Shift rod ear repair kit review

[Benjamin Gell]

I recently got the T3 kit and have installed it on the shift rod using a little chrome hobby vise as recommended to compress the pin.

First one went fine but: I got a bit too anal on the 2nd one and overtightened the vise (even though its handle is only about 3 inches long!). At least I assume I over-expanded the pin because a hairline crack appeared below the pin on the inside face of the new ear. I've decided to install it anyway and see how it holds up, since the alternative is to spend $ on another kit from T3. Also I don't expect it'll leave me stranded even if it breaks or loosens.

Just hoping to help others avoid the same mistake.

In a related note, some previous mechanic had overtightened the pinch clamp on the shift rods, deforming the rods out-of-round. This may make doing the adjustment difficult, as there is supposed to be free movement there. I plan to use a pair of vise-grips, one on each rod, to make it easier to rotate the rods relative to each other. Anyone else found this condition?
_________________
'88 Vanagon Wolfsburg hardtop, 10cent WBXaust.

"My God! Its full of stars!" oh, wait...that's gravel.

[rsxsr]

I have never come across one that would spin freely just by loosening the clamp. It is actually easier to adjust if it holds it's position. For sure if the clamp is not tight enough, the adjustment will slip.
_________________
1982 Diesel Vanagon Camper with ALH TDI.
1987 Syncro Tin Top. Organ Donor
2011 TDI Jetta Sportwagen.

[dobryan]

[Summers420us]

About to do this repair...

What's the verdict? Do it with the rod installed or take the time to remove it?

[greggearhead]

I just did the repair, and I thought, if I am doing it, I should likely do it all, as the Syncro has 200k on it...

I removed both rods, and glad I did. It needed new bushings and new grease, etc. and it was easy to file the ears down to fit the plastic caps, though I admit it took more filing than I thought it would.

Great improvement - got mine from Chris at T3 and got great service and product as usual.
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1971 Bus
1973 911T
1986 Vanagon Synro

For Sale: 1970 Std Beetle, 1963 Baja, 1985 Vanagon, Parting Porsche 924 Turbos

[boulderdrop]

I took out the shift-linkage.

While I can see performing the fix with the spare-dropped.

I hate working on my back and reaching up to do everything; it's hard to switch tools, it's hard to see, it makes my shoulders and next hurt the next day and I usually rush the job and f' it up.

It's not difficult to remove the front shift-linkage, just mark the position of the clamp in the splines and how much to push it all back together.
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== My Rides ==
1984 Westy, Bostig, 3rd:1.14, Locker-LSD, Newly Painted
1980 24' J-Boat
1979 Sears Freespirit Moped
1996 Chev S10 4x4 ZR2
2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid (Wife's)

== How I Pay the Bills ==
Windows FTP Server at http://www.bpftpserver.com (PM for a FREE one)

[crez]

I just did this fix, on my back with the shift linkage installed. Not bad at all.

Since mine is an 82 I only have one side to replace. I ended up having to file off a good bit on each side in order to get the plastic to fit. Made a good bit of difference so I'm happy.
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Chris
Va Beach
1982 Diesel Westy w/1.8L GTI engine swap
2000 Audi A4 1.8T

[j_dirge]

Finally got around to installing this little kit.
Well done. Good instructions. Relatively easy project.

I chose to pull the rod out.. but would do it in place if I had to do it again.
My power steering rack interferes with pulling the rod out easily.. and the later f/g bumper compunds the problem by reducing clearances


Guides work well.. but I now have tp push down a little to get out of reverse.

I am used to pushing down to get into reverse (lock out). I don't recall ever having to push to return to forward gears from reverse.

I am chalking this up to the slightly taller slide? My OEM guides had fallen off over a year

Question.
Anyone experience this?
_________________
89 GL Westy, orig 2.1L WBXR.. Will it ever blow?
Well.. yes. It blew.. a big hole in the case. Time for a new engine.

[rsxsr]

I assume 5 speed? How does reverse act? You might need a slight adjustment. If you have someone shift it while you observe what is going on underneath, you may be too tight against the 1st/reverse lockout, or not centered front to back.

My 4 speed had a similar problem until I realized that my shift rod was bent look above at my pictures. It would go into reverse, but was tight on the reverse lockout. In my case, I had to replace the rod to really get it correct.
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1982 Diesel Vanagon Camper with ALH TDI.
1987 Syncro Tin Top. Organ Donor
2011 TDI Jetta Sportwagen.

[j_dirge]

[bryguth]

I have been having troubles shifting into 2nd on my new trans with 3000 miles... looked at the shift box and my tabs are not in good shape... so I just pulled the trigger on a t3 kit...Hope it helps...

[boulderdrop]

Tip that worked for me..

0) Align the shifter, in the cab, per the Bently
1) Take off the spare tire "clam-shell"
2) Take off the cover for the shift-box
3) Position a light, so that you can see the movement
4) Have someone work the shifter, inside the van and watch the movement

The transition for 3rd and 4th, should be the natural forward/backward motion of the shifter. But play with it until you get something you like. For me, it's a balance between getting 3/4th easier and the tab getting into the "lock" for reverse. I clamped a nickle between one of the shift-ears-tabs and a gate that I liked, eased the clamp at mid-line in the shift-linkage, then clamped it down again.

The tweaking is done at the point where the forward and rear parts of the shift-linkage join, in the middle of the van. Always mark the position of clamp, in relation to the splines; also in relation to how much the forward-part of the linkage is in the clamp. This is a tweaking point that I didn't realize at first and giving the linkage "more length", but pull the pieces apart a bit helped to correct my reverse and some of the sloppiness in the gates of the shift-box containing the "gates".
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== My Rides ==
1984 Westy, Bostig, 3rd:1.14, Locker-LSD, Newly Painted
1980 24' J-Boat
1979 Sears Freespirit Moped
1996 Chev S10 4x4 ZR2
2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid (Wife's)

== How I Pay the Bills ==
Windows FTP Server at http://www.bpftpserver.com (PM for a FREE one)

[benandmj]

I've got the T3 kit in hand but my Bentley is back home. I'm about to knock this out and probably will not remove the shift rod. My question likely has an obvious answer but here we go: I put the transmission in neutral before tackling this, correct?
_________________
85 Westfalia Weekender

[[email protected]]

I did mine in Neutral prior to installing, went smoothly.

It's one of those jobs that when you are holding the parts in your hand, it's easy to see, and very difficult to describe for the anal types that have to know EXACTLY how it's done prior to starting.

The job is not a big deal at all.
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[rsxsr]

I don't believe you remove the "shifter", but the front shift rod. I think the job would go better with the shift rod in a vice. You need to dress the shift rod tabs for the repair peices to fit and I recall drilling for the aluminum plugs. This would be difficult laying on the ground. Could be wrong. Yes if you remove the front shift rod, the transmission needs to be in neutral to adjust it properly.
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1982 Diesel Vanagon Camper with ALH TDI.
1987 Syncro Tin Top. Organ Donor
2011 TDI Jetta Sportwagen.

[squeegee_boy]

I've done it twice now: once on the bench, and the other in the van.

In the van is a bit uncomfortable, but it does have the rather nice advantage of not having to realign the shifter when you're done. Saves about 45 minutes. This assumes the shifter alignment was good when you started, of course.

For future installs, I'm leaving it in the van.

Robyn
_________________
1984 FrankenSyncro Westy. Now with a Bostig Turbo!
1990 GL, still with a 2.1L. For now.
DRZ-400SM

[j_dirge]

2x on rsxer's words.

Take it out of the van.. I would not think twice doing that again.
Remove box, clean the area thoroughly, hit it with paint if it shows bare metal/rust...install ears with care, and you won't be back in there again for many years.

The shifter adjustment (on 86-91s at least) is much ado about nothing. Don't get psyched out.

Algining the shoft rods *may* have taken me 45 mins the first time becuase it is not intuitive... but the 2nd and 3rd times it took about 5-10 minutes, max. (due to transmission work)
It just isn't that complicated.. AND you have the added benenift of having it properly adjusted to the new ears and corrected from old alignment which may not have been all that great in the first place.

Also a good time to inspect those 25 yr old bushings in your linkage. Maybe they need some attention, too.

Cut corners and you'll likely be back, is all.
_________________
89 GL Westy, orig 2.1L WBXR.. Will it ever blow?
Well.. yes. It blew.. a big hole in the case. Time for a new engine.

[cellerdoor]

Ill be tackling this in the next month, from shifter through connection to transaxle. After this work Ill be swapping out a rebuilt transaxle early in spring.

For adjusting, should I just wait until the replacement transaxle is in and do the whole assembly at one time, or can you adjust everything up to the transaxle and then just swap out the transaxle and not have to do any adjusting?

Id hate to spend the time to make the adjustments only to have to redo it again when the rebuilt transaxle goes in.
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1986 Westy

[j_dirge]

[[email protected]]

I did 2 different kits without removing the shift rod (just the shift box).

Reading the instructions 5x was more difficult than doing it. "How do I know which ear to put them on, they are different? It's not specified in the instructions, because you can't put them on the wrong ones (still would have been nice if they mentioned it).

Just clean it well, and scuff up the ears so the epoxy has something to bite onto. Your van will be "down" for a day while the epoxy sets up well. Obviously this could be an issue if you are doing it outside in Winter, which is not a problem if you remove the shift rod.
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