Ebay Gearhead kickdown.

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indie_cg

indie_cg

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Is anybody here running this cheap ebay kickdown? I was about to pull the trigger on it then thought i would ask if anyone has been running it successfully first.
 

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It kinda looks like the lokar I put on mine but you usually get what you pay for.
 
Yep, I wouldnt buy it again. Spend the money on Lokar!!!

I bought the throttle cable also! Complete Junk! Like stated, you get what you pay for.
 
straightlinespeed said:
Yep, I wouldnt buy it again. Spend the money on Lokar!!!

I bought the throttle cable also! Complete Junk! Like stated, you get what you pay for.
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So did the cable not function as it should or was the build quality poor? Lokar is not an option unless i can score it used on the cheap. Pretty much the only options i can afford at the moment are the Dakota factory kickdown or this Chinese lokar knock off. Im itchin to drive my car its been years now and the only thing holding me off is this kickdown.
 
indie_cg said:
So did the cable not function as it should or was the build quality poor? Lokar is not an option unless i can score it used on the cheap. Pretty much the only options i can afford at the moment are the Dakota factory kickdown or this Chinese lokar knock off. Im itchin to drive my car its been years now and the only thing holding me off is this kickdown.
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Poor quality overall. The hardware is cheap and you have to be very careful you don't strip anything that out. The set screws being the biggest thing. All of them rounded out and didn't hold. I had to find some that I had laying around and they are small. The cable housing doesnt fit the adjuster worth a darn and just kind of lays in there. Oh and the biggest thing, no instructions. I at least like a reference sheet as to how it should be assembled. So I jump online and downloaded Lokars.

I am still running the gear head kickdown cable, because like you I didn't have the money up front. I will admit it does function as it should, its just really cheap quality. I will be saving for the Lokar one to replace it.
 
straightlinespeed said:
Poor quality overall. The hardware is cheap and you have to be very careful you don't strip anything that out. The set screws being the biggest thing. All of them rounded out and didn't hold. I had to find some that I had laying around and they are small. The cable housing doesnt fit the adjuster worth a darn and just kind of lays in there. Oh and the biggest thing, no instructions. I at least like a reference sheet as to how it should be assembled. So I jump online and downloaded Lokars.

I am still running the gear head kickdown cable, because like you I didn't have the money up front. I will admit it does function as it should, its just really cheap quality. I will be saving for the Lokar one to replace it.
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I believe ill order it just to get my car on the road. Im trying to make the last local car show of the season. Then like you save up for the lokar to replace it.
 
So how much money does this cheap knock off cable kit cost (no link to tell me). Last time I priced a Lokar kickdown cable it was about $80. If it's just the kickdown linkage that your missing you could always tie the lever on the trans. half way back to make the cruise. May not shift ideal tied half way back but that'll let it develop enough pressure that it won't burn up the trans. and let you save the money you were going to use on the cheap knock off junk to buy the real thing with. If you don't want to do that you should consider at least buying a used Dakota/Ram setup that's made decent. Seems to me such a waste to buy this Chinese garbage just to make 1 car show. Just my .02
 
fishy68- The Gearhead kickdown kit was $30. I wish i would have read your post before i bought that Chinese cable. The car show is just 2 miles from my house and i thought there was no other way to make it besides buying a cable. I will remember that lever trick though in case of emergencies. Thanks for the help
 
Wow that is cheap. No wonder it's attractive when you don't have much money to spare. Good luck. Hope it works out ok for ya
 
It's 30 bucks, buy it and see. I would do that long before rigging up the pressure valve.
 
If it is all you can afford then go for it. Im still using mine and it does function and work as it should. Im just going to save up for the good one later on.
 
My 904 sfifts great with thelokar, I used the throttle and kickdown and it was worth every cent borrow the money if you have too.
 
UOP said:
I would do that long before rigging up the pressure valve.
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Just to be clear, I only suggested tieing it back part way in a stationary position to apply some throttle pressure because he mentioned he wanted to make one car show and it didn't sound like he was going to be racing or driving it hard. I know it's not ideal but it's easy to do and undo and does work in a pinch without hurting anything as long as your not dogging it. It's not something I recommend to do for any long term or hard driving.
 
I bought a throttle/kickdown set-up for my sons 74 Duster from eBay, the GearHead one.
His Duster was once running the leaning tower of power, but we installed a 318 two bbl when 300 thousand miles created a stroke.
The parts I bought are similar to Lokar, and yes, cheaper.
I found a great you tube video by search, and have instructions to follow.
WHERE THE F is my kickdown linkage on this 2 bbl carb ?
Did the 72 not have one because the Challenger was a slapstick ?
 
The bell crank linkage is the way to go if you can find it... I'm lucky I saved a bunch of that stuff over the years I guess. Maybe a re-pop is in order...
 
rick_rawker said:
I bought a throttle/kickdown set-up for my sons 74 Duster from eBay, the GearHead one.
His Duster was once running the leaning tower of power, but we installed a 318 two bbl when 300 thousand miles created a stroke.
The parts I bought are similar to Lokar, and yes, cheaper.
I found a great you tube video by search, and have instructions to follow.
WHERE THE F is my kickdown linkage on this 2 bbl carb ?
Did the 72 not have one because the Challenger was a slapstick ?
Click to expand...

ALL Mopar automatics have a throttle pressure linkage (that's what your incorrectly calling a kickdown linkage). From here on out TP linkage is what I'll use for short.

The TP linkage on your 72 is where ALL mopar V8 TP linkage attaches, on the throttle linkage stud. Your 2 barrel does not have linkage like a 4 barrel so you're going to have to rig up something to attach the cable to that pulls opposite of the throttle linkage because the cable attaches at the bottom and pulls opposite of the normal direction of the TP linkage.

BTW: what's up with the gigantic blue print?
 
fishy68 said:
............consider at least buying a used Dakota/Ram setup that's made decent..............
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fishy68 said:
ALL Mopar automatics have a throttle pressure linkage (that's what your incorrectly calling a kickdown linkage). From here on out TP linkage is what I'll use for short.

The TP linkage on your 72 is where ALL mopar V8 TP linkage attaches, on the throttle linkage stud. Your 2 barrel does not have linkage like a 4 barrel so you're going to have to rig up something to attach the cable to that pulls opposite of the throttle linkage because the cable attaches at the bottom and pulls opposite of the normal direction of the TP linkage.
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WOW I didn't know that!! Thanks Fishy!!
 
I ran my teener/904 with the TP lever tied about 2/3 back for a couple of Manitoba winters, as a DD. I also looped the cooler output directly to the cooler input, completely bypassing the cooler. The shifts were a little harsh at low throttle settings, but I overcame that with the foot-feeder. Lift-foot upshifts were a no-no. Full throttle shifts were too early, but that's what the console shifter is for. Tranny has a TF-II kit and a Dirt-Jerker TC from 1980.It stalls about 2000 IIRC.The tranny shows no signs of trouble whatsoever, and I hope to run it again someday.
 
indie_cg said:
fishy68- The Gearhead kickdown kit was $30. I wish i would have read your post before i bought that Chinese cable. The car show is just 2 miles from my house and i thought there was no other way to make it besides buying a cable. I will remember that lever trick though in case of emergencies. Thanks for the help
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You had more than one post advising you otherwise but you bought the dang thing anyway.

80 dollars is a small price to pay to get such an IMPORTANT part correct.
 
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