Date: Fri, 19 May 2017 07:34:53 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <jrodgers113@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <jrodgers113@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Tranny end shift lever issue and fix
In-Reply-To: <!&!AAAAAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAANUogDnc40lLogXLJwpoBczCgAAAEAAAAKFU5siqk8NOpP4uP5r/VA0BAAAAAA==@dslextreme.com>
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In regards to shifter problems on any stock van, at least, a friend
intoduced me to a jig for adjusting the shifter. I had never seen or heard
of it before but somebody within our greater vanagon society designed this
and apparently made it available to all if you are tool handy. A certain
shaped block of oak goes in place by the shifter on the tranny, and a bent
to shape and filled metal piece goes in the shifter guide box up front
above the spare tire. Loosen the connection holding the front and rear of
the shifter shaft together, put the jig parts in plsce then tighten the
connector, shifter then is, to quote from the movie "MY COUSIN VINNY"-
pretty much dead on balls accurate! The jig nails it every time!
John R
John
On May 19, 2017 01:39, "Dick Wong" <sailingfc@dslextreme.com> wrote:
> That was a nice easy fix.
>
> Just an idea if you're making a new cup, mirror polish the bore and add a
> "zerk" for grease.
>
> -Dick-
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Alistair Bell
> Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2017 10:27 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Tranny end shift lever issue and fix
>
> Hi,
>
> Over the last couple of months I've noticed my van (86 syncro, 430,000 km)
> getting harder and harder to shift into 2nd gear, both up and down shifts.
> It felt like it was hitting a gate, an obstruction , not the same feeling
> as
> baulky synchro. It would go into gear if I kept the shifter firmly towards
> the left, (my knee).
>
> It felt more like a linkage problem than a transmission internal problem.
>
> So yesterday i decided to track it down, starting at the rear and the ball
> and cup lever from the transmission. You know how the fit of the ball into
> the cup can get sloppy, requiring replacements. I was thinking that might
> be
> my problem. Getting those parts off the van I got reminded that some
> previous owner had them bolted the cup part of the linkage to the
> horizontal
> shift rod. The stock set up relies on a roll pin only, coming up from the
> bottom. This bolt, m6, was horizontal thru the rod and lever. Actually the
> lever had threads cut in one side so the bolt actually threaded into the
> lever and also nutted.
>
> Took things apart and cleaned. The fit of the ball in the cup wasn't that
> bad. I think the diameter of the cup when new is around 30mm, and the ball
> diameter about 29.5mm.
>
> So I put it all beck together, before I tightened the added thru bolt I
> noted that the roll pin didn't do much at all to fix the lever cup on the
> shift rod. Wasn't very secure, could wobble around in the shift rod. But
> when I tightened up the thru bolt, the assembly became solid.
>
> Test drive and shifting back to normal. So I think the thru bolt had
> loosened a little, and my reassembly had fixed that.
>
> Oh and btw, the ball part which affixes to the splined shaft coming out of
> the tranny was a good fit on the splines.
>
> I'm happy for now with this unexpected easy fix but I think I'll make a new
> cup part. I know you can by replacement stock units, or a nice aftermarket
> one, but it looks like such an easy lathe project that it would be more fun
> to make one. Maybe use a different material than aluminum and maybe make
> the
> design better at holding the rubber boot.
>
> Alistair
>
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