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Fri Apr 13, 2012 11:10 pm

Have a question, I am in the middle of a body off restoration. I am now replacing the the shift coupler. I came home with my new Empi coupler and when I removed the old one to compare, it is different. Someone before me has welded an additional piece to it. Has anyone seen this before and what would your guess be to why it was done.

Fri Apr 13, 2012 11:58 pm

Is the screw hole in the collar stripped? Or does it look like the end of your shift run has been cut off?

Sat Apr 14, 2012 12:49 am

its not striped and the shaft isn't cut. so????

Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:24 am

Does the old one look like an original VW part (VW part#)?
If the old coupler cage (metal part) is still in good shape... clean it up and use just the poly parts from the new coupler.

As far as the welded part... what does it do?

Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:32 am

no looks like an empi one just like new just old, and as far as i can tell the welded on piece seems to be like a spacer.
I mite just use new screws and rubber old part. ill go shot some purple power on old one and see how it cleans up .

Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:41 am

Oh and empi part number is #16-5103-0

Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:43 am

looks to me like the guy just wanted extra assurance the coupler wouldn't slip, so he tacked on a pinch collar.

between that and the regular grub, I imagine it wouldn'tbe slipping.

Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:46 am

Should i use what was on there or new?(lots bolt for extra clamp)

Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:27 am

Sorry to hijack your thread, but I'm about to change my coupling and have bought an after market one.
Looking at it, I'm not impressed so thinking about just using the rubbers and fitting a bolt through rather than the rolled steel tube and screw that was originally fitted, what do you think?

TC

Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:31 am

was thinking bout changing my bolt to feels very cheap, but i don't no much either first time messing with it...

Sat Apr 14, 2012 3:37 am

The factory style tube in the middle is supposed to fit fairly snugly in the hole through the shift rod. When it doesn't, a rattling noise can develop along the shift rod.

The best new coupler I've ever bought was this one, from Wolfsburg West a few years ago. I very much try to avoid aftermarket ones, and won't go near red urethane.

By the way, when the cage style coupler was first introduced in 64-65 it didn't have a tube/screw type attachment, instead it had a solid metal rod that was held on with a slide clip (which could develop that same rattle if it was a loose fit)

Sat Apr 14, 2012 8:50 am

is that rod an easy to find thing or is it going to take me forever to find it. looks like a hard to find piece.

Sat Apr 14, 2012 10:36 am

Double69project wrote: is that rod an easy to find thing or is it going to take me forever to find it. looks like a hard to find piece.

Probably shouldn't hold your breath waiting to find one. The couplers you'll find now are almost 100% like the one in the OP's photo. You'll have to get a used one by keeping an eye on the Classifieds or at swap meets. But they may not come up very often.

When I replaced on a previous VW, I kept the original "cage" (cause the new one looked so crappy compared to the old one) and just swapped out the new rubber/urethrane pieces. Unfortunately you may find the same that people don't get rid of the older ones 'cause the new ones are generally not as nice.

Good luck.

Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:21 pm

Double69project wrote: is that rod an easy to find thing or is it going to take me forever to find it. looks like a hard to find piece.

If you mean that 1964 style, that was mostly an FYI. What I meant when I said 64-65, is that particular style only lasted that long... VW didn't keep that solid-rod/slide-clip style coupler after that. It wasn't long before they phased in the style of coupler with the hollow center and the screw.

Oh, and Wolfsburg West does still sell that OEM-VW coupler:

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=311711211

Sat Apr 14, 2012 6:31 pm

Alright well I'm going to keep my eye open for that solid rod, but for now the new empi part goes on. It doesn't really matter right now because I'm in the middle of restoration and could easily just swap when I find the rod.

Tue Apr 17, 2012 12:35 am

So my theory of replacing the tube with a bolt is sound then as I can tighten it to a snug fit with a lock nut which should last a long time?

TC

Tue Apr 17, 2012 1:49 am

Personally, I wouldn't use a bolt. the text called it an "expanding sleeve" for a reason - it's supposed to snug up inside the end of the shift rod. A simple bolt won't fit snugly, and will get looser over time, and may very well rattle around.

Tue Apr 17, 2012 12:12 pm

True but the new bolt and my old one look so cheap and easily breakable

Tue Apr 17, 2012 1:24 pm

I found out when I went to go get my transmission rebuilt that the transmission I have is a 73-74, could this be why the coupler is modded.

Tue Apr 17, 2012 2:36 pm

While the nosecone changed in 73 for a different style of front mount, the gear selector "hockey stick" inside it, plus the shift coupler itself remained the same.