Gearbox Clutch CVs Sloppy gear change improving
harryman: You might be able to correct this by adjusting the spline joint position (radially) under the centre of the vehicle, but more likely its wear....
There are several bushes and parts that wear and replacing them can improve the selection quite a bit - but saying which one is the best to try first not easy.
By inspecting and waggling the main shaft near these joints underneath, or watchinga s someone moves the gearlever, you can determine which is worn (more than the others).
Towards the rear, there is a plastic bush held captive by cups and a bracket off the gearbox; this supports selector shaft before it connects to the selector arm on the gearbox Another towards the front as it passes through a frame under the cab. Between these two is a universal joint, a plastic spider with two pins. They all can and do wear resulting in sloppiness. Front: 251 711 207D Rear: 251 711 207E There are some part no changes, which I think results in using the D part at the rear too. There are rubber bellows there to prevent water/dirt ingress, which may be split.
To change any of these requires the shaft splitting at the splined joint, just ahead of the spider, which should be scribed up prior to disassembly to maintain its axial and radial position. The former determines how far the gear lever is fore-and-aft, the latter it's lateral position..
Also, as the gearlever goes through the floor, its pivoted in a complicated set of bushes and springs - a repair kit is available: 251 798 116A (about £40). This can also make a big difference.
Many use white grease for these joints, as the VW polygrease is a fortune (£25) - a waterproof grease is best.
I'd start with the rearmost bushing and ensure that is not sloppy, grab the shaft and see if their is any play, shoving it up and down or watch it (clonking sideways maybe) as someone selects gears. Remove the protective tube to watch the spider uj - these can develop wear.
Good luck, not a 5 minute job, nor that cheap if the front needs doing. If you do the spider, make sure the pins (retained with circlips) are located fully in their detents, if they aren't they'll wear the steel forks rather than the plastic spider - requiring a new shaft!
BlingPanzer: Be under no illusions... it's an arse of a job. Quite frequently, it will be half a spline out. Slacken-off the pinchbolt a tiny amount until you can only just move the rods against each other with a pair of molegrips; otherwise you'll probably turn it too far. Trial and error is the order of the day; it took me 5 attempts to get mine "something like" after a linkage rebuild, and 2nd gear still isn't quite right 100% of the time.
Point 1: You can't adjust the linkage just for one gear. Whatever you do will affect them all.
Point 2: Just a thought, but if you haven't stripped the linkage down and gear selection used to be OK, then it's down to component wear and not adjustment. Mark the linkage to preserve its position where it is now, then replace all the bushes; believe me, time spent marking the linkage and putting it back excactly to that setting when you've completed the job will pay dividends later!
