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Mon Jul 25, 2011 1:01 pm

58 bus with 66 or 67 tranny.

Installed rear and front shift rods. When I go to install the shifter, the ball housing is tilted way to the right (when looking towards front of bus and down at shifter).

It is almost impossible to get the bottom of the shifter seated inside the ball housing. I tried turning both rear and front shift rods for the adjustment and it will not move any further.

I managed to get it in there and seems to only shift into 1st and 2nd. No clutch cable is installed yet.

Did a bunch of searches and no info on this particular issue. Also am referencing the BIG blue VW manual.

Any suggestions? :?

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Mon Jul 25, 2011 2:17 pm

Pull out each bolt one at a time from each shift coupler, and make sure the dimple in each rod end is lined up with each bolt hole, and reinstall.

Mon Jul 25, 2011 4:55 pm

thanks. i loosened up all shift rod coupler bolts, adjusted slightly and tightened them. seems to shift fine.

are there slight differences in finding gears 1-4? 1 and 2 seem obvious however it is difficult to know if I'm getting to 3 and 4. i guess the only way i'll truly find out is install the engine and try it.

* please bare with me here, this van was in a junk yard for 20 some years and stripped. i'm basically assembling everything as i go based on samba articles and the VW Manual.

Mon Jul 25, 2011 6:26 pm

vwserphguy wrote:
* please bare with me here, this van was in a junk yard for 20 some years and stripped. i'm basically assembling everything as i go based on samba articles and the VW Manual.

You're doing fine. I'm sure that many will learn through your efforts, myself included. Keep it up, and don't let it get you down. You'll have it on the road and know every inch of it, which is a very good thing on both accounts.

Mon Jul 25, 2011 6:54 pm

vwserphguy wrote: thanks. i loosened up all shift rod coupler bolts, adjusted slightly and tightened them. seems to shift fine.

You really need to take out those bolts and make sure each is going into the dimples drilled in the shift rods!!

Also each bolt should have a tapered tip.

After they are in those and all is adjusted correctly, you need to safety wire each bolt to keep them tight. Safety wire so as to keep tension on each to keep the bolts from loosening slightly and making the shifting loose.

There has been reports of after market couplers not having the bolt holes in line and that will throw off the shifter too much.

Wed Apr 25, 2012 6:11 pm

I'm having this same problem on my 58 Single Cab. I have to spend time on the couplers tonight. I was having real problems hitting 1st and reverse. 2nd was a gamble but 3rd and 4th were fine. I pulled the whole front a part and got a new lockout plate only to have similar issues. I started looking at my couplers and found the very last bolt lose. Only think is it looks like there are two dimples in it. The one that looks correct puts my shifter in the position you have pictured above. I’m unsure what to do at this point. I’m going to keep playing with it and if I find anything I’ll post up.

Wed Apr 25, 2012 6:56 pm

It turns out I'm still having shifting issues. I took my rear coupler out which I bought from Wolfsburg west last summer and noticed lots of play. I called them, they looked at when it was purchased and said it was defective. I'm waiting for them to send me another when they get a new batch in. If anyone has a good used one, let me know and how much. Until then, the metal/body work continues.

Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:42 pm

Eric&Barb wrote:

After they are in those and all is adjusted correctly, you need to safety wire each bolt to keep them tight. Safety wire so as to keep tension on each to keep the bolts from loosening slightly and making the shifting loose.

I just learned the same lesson this week. Didn't know to wire up the bolts and the front bolt came loose and the rod detached in rear. The loosened after about 5 hours' use. Was able to tighten enough to get home in 1st gear and fix at home.