gears all over the place

[admwllms]

My new bay was delivered today and we've got a mad rush to get it ready for holiday. Well, there's six weeks, but I'd say that's a mad rush for a new bus and my level of experience. At the moment the gears are awful, literally all over the place.

As far as I can tell the gearbox isn't knackered as its actually working okay and they do go in, but the stick goes in all kinds of crazy directions. Advice from garage who did it was that I need to play around with gearstick placement by undoing the two bolts slightly and moving the holder around while in second gear. Trial and error is the only way.

Does this sound right? Would buying one of those fancy gearstick jobbies help/fix it? Appreciate this might be a thing I need a garage for or a stupid question but whereas most of the bus is sound I'm a bit lost with this bit and just wanted to know if that sounded right or if there's a shortcut with a better stick or whatever.

 

[VeeDubMan]

This helped with my issues (from a US site somewhere I think):

If you are having problems with:

1st gear - Adjust the shifter back

1st and 2nd - Adjust the shifter to the right

2nd gear - Adjust the shifter forward

1st and 3rd - Adjust the shifter adjust to the back

2nd and 4th - Adjust to the front

3rd - Adjust back

3rd and 4th - Adjust left

4th - Adjust forward

Reverse: adjust the shifter right or front; but just a little. Reverse could be an internal transmission problem.

 

[Tofufi]

If it's not been done, it'd be worth replacing all the bushes and the coupling in the gear shift linkage. It makes a big difference to how direct the shifts feel

If the gear lever can be moved around a lot when in a gear and feels sloppy, new bushes will help...

 

[Andy_sheff]

There's a guide Somewhere on how to set it up, I did mine after having the gesr stick off etc and got it set pretty good. Ile try find the link

 

[Andy_sheff]

http://www.vw-resource.com/stop_plate.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[admwllms]

Thanks for the input guys!

Reading that link now and some of the text sounds like mine, except mine is even worse, there's no H as such I don't think - I can't even make out what it is but it would be more like an Egyptian Hieroglyphic than a H :shock: Going to take out the computer in the morning when it's light enough so I can read the instructions and VeeDubMan's advice and have a crack at it.

 

[StuF]

Mine had all new bushes, rods and coupling when we collected the bus from Gadget - was still like stirring gloopy poorly made porridge
Fitted a Gene Berg and it was a revelation! If you replace all the above and it is still tonk - get a short shifter
Bugtech, VS or Berg are all good makers
Wouldnt be without mine

If you have a read here
http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=44243&start=40" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You will see my opinion of Gene Berg kit 8)

 

[admwllms]

Excellent write-up, cheers. Will get one too and be following that guide if I can't do it the cheap way.

 

[admwllms]

Excellent write-up, cheers. Will get one too and be following that guide if I can't do it the cheap way.

 

[009]

When my gear shift gave up the ghost and I got fed up getting stuck at junctions trying to get into any gear, I eventually bit the bullet and bought a CSP shifter for my bus and I have to say the transformation is amazing!
Proper H pattern with button lockout for reverse.
It wasn't cheap but I have to say I think it was the best "upgrade" I did for my bus.
It made driving my bus a pleasure again and it was dead easy to fit.
Good luck sorting it anyway,
Cheers,
DON

 

[geordie]

i had no idea :shock:
geordie

 

[Alex VW Heritage]

Yeah CSP or Gene Berg get my vote!

Really worth doing the bushes along the whole mechanism as a first bet, but a shifter makes a world of difference!

 

[admwllms]

Just an update: Think the gearstick might have been a late one bodged on or something? Or maybe it was just broke, but something was very wrong. Anyway, kind of followed all your advice and bought a shifter but went for the cheapo Empi one from Heritage. I'm sure it's nowhere near as good as the Gene Berg but did the trick and I really like it - more importantly, the bus is now actually drivable First gear still feels a little bit short and awkward but works and the rest are fine. I can live with that compared to how awful it was. Massive relief.

Installing was easy and quick.

 

[Happystamps]

That's the £5 short-shift kit, a spacer and a mushroom? They're damn good value IMO for the difference it makes.

 

[009]

result!
Nice one
DON