watches on here too.

 

[Guest]

out of interest can you ask your locksmith what the part number supplier is for the stronger lock as possible some of us might be interested in fitting one before we fit the shifter to the bus.

Berg are shut fridays so i dont expect a response to monday evening at least.

 

[meowdmucker]

Hi Johnny,
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I guess it's best to find out now rather than when someone steals the bus by disabling the lock. I will get to know the part number and report back. Thanks for contacting Berg on my behalf.

 

[BRAD]

Dam no first or second
I'll try moving it a bit on sunday.
Would be interested in replacment lock too, if it's that easy to drill, but I'm pretty sure if i had a big enough hammer or slide hammer it wouldn't matter what lock it was, if they want it they want it.
So just see the Berg as an extra deterrent.

 

[Guest]

yep if someone's really wants to steal it they will. at least it will give an extra few minutes. The lock definitely should not have broken under those circumstances.

Regarding finding gear i think the manual suggested checking all the linkages and coupling and renewing them anyway.

 

[BRAD]

Success
All gears where they should be, was just moving the bottom plate by hand, following the OTT instructions wasted a lot of time with the rubber mallett!.

All bushes are new Johnny or less than a year old.

Test drive went well and great weather.................... but no indicators now :lol:

 

[Guest]

Thanks Johnny,

If he can tell me where he gets them at that price we will be buying them - they are considerably more than that here!. We used to use a flat key type, but they stopped making it. Just about any keyed lock is defeatable, it is down to how 'prepared' you are when you come to do it. Our local locksmith has one of our lockers, and was very happy with it, so I really don't know what to say on this. Please keep me informed of any updates to the story. What is the "new lock"? Any pics? We are always open to suggestions to improve products.

i had a reply from Al which seems fair. I did check mine over and give the lock a good once over forcing it a bit. Its seemed sturdy enough. perhaps you got a dud one in the batch?

 

[meowdmucker]

Well very pleased with the shifter with regards changing gear and looks, cannot fault it, but the lock is causing some frustration. The new lock, costing £15, i'm told is much stronger with hardened steel centrally but needed a fair amount of alteration to fit and I will need to return it to my mechanic as not yet working with ease. If he cannot get the set up correctly I would hope that Al at Berg would send a new lock under warranty? His locksmith may have been happy with the lock and I may, as you say, have just got a duff, but you would have thought Al would have offered a solution or at least an apology for the defect considering the expense involved and their usually great reputation? A weaker lock would certainly be better than none.
Wonder if you could forward this post to Al please Johnny and see what he suggests. Thankyou

 

[Wannabay]

Johnny
fitted mine today and all gears work but have a problem with the lock
i don't think that I set the adjusting screw correctly, it should engage in a notch on the swing arm when the lock is turned through 90 degrees, thus preventing the gear shift from moving when locked. Having 'locked' the gear shift and removed the key, I then tried to move the shift to check that the lock worked. However, the gear shift moved normally, indicating that the adjsuting screw had not slotted into the notch. Unfortunately, it has moved the lock through 45 degrees with the result that the cover is now locked to the base and the key won't go in because it will slide in if the lock is fully off or fully on. Does Al have a solution, other than drilling the lock out? Other than that it works a treat. here's some pics

gerry

 

[Guest]

ive sent him the link to this so he can read and address both issues.

sorry about the hassles guys.

 

[alikat]

Hi guys,
Sorry some of you seem to be having issues with these. We will look after you, so don't fret. Personally I have always just bolted them in and they work fine for me without adjustment - must be lucky.

Wannabay, you will need to gring the tab off one of your keys so that it can be put back in the lock to turn it. You will then be able to remove the top plate. Let me know how you get on and what the key number is and I will send a replacement.

One thing to make sure of is that you get it fully in reverse. Often if you lift up a little on the clutch with it still running the shifter will jump back a little further into reverse - it is a straight cut gear and the longer shift rod in a bus doesn't help with this either. This full in-reverse position should be pretty close to what the locker arrives set as. If you have to unscrew the adjuster more than just a little make sure reverse is fully engaged.

I hope this helps.
Alistair Craig @ Gene Berg Ent.

 

[Wannabay]

Al, thanks for quick reply and the solution to my problem
No time today but will do as you suggest tomorrow and get back to you
Thanks for offering another key; just wondering if a local locksmith cut one of these to save you the hassle?
Gerry

 

[meowdmucker]

Al, mine did exactly the same as Wannabays, the central lock moving out if alignment after locking it in reverse and trying the gear stick to see if it had worked! As you will read above I've had fitted new lock which looks the same but with a hardened steel centre. It works but the 'arm' which swings to lock the gear sick in reverse is very stiff and accordingly very difficult to move with the key. I have greased it which has only helped a little and worried that the excessive force needed to get the key to move the locking arm will break yet another key. Any ideas?

 

[Wannabay]

Al
did as you advised this morning and now sorted
i ahdn't adjusted the adjusting screw but is fine now; i couldn't see or locate a notch on the swing arm but it seems to hold with the screw on the straight bit of the arm, see pic
have sent you a pm with key number and address, many thanks
for those who have yet to fit make sure you adjust the screw and test it's locking before you put the cover plate back on!

gerry