1972 Super Beetle Shift rod bushing and coupler replacement

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I was spraying bolts with penetrating fluid in preparation for replacing the shift rod bushing and coupling. When I opened the rear access cover to see the coupling I noticed there was a random spring attached from the coupler to the body. Anybody have a clue what this is about? I haven't removed it yet, but I am guessing the shifter was chattering? Also sprayed the 8 bolts on the front of the car for the deformation channel, im guessing they are the correct bolts, I believe it was 8 of them behind the sway bar, in the center of the vehicle. Some things I have read said that the shift rod did not need to be removed all the way on Super Beetles to replace the bushing, but another post said that for 71-72 it had to be removed. Anybody have experience replacing the bushing on a '72 Super?
Thanks,
-Nick

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1972 Super Beetle

[Tim Donahoe]

That spring looks as though the curled end of it is inserted in the hole of the set screw. Perhaps a previous owner thought that was a good way to keep the screw from loosening. He should have simply safety-wired it.

Perhaps he had a rattle and wanted to reduce the vibration. Who knows?

I don't know about the earlier Supers, but my '74 didn't require removal of the crash plate. There was room in the tunnel to scootch the rod forward enough to replace the shift-rod bushing.

From experience, I found that OEM or OEM-type (softer rubber) couplers are far less likely to transmit vibration and noise to the shifter and front of the cabin.

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[sjbartnik]

Yes, the spring is likely someone's attempt to reduce shifter vibration resulting from a worn coupler, worn shift rod bushing, or both.

Once you get both replaced you should be able to do away with the spring.

Note if you replace the coupler with a urethane one, you may still get vibration in the shifter. VW made the coupler insert rubber for a reason.
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1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

[Blue69Baja]

Haw, I am just finishing up doing my 72 Super's shift rod bushing....
I was able to do it without removing the front lower tin and stuff.

I watched this video:



Link



That spring on the coupler was put there because of the rattling. The nose cone has a bushing that the trans shifter rod runs through... It gets worn and then rattles.

Here are some tips I learned doing my shift rod bushing....

1. Moving the rod forward is easy... just make sure you turn the rod CW. The gear shift elbow turns toward the passenger side.. Pointed downward.

2. When moving that first 2 inches look at the surface of the rod where it makes contact with the bushing.... Mine was pitted BAD! More on that later.

3. There is not going to be more than an inch of clearance from the end of the pushrod to the bushing housing... That's it.

4. Inspect the bushing housing to make sure it is still intact...From the rod moving in the metal of the housing because the absence of the bushing it can be really worn or even split. If that is the case you will have to replace the housing. Uggggg.

5. When you get the bushing in place that first 2 inches are going to be TIGHT.... The fella using the needle nose pliers, big ones and fussing with it it will finally go in... Grease it as you go along....Time consuming..

6. As the rod moves along, about the first foot it is going to hang up... That is where you need to be able to use a wire hook so you can raise the rod up like what the fella did in the video.

Here is a picture of the inside of the tunnel where the rod hangs up:

There is a crossmember and you can see about 1/2 of the shift rod and it is hanging on the crossmember.

Use the wire to raise the rod up to clear that crossmember.

You might have to turn the rod CCW a bit so the shifter elbow can clear whatever it is hitting, otherwise you will not be able to raise the rod enough to make it past the crossmember. This was the hardest thing for me to do...
I made my wire hook out of 8 ga copper wire.. A close hanger might work but the amount of pulling up might straighten it...

Once you have cleared the crossmember and the front obstacles things should go easy...

If you have any pitting you will need to sand and clean up the area that moves in the bushing when shifting....

I used 80 grit abrasive cloth that comes in a roll 1" wide.. You can sand it by looping it around the rod, turning the rod to make sure you get it smoothed out. Then you should sand it lengthwise so it slides easy in the bushing.

Clean the sanded area with brake cleaner and use regular bearing grease, non disc brake type...

I had to do this several times to get the rod to move smoothly through the bushing... It took me a couple of hrs to do it...

I could have just removed the front of the Super and pulled the rod out but my Super has Air Conditioning and the fans, plenum and condenser coils are up front.. Factory AC... Dealer installed.

I hope this helps you...

Jim
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69 Baja with a 1914...
72 Super 100% orig...W/ factory air... 56,000mi
Even the spare is original..

[Cusser]

I've used a needlenose Vise-Grip instead of plain needlenose pliers.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[Q-Dog]

I think autostick cars had a spring on the shift rod. At least I seem to remember it that way. I installed a spring on the shift rod of one of my cars to pull the shifter over to the 3-4 side. It made shifting from second to third a little quicker because the spring pulled the shifter over, making the 2-3 shift more of a straight push forward on the stick.
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Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[Cusser]

[Q-Dog]

I agree it is owner added, I'm just offering a couple of thoughts on why it may have been added.
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Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[airschooled]

The Haynes manual mentions the neutral gate spring for Auto Sticks here:

Of course, if it was a VW spring there would have been a clamp too.

A little history for the masses...... In the mid-70s acquisition of Audi, VW was eager to implement new technology in their existing lines. Some were quite successful (the water-cooled engine) and some were not so much (the spring-loaded neutral gates in later transaxles.) To appease the American market with an “easier shifter” VW did to their Type 2 and Type 4 (I think) cars what Q-Dog talks about above; they added a spring to make the 2-3 upshift easier. Of course, this was short-sighted from VW, as their cars have outlasted even the most well-lubricated shift bushings.

If your car has a Volkswagen or PO installed spring-loaded neutral gate, you can enjoy 2-3 upshifts without having to think about shifter position, then you can fight it going into first or second every time you need the lower gears...

The failure on VW’s part, in my opinion, comes when your shifter coupler, socket, bushing, or nosecone develop ANY slop or wear. With every millimeter of gearshift movement, the spring will take up the slop and wear, and not allow the hockey stick to select a gear in the transaxle until ALL the alop is taken up and THEN the shifter moves far enough to engage the gear. I have driven Volkswagens with such sloppy transaxle internals, that first and second gears were unobtainable until the nosecone was pulled and the spring removed.

Since none of this really affects the OP’s current situation, I’ll cut myself off. But for the history buffs out there, you’re welcome.....

Robbie
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[joey1320]

I did my shifter bushing and coupler last month on my '71 Super. Took less than an hour. I used hose pliers to move the rod forward. I also used a piece of 12 gauge wire to "hook" around the rod and keep it from falling into the tunnel. It was straightforward.
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1971 Super - Sold
1984 Puma GTC - Sold
1971 Campmobile

[volksworld]

thats a carb return spring rigged to the coupling....and the way they have it hooked up would cause the bolt to loosen, not prevent it from loosening...probably anti rattle or to help it go into gear with the bad shift rod bushing

[Maddel]

A bit off topic may be...

I'm in the course of changing the shift rod bushing.
Although I already removed the shift rod I'll give this bushing set a try:

Here are links to the product:

All German: http://kaefertuer.com/schaltstangenfuehrung-und-schraube/
Translated site using Google

All German: http://kaefertuer.com/produkt/schaltstangenfuehrung-2-teilig-vw-kaefer-inkl-versichertem-versand/
Translated site using Google

I already received the well fabricated kit but haven't installed it yet.
It looks much more solid than the stock style reproduction bushings...

I have no idea if they ship to the USA, and yes the kit is expensive (at first sight, give it a second thought)...

Edit:
To the OP... IMHO it's a good idea to remove the shift rod from the tunnel.
Then you have the chance to get surface rust off and entirely clean & grease it.
Bear in mind you have to push the shift rod all the way through the new one piece bushing to reinstall it.
A rusty shift rod will probably flaw your brand new bushing...

[Tim Donahoe]

Mad, that bushing looks very interesting.

I can't see how the bottom piece stays put, however.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[Maddel]

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[Cusser]

I've had my 1970 45 years now. I've had my 1971 41 years now. So in 86 years, I've had to replace the shift bushing exactly once each.

There's quite a few VW-related jobs I'd rate as a bigger pain, like putting on a clutch release lever return spring....
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[joey1320]

[Buggeee]

Does it matter which direction the crack is oriented on the stock style replacement bushing when it is installed?

I am looking forward to doing this job on not one, but two 72 Supers in my driveway so this is a really useful thread. Thank you!
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Big Time 1988 Vanagon Westy
Release the Krankenwagen! 1966 Sportsmobile Camper
Dr. Kompressor 72 Super Duper
61 Turkis Pile (adopted out)

[mukluk]