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Sun May 24, 2015 2:55 am

Hi, I'm trying to fix a shifting problem by changing out the bushings on my bus. It's a '66 Westy that's still relatively new to me owning less than a year. My main question ' can the rear shift rod come out towards the front of the bus to replace the bushings in there ? Thanks in advance for any and all comments
Tom

Sun May 24, 2015 3:56 am

Try this thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=367456&highlight=shift+bushing

Sun May 24, 2015 5:19 am

Thanks dude, I did read that and it was a big help. But I was wondering if the whole rear rod can be pulled forward and off. In the Bentley the 1st thing they say is "remove engine and transmission" and remove to the rear of bus. Also wondering if it matters which way the bushings face. The ones that look like badmitten birdies.

Sun May 24, 2015 5:55 am

The rod won't come out forward. Stuff in the way. You can't remove the front rod, and slide it forward enough to get to the bushings. You have to take the engine / trans out. The long rod bushings go in with the wide ends to the rear. There are locating pins on them to keep them from sliding on the rod. Be sure to clean out the tube in the body. Replace the front rod hanger too. On a 66-67, it's a small plastic cup that the pin on the front shift rod fits into. It presses into the e-brake/shifter support.

Sun May 24, 2015 9:49 am

thomas. wrote: Thanks dude, I did read that and it was a big help. But I was wondering if the whole rear rod can be pulled forward and off. In the Bentley the 1st thing they say is "remove engine and transmission" and remove to the rear of bus. Also wondering if it matters which way the bushings face. The ones that look like badmitten birdies.

better to just continue the discussion in an existing thread.

You can replace the front shift bushing and middle bushing w/o pulling the tranny. This improves shifting.
Remove front and rear couplers (note front coupler tends to be rusty and difficult, refer to existing threads for tips on removal) remove shift stick in cab. remove front rod. pull rear rod forward to get to middle bush.

To get to the rear bushing, you must remove tranny and pull rear rod out the back.
If you try to pull the rear rod forward out of the bus, you have to bend ie damage it. It's your bus, but that is a dumb thing to do. Then it won't work right, and you get to find another one and remove the tranny to install it. :P

Mon May 25, 2015 12:16 am

Thanks for all the replies. I'm doing a few jobs at the same time with the bus on jack stands in front and on ramps in back. I was waiting for parts to finish the shifter stuff but got as far as removing all the couplings and noticed like you said it slides to middle bushing. That was as far as I got and figured I would try asking here .The next time the engine is out I'll pull the tranny if the two front bushings doesn't fix the prob.
I usually will add on to an existing thread but must of slipped my mind or whatever . If administrators want to move this it's O.K. by me. Thanks again.
Tom

Mon May 25, 2015 11:24 am

Pyro posted that he got his out the front but I can't find the post. Dunno how or if he had the beam in or what.

Thu May 28, 2015 5:24 am

Too many obstacles trying that way. I ended up changing just the front two. I finally got the parts to finish yesterday at 3pm and had the shifter back in by 4. I haven't had it for a test drive yet but after bolting the shifter in, without any adjusting, all the gears go in real good. I was having trouble shifting to 1st. and when downshifting to 2nd. it was catching reverse with grinding. I also installed a shifter kit with the stock shifter. When I took it apart there were no boots on there so no grease. I installed both boots with lots of grease. So everything seems a lot tighter. Thanks for all the help.