Painful gear shift

[bigmacandfries]

Hi

Just picked up my bus. 1990 2.1 autosleeper. Really lovely... but just have a couple of queries regarding gear shifting.

Firstly, reverse is nigh on mythical... perhaps my arms are just short... but that is one difficult gear to find (have driven many cars, vans, wagons... plenty of ldvs with vague boxes... but this is almost a discipline in its own right. Is this a sign of wear and tear? or is it just part of her character?

The other thing is that both second and fourth involve pinching my finger tips between gear knob and dash. Surely this isn't a design feature. Noticed some posts on Just Kampers re: selector plate and gear linkages. Could it be as simple as undoing the gear selector plate... moving it back a little and re-tightening. I say that with conviction... I have no idea what that would involve.

Any advice for this newbie non-mechanic would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Simon

[ermie571]

Hi Simon,


welcome to the nuthouse!!

1990 2.1 eh? very nice.
5 speed box eh? hehehe have fun with that! I have 2 tips for the non-mechanic with short arms (I suffer from both these ailments!) You will find that the 1 to 2 change on a hill is lots of fun.......

first off......purchase a gear stick extension....i love mine!!! No more undoing the seat belt leaning over to get reverse and first!

second, gettign reverse is technique. Practice. Move stick as far over to the left as you can. Once it has got to its maximum, then press down and push upwards into reverse. DON'T PUSH DOWN until the maximum distance across in neutral has been reached. If you do that, you won't get reverse easily.

You can get the short-shift kit which does make the gears closer - i have one on my other van with the 4 speed box. And yes, it removes your knuckles from the radio. Seemingly you can also do something underneath.....upto you what you do.

Alternatively, you can live with changing the track / radio station every time you change gear!!

Em
x

[jason k]

or just buy a new gear lever cos yours is obviously bent.

if its hitting the dash its as a result of previous ham "interfered with" owners.

the rods are tubular and do bend quite easily.

try http://www.brickwerks.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for the levers.

[toomanytoys]

Welcome.. as suggestions above.. careful setting of the linkage and plate is required to get all the gates... if its been moved prev.. also the wear in all the bushes, starts to take effect...

Please fill out a location in your profile.. you might not be far from someone that can help...

[bigmacandfries]

Hi

Thanks for the replies. I have mastered the shift... as long as i keep my fingers out the way and remember how to get reverse (Thanks em) its all good.

I'll get the garage to have a look when I book her in for a service... think its the safest bet.

Simon

[John Potter]

Just replaced all the gearshift bushes (round the gear lever) and gear linkage bushes (on the rod to the gearbox).

Its a bit of a pig to do (four tries at setting it up so far, and I marked everything up and put it back in the same place), but now I can select each gear fairly accurately and there's very little play anywhere.

I'm not convinced I've got the reverse/G gear selection spot on (Syncro) but I can find them all. If your knuckles are hitting the dash and the lever is sloppy then replace the bushes - start with the difficult ones on the selector rod and re-adjust (bushes available from VW or on ebay £16 - cheaper than the gearshift kit which is £50...)

The garage wont thank you for the job, unless they know what theyre doing with VW's....

[CovKid]

Front gearshift kit is tadge over the top I think. Can't see why it really needs the bolted down plate as these don't seem to wear/rust out. Be more useful to have new guide blocks and new bellows seal. It does crucially have the onion, but its still a lot of money unless your own has completely disintegrated. Better to adjust front and spend the money at the back end IMO

[HarryMann]

or just buy a new gear lever cos yours is obviously bent

Not necessarily true ... might be, but more likely to be age and wear/slop building up in all the linkages and bushes, as detailed below

Why not read the Wiki articles on difficult gearchange throughly, see what fits best ?

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ge ... _improving

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ge ... air_Kit_01

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ge ... reluctance

[jason k]

i take your point

but every one of these i have had with that problem has been a bent lever.

they are tubular and likely to bend with ham "interfered with" use.

was just passing on my personal experience thats all.

[CovKid]

Mind you, with the less than positive nature of these mechanisms over the years, you might just as well jam a bamboo stick in there

[Plasticman]

Post were youre at it may/will help.
Its a doddle to set up, hard to write and describe but its not more than an hours work. study the wiki
Mike

[chickenkoop]

don't listen to covkid, he's only bitter, i changed the front assembly last sunday and have had the guide blocks built up at work, will fit them tomorrow, (with photo's before and after block guides built up)

[CovKid]

don't listen to covkid, he's only bitter, i changed the front assembly last sunday and have had the guide blocks built up at work, will fit them tomorrow, (with photo's before and after block guides built up)

Says the man who still struggles to get reverse

[HarryMann]

guide blocks built up at work

Details would be interesting..

[CovKid]

He's having them built up with ally weld then grinding back to shape