Desparately seeking a gear stick part - please help!

[BlueStringPudding]

Here's a photo of my gear lever. It's a Teleflex Marine SL3 Engine Control which was standard fit for Black Prince hire boats throughout the nineties.

 

 

And here is a photo of what it should look like (top left):

 

 

You'll notice that other than one photo being sideways, summit is missing! The rubber button cover for the neutral throttle pushbutton pinged off and was lost a few weeks ago. (The white push-rod extension inside is safely stored elsewhere for now, it's just the button cover that's missing) I've contacted ASAP Supplies who don't stock anything like it and suggest I buy a whole new lever for £120-£200. I've contacted Black Prince at Stoke prior who have been lovely as always, but they too had trouble finding parts, although they were looking for new parts, I'll happily take second hand - Black Prince have no spare button covers and can only get them from the States for £53. Which is a lot of money for a small rubber disc. I'm hoping that through the wisdom of the forum, someone somewhere has an old lever lurking about that might include this kind of button cover - to save me replacing the whole lever?

 

The internal diameter of the hole that the button cover filled is about 28mm and it had a slight lip around it making the overall diameter 30mm. If anyone has anything, even from another make or model, that might just fit, I'd happily pay for it! Or if you have any ideas where else I can source one, that would be great.

 

Thanks.

Edited September 4, 2013 by BlueStringPudding

[pquinn]

mine was red and fell off about a week after getting the boat.havent seen it in seven and a half years.good luck with the search.

[Alphekka]

Hi. Have you tried this outfit? They seem to sell lots of accessories/replacement parts for other Teleflex controls.

 

http://www.marinemegastore.com

 

Helps if you add the link

Edited September 4, 2013 by Alphekka

[bizzard]

Ahay BSP. A new button could quite easily be made out of several items.

1.Select a new Jersey potato that is a snug fit in the hole, cut in half, bore a blind hole to take the actuating pin. This is only a temporary cure as the spud will shrivel, go bad and fall out.

2 If you can find say a plastic or hard rubber ball that fits the hole, again cut it in half and drill a blind hole for the pin.

3 Cast your own button by using a hardish setting silicone. Find a little cup of some sort with the same inside diameter as the levers hole, wipe a little veg oil around inside the cup so that the newly cast button releases from it,( just like making cup cakes), when cured and released from the mold cup again bore a blind hole for the pin.

4 To prevent the newly made button from popping out again and once you've adjusted the button and pin so it works to your satisfaction cut out a disc of say 2 or 3mm thick plasticard. Overall diameter say 3'' with a hole in the middle smaller than the hole in the lever, say 24mm dia. Once the new button assemble has been inserted this plasticard trap disc can be stuck onto the lever around the button to trap the button by abraiding both surfaces and sticking it on with Araldite, two part Epoxy resin. Never to pop out again. If there was a light compression spring in there as well, pop that in too.

Hope this helps.

[BlueStringPudding]

Gosh - thanks, Bizz. At the moment I'm using gaffertape.

mine was red and fell off about a week after getting the boat.havent seen it in seven and a half years.good luck with the search.

 

So what did you replace it with...?

[Kwacker]

What about a rubber hole blank and some glue?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32mm-Black-Rubber-Blanking-Grommet-Grommets-Hole-Plug-Bung-Electrical-x-5-/321147990967?pt=UK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Other_Vehicle_Parts_Accessories_ET&hash=item4ac5e973b7

Available in many sizes.

Edited September 4, 2013 by Kwacker

[BlueStringPudding]

What about a rubber hole blank and some glue?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32mm-Black-Rubber-Blanking-Grommet-Grommets-Hole-Plug-Bung-Electrical-x-5-/321147990967?pt=UK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Other_Vehicle_Parts_Accessories_ET&hash=item4ac5e973b7

Available in many sizes.

 

Oooh ohh ohh! I've never heard of such a thing!!! What a great idea. You're my new favourite forum member.

 

Apart from the boyf of course (before I get into trouble)...

[bizzard]

I've never or ever want to play the game, but a Squash ball might fit, If too big, by cutting it to a thinner slice will reduce the balls diameter.

[arpeeuk]

How about a blob of Sugru? www.sugru.com

 

It looks to me as if it could well fit the bill.

 

Having said that I've never used it so can only go by the advertising hype.

 

Rik