Shift Adjustment for a Fiberglass Buggy

[jeremywrags]

Hi All,

I'm new here and to the VW world in general. I just picked up a buggy last weekend, I believe a Lido if my research is correct and am in the process of making her road worthy.

I took her out yesterday and I am having a real hard time finding the gears.

Reverse is in general very hard to find
If I am in 1st then 2nd is easy but 3rd is almost impossible...
If I am in 3rd then 4th is easy but 2nd is almost impossible...

My shifter is a rusty EMPI trigger style shifter. Should I just take it off and grease it up? I have read about changing the bushing but not sure if that could be done with the buggy body on the chassis?

[Dale M.]

Looks like a pretty clean buggy as a starting point for you...

First thing I would do is clean up shifter and grease up moving parts a bit....

Then I would try adjusting base forward and back a little to get it into gears.... There is no real side to side adjustment, but you can tweak it a bit sideways and it may help....

Be sure reverse lockout plate is placed under shifter correctly (If using one)...

Two more issues may be the shift rod coupler that connects shift rod to transaxle, if its worn or becoming defective it may cause problems ... And.... The nylon bushing under shifter may be worn or missing....

Problem could also be when buggy was build they were not accurate when shortening shift rod and it is a little off making it hard to shift.....

Real long term solution maybe to to pull out shift rod, replace nylon bushing under shifter, add adjustable end to shift rod and new coupler....

There are two types of adjusters.... One pictured below is used with "donut" (early coupler) and there is one that is different for later "box" style couplers...Adding adjuster to end of shift rod requires a bit of welding or brazing...

Here is location of nylon bushing..

Here is your bushing..

https://www.jbugs.com/product/111701259A.html?gcli...kgQAvD_BwE

Get it all tweaked just right it should shift like coated with butter....

Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.

"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[BL3Manx]

To remove the shift rod from the chassis so you can replace the bushing and install an adjuster, you might have to remove the hood so the rod can be removed through the access panel on the front of the frame head between the torsion tubes.

Its a lot of fiddling with your fingers to get the rod out and back in. It might help if you can use a dowel or fishing rod to feed a cord in the front of the chassis, back to the shifter. You can tie the cord behind the cup on the front of the rod and use the cord to pull the rod out the front

[jeremywrags]

Hi all,

Thanks for the reply, I will try all of these suggestions hopefully this weekend.

Thanks