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MountainKeep
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018
Posts: 124
Location: North Carolina
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 Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2018 3:45 pm Post subject: I did it without dropping the gas tank! |
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Behold the "HoeTronic 2000" center shift rod bushing deployment apparatus!
I was able to successfully replace the center shift rod bushing without having to drop the gas tank on my early '81 manual four speed. Had to do it by feel and with lots of silicone grease, but it popped right in place very easily. Then with a tilt of the hoe handle and a slight rotation, the tiny bit of exposed duct tape released the bushing in place. How redneck is that?!
With that and the other bushings replaced.. and some adjustment... It now shifts like new! And with no gasoline vapor explosions at all!
I'll be taking orders soon lol! Or you may want to wait for the new model with the bailing wire and spit cup attachment... 
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Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9810
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2018 4:19 pm Post subject: Re: I did it without dropping the gas tank! |
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| MountainKeep wrote: |
| ...Then with a tilt of the hoe handle and a slight rotation, the tiny bit of exposed duct tape released the bushing in place. How redneck is that?! |
Nice. So you were out in the garage with your hoe? |
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MountainKeep
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018
Posts: 124
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2018 4:35 pm Post subject: Re: I did it without dropping the gas tank! |
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Risqué double entendres regarding a long shaft of wood with a rubber piece on the end? Never saw that one coming...
(eh hem...) |
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AZ Landshaper
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2009
Posts: 1698
Location: The Old Pueblo
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| Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2018 5:06 am Post subject: Re: I did it without dropping the gas tank! |
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Now thats some ingenuity that I can appreciate. Being the owner of 1 long wooden hoe and an 81 van and .... a new mid rod bushing. I see some hoeing in my future. Mines a hula hoe though.
Me likes this idea. Way to put a hoe to work brah.
_________________
Support Small Business.
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85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug. |
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Vanagon Nut
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2008
Posts: 10379
Location: Sunshine Coast B.C.
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| Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2018 10:38 am Post subject: Re: I did it without dropping the gas tank! |
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| MountainKeep wrote: |
....Had to do it by feel and with lots of silicone grease, but it popped right in place very easily.
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That bushing bracket is surprisingly strong. I know b/c I had to bend it out of the way to accomdate a WBX transmission shift rod. Nice that it popped into place. I'd guess that having a helper at the front of van to give visual clues to guide the end of the hoe/bushing might help but then I've seen the campground fiascos of two people parking a larger RV.  Most folks have a hoe lying around but if a pipe were used, maybe putting a rod through the bracket hole would help guide the pipe to the bracket?
Of maybe that's too Rube Goldberg.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
1988 West DIY 50º ABA
VE7TBN |
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MountainKeep
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2018
Posts: 124
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2018 5:38 pm Post subject: Re: I did it without dropping the gas tank! |
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My fear was that that center bushing bracket might bend if I had to push too hard, but that turned out not to be an issue at all. It really just popped right in with no difficulty whatsoever... the hole in the bracket is a little indented on the front so I could feel when I was in the right place. I was so relieved that I wouldn't have to drop that tank!
Oh, and I did go in from the front. If you stick your head up in the spare tire well just so, you can see the bracket with a flashlight. But I couldn't see it and insert the rod too.. so I just looked at it and got my bearings and then did it by feel. Wasn't really hard.
Now I don't have that irritated donkey sound every time I shift! |
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weswsimpson
Samba Member
Joined: September 29, 2015
Posts: 191
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 7:49 am Post subject: Re: I did it without dropping the gas tank! |
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| Do you recall if the middle shift rod that slides through the "gas tank" bushing was bent or not? I'm trying to determine if the rod is supposed to be bent. |
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