Hex Bar Carb Linkage Upgrade Kit

I have created a hex bar upgrade kit for "CB Performance" style, carburetor linkage set ups used on Weber and Dellorto carburetors. It includes everything needed to upgrade from the sloppy, "ball and socket" bar ends to precision, aircraft-quality Heim joints which should provide many years of crisp, trouble-free service. This is the same upgrade already done by several of us on the SOC, as well as a number of people on the Spyder Club website. Detailed, illustrated, step-by-step instructions are included to make this a fool-proof upgrade.

The kit includes the following:

Parts List:

1. (2) 5/16" ID High-Quality Heim Joints with all mounting hardware
2. (2) 5/16 X 2" steel Dowel Pins and locking hardware
3. (2) 5/16" ID X 3/4" Spacer tubes
4. (2) 3/8" ID X 1-1/2" HD Centering Springs
5. (1) 7-page, Illustrated, detailed instruction Sheet

Price: $40 including shipping within North America
For shipping outside North America, please add $5 USD

This upgrade has typically taken only a couple of hours to complete using the tools shown below. It will greatly increase the accuracy and quality of your present linkage and essentially eliminate wear.

Tools needed:

wouldn't you friggin know it. I just (like 4 days ago) completely redid my hex linkage. a million times tighter/smoother, but buying a kit would have been soooo much easier.

What, no duct tape? ;)

Great deal, Gordon!
Dale Bates did mine. Makes a helluva difference.

Mango Man, Your car is soooo bitchin'

On a related subject, Terry Nichols of this list gave me a Redline linkage to go with some Webers I bought from him to use as Throttle bodies on my new Megasquirt system.

This linkage is missing all the bits from the aluminium arms to the carbs. In fact it is cheaper to buy a complete CB linkage than just these parts from Redline.

Does Redline use rod ends? maybe this is why the cost difference

I would love this kit, but need the complete works

Well, I know that some number of people on here have aready done this upgrade, and that more people (who may not feel ready to tackle something slightly more involved than an oil change or valve adjustment) might like to have this upgrade, too, to eliminate another weak point in our cars once and for all.

If you can do a valve adjustment on your car and are not afraid to take a hacksaw to your carb baseplates where and how we show you, you can do this upgrade. The illustrations show you the "before" look of your linkage and take you through the necessary modifications step-by-step, resulting in a professional, great-working "After" linkage. Everything is included and it should take a morning or afternoon to complete, even if you're timid with tools.

I'm hoping some of the Carlisle folks will see Danny P's car or Bill Drayer's and decide this is the way to go for them, too.

Anyway, we'll see how many cars we can get upgraded this summer!

Gordon

Gordon, I'll take 2 kits.

Thanks, Will!

Gordon, Looking at your parts list I have a though. I've been doing this modification for over 40 years and It's been my observation that spacer barrels vs springs don't work as well. If you do the conversion when the engine is cold, it has shrunk to it's natural size. If you install the spacers, they will fit correctly but, when the engine gets hot, they will have a lot of room to float. Likewise, if you do the conversion when the engine is hot, It has grown quite a bit and when the spacers are installed, then they become overly tight when the engine cools down.


I use heavy springs to space out the hex bar. They have the advantage of being able to shrink and grow as needed.

This is not to say that your idea is wrong, only a different approach to the same problem.

Larry:

You're right, but I've used the spacers for a slightly different reason; Originally I had somewhat weaker springs to center everything up, and I couldn't run the shaft extenders (the dowel pins) too long or they might puncture the paper air cleaner elements. What was happening with mine was that, as I repeatedly applied the throttle, the bar would work itself sideways (can't remember in which direction) and would pull the dowel pin out of the heim joint on one side. Embarassing to say the least. So I put in the spacers simply to limit the travel left and right and ensure that (a.) it wouldn't fall out and (b.) it wouldn't puncture the air filter. The spacers used allow a little more than 1/4" total travel (actually, about 3/16" in either direction) and the springs (now a bit stronger than my originals) still try to keep everything centered.

I suppose that I could run even stronger centering springs, but don't know what other problems those might cause and figured this works, so stop there. My springs are .047" stock. Maybe running something in the .050's or thicker might eliminate the spacers, but I haven't tried anything yet. Besides......spacer stock is cheap and mine don't rust.

Been running this for almost 2 years with no problems since initial debug.

Good catch, though!

gn

Any pics or do you have a link to the orginal thread?

OK, Gordon, put me down as a yes vs. a maybe. My throttle working fine now, but this "aircraft-worthy" rework is THE way to go, I am sure.

Can you supply me with the entire works from the aluminium hex bar arms to carbs
If so then I am in for a set

We did this over on Spyderclub a few years ago. I have almost 14,000 miles on mine versus the 3000 I got out of my original hexbar. The original hexbar on mine was so worn I had to replace it before doing the conversion.

Gordan

Please put me down for one kit

James

Bob:

I don't currently have the arm-to-carb linkages, but give me this week to see what I can find on the "right" coast.

gn

Gordon, thanks for your reply. FYI, When I do this conversion on a customers car, I put the hex bar in my lathe, drill out the hole to about 2 inches then I thread the inside of the hex bar for a 4" long Grade (8) 5/16" bolt. That bolt along with loctite is threaded into the hex bar.

After measuring the centered distances on the bolts, I cut them off then round the cut ends on my grinder.

This doesn't mean that it has to be done this way, it's just how I do the conversion.

Gordon--I emailed you seperately but please put me down for a kit.

Thanks and regards---Jack

ps--you were missed at Carlisle.

BTW, if you do this on a Scat linkage, the hexbar is already threaded for an 8mm X 1.25mm bolt. 8mm is REALLY close to 5/16", close enough to not have any real play. You can still use the 5/16 I.D. rod-ends.

I'm still in too ~

Hey Jack, how was the trip home???

Danny--trip was fine of course!

I drove to Chharlotte Sunday and from there to Hot Springs Monday---all 750 miles. I am still recovering.

Email me at hsbroker@aol.com, I need your email address. Your email address on the SOC site doesn't seem to work.

With his new power plant, Jack has become a prolific consumer of recreational hydrocarbons!

David--that is really funny. But very true.

With the Type IV engine I don't feel that I have a "toy car" anymore.
Putting over 6,500 miles on the engine in the last 2 months sure has provided a sense of confidence I never had with the Type 1 "Mexicrate".

The pulling power is just incredible too.

Gordon--I mailed you my check for the upgrade kit. Danny was very positive about the heim joint approach to a better operating linkage and I'm anxious to try this. Thanks for putting this kit together---instructions too!

Better plan more kits than you first thought!

Gorden please put me on the list

Bryan Taylor

Jack: Got'cha

Bryan: Got'cha!

ROBERT STRAGHAN!

I checked with my three sources on the east Coast, but I can't really beat the pricing from CB for the carb links you need. What is expensive (especially in very small lots) is the LH/RH threaded connector rods - best price I got was $22 EACH for two!

So $44 for those two, plus four end ball studs at $6 each gives you $68 for the whole shebang, versus about $51 for a linkage kit from CB. Here you go for their catalog page:

http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=542

BTW: the actual hex bar is about the cheapest part of the overall linkage kit - I can get them for about $7 in moderate quantities!

For the rest of you, I'll be emailing out an address to send your check to, as well as a list of measurements I'll need to insure a proper fit in your kit. I'm in the middle of kitchen/bath renovations (the shoulder is finally allowing modest work) so the email will go out later today.

gn

Gordon - sent you an email

Jack, glad to hear you had a pleasant trip. My email is correct on here, spyderman1 AT frontiernet.net. That is a number one after the spyderman part, not an L.

OK, folks......Got my tenth order yesterday so called for the Heim joints - should be here in less than a week (the long weekend slows things up).

I'll be emailing the following people with final order info today:

Lane Anderson
Paul Eric Rich
Alan Merklin
Kelly Frazer
Ricardo Bearga
Will Pearson (2 kits)
James Heck
Jack Crosby
Bryan Taylor

If I get more orders, no problemo - I can easily get more Heims and I already have more of the other parts.

Someone asked for a picture of what you get, so here you go. These parts should line up with the parts list included at the top of this thread (I've added the Heim mounting nuts but forgot to add the two flat washers) and it will also include an 8-page "how-to" illustrated instruction booklet (not shown in the photo).

http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt14/speedstahguy/DSC00162.jpg

gn

Here's the (now) complete kit of mechanical parts.

http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt14/speedstahguy/DSC00164.jpg

Cheers, and have a great weekend!

gn

Gordon, out of the country till June 6th. My email address will be NG and will be cganging. I have very sporadic Internet too. I will contact you as soon as I get bck to US. I do want 2 kits, thanks .

Will:

Holding two kits and we'll keep the light on for ya.....

gn

Gordon my email is btaylor1211 AT yahoo.com

Folks, One of my pre-orderers has decided not to do this upgrade, so I have one or two Hex Bar Kits still available.

If you would like to have one, please let me know (email at the address in my profile).

Thanks......gn

Ill take one.
I just sent an email.

Bill:

Just got your email.

That's my ten plus an extra set.

I can handle more, but it may take a week to get additional Heim joints so I won't be able to ship same day after these ten.

I'm jus' sayin ;>)

Still welcoming more orders, just send me an email.

Gordon
The patiently waiting expectant Grampa.....

As of a long night, last night I am Grampa aka Poppie !...details after I catch a nap...

Congrats, Alan!!!!!

Gordon, you and Chris have gotta be gettin' kinda impatient by now. And you DID miss a very good year at Carlisle.

Yup, last night was a busy night all over.

Chris and Karen welcomed the newest member of "Five Cent Racing" to the world; Lucas Matthew Nichols

Both Mom and future driver are doing fine although one's trying to rest and the other one's figuring out how to eat (he's got the poopin' figured out already)....

As an aside, yesterday was also the first of two days when Chris was getting his 300 foot driveway paved, so Grampa became "Asphalt Supervisor" for a couple of days. Did a pretty good job at it, too!

Stay tuned.......Cute baby pictures at eleven.

gn