TheSamba.com :: View topic - Shifter adjustment issues, 1st and 2nd hard to get

Thu Nov 13, 2008 2:48 pm

My 64 bus just got back on the road after being in hibernation since the 80's. It's running and handling very well, but has some shifting issues I can't quite sort.

It finds 4th and 3rd easily, but 1st and 2nd are very difficult to find, off to the left a bit, and reverse is somewhere in the middle of my knee. Once you have it in first you can shift to second easily enough, but down shifting from third to second is next to impossible.

A local shop wants to replace the nose cone for me, but that's a whole lotta labor, and while there is very obvious nose cone bushing wear, I have a hard time wrapping my head around the notion that a sloppy nose cone bushing moved 1st and second over and nothing more.

Rear coupler is new, shift bushings are worn but present. I have had much tattier shift assemblies work with less effort. No grinds(other than if you miss 2nd gear and hit reverse), no popping out of gear and no excessive whines, so the tranny would seem to be sound.

Any tips adjustment or otherwise would be hugely appreciated. The sun is out in November(rare up in these parts) and I'd love to drive the bus on a country drive.

Thu Nov 13, 2008 4:24 pm

I had the same problem.
I discovered that only 1 of 4 nuts holding my engine to the tranny was tight. :shock:

Thu Nov 13, 2008 7:02 pm

Hmmm. Try loosening the shifter base bolt a bit and slide the base a little to the right. Retighten the bolts and see if it shifts better.

Thu Nov 13, 2008 7:58 pm

Sounds like misaligned shift plate to me too.
Adjusting the shift plate is a bit like backing up a trailer, for me they are both counter-intuitive.

Fri Nov 14, 2008 12:15 am

Move the shift lever plate rearward, then tighten the two bolts.

Fri Nov 14, 2008 3:10 am

Campy wrote: Move the shift lever plate rearward, then tighten the two bolts.

That would only help if he was having problems with 1 & 3 gears.

Fri Nov 14, 2008 8:08 am

ronnie wrote: Rear coupler is new

A lot of new couplers are made crooked.

Fri Nov 14, 2008 1:05 pm

I have only been driving old buses for thirty years and I forgot that the shift lever gets pulled back into second gear. :shock: :lol: I have to start sleeping more hours.
This is a long shot but look at the front shifting shaft to see if it has a crack in it (I am assuming that the front coupler is tight). A lowering of the shaft's cup will affect the shifting.

Fri Nov 14, 2008 1:11 pm

I have issues with 1st and 2nd... not major, but there.

what's the theory about moving the shifter plate?

well I run a cheap empi hurst repro.

Fri Nov 14, 2008 2:25 pm

xavi_242 wrote: I have issues with 1st and 2nd... not major, but there.

what's the theory about moving the shifter plate?

well I run a cheap empi hurst repro.

If you are runnin one of these the plates are built in and alot of the times not correct... My buddy had a scat that I fixed had to bend the plate over.