Replacing Front Rod Bushing - Gearshift

[wagohn]

Hello,
Our bus finds all gear relatively easily but today I noticed the front nylon bushing is missing for the gearshift. I have researched and see topics on replacing this bush and all others on the rod. Is there a way to replace the bushing for just the pictured area without removing the rod? Seems that it would be doable to fit a bushing given the space available. Any ideas?
Thanks.

_________________
1976 VW Transporter, 2.0 FI Engine

[cmonSTART]

You won't be able to cram the bushing in with the rod in place, and honestly it's so easy to do you shouldn't have to. On my 78 IIRC I just had to remove the shifter and then loosen a pinch bolt a couple feet back from there and the whole thing slides back. New bushing in and then reset everything.
_________________
'78 Bus 2.0FI
de K1IGS

[wagohn]

[cmonSTART]

I tried it once - really doesn't work.

Didn't for me anyway.
_________________
'78 Bus 2.0FI
de K1IGS

[aeromech]

You’ll spend more time agonizing over this than it will take to do the job

1) Remove the gear shifter
2) go aft about 3 feet and remove the grub screw
3) slide the forward shift rob forward to separate from the rear rod
4) snake the forward rod away from the bus
5) install the new forward bushing and lube it
6) clean up the forward shift rod/paint
7) slide the forward shift rod up into place.
reinstall the grub screw
9) reinstall the gear shifter and adjust
10) before you do #9 clean and lube the shifter
11) adjust the gearshift per the book

You’ll find that your driving experience will be much better
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[wagohn]

Thanks all. I will wait until I have more time cycles to redo the full process as described.
_________________
1976 VW Transporter, 2.0 FI Engine

[Wildthings]

When I lost the front bushing on the road, I took some plastic sheet, probably just a cut up oil or antifreeze jug and wrapped it around the rod, pushed it through the hole, and held it in place with zip ties. Lasted way longer than the previous low quality bushing had.

[wagohn]

[Wildthings]

[rottenkid]

I read one where that you can use plywood for a bushing. You attach it to the front side and the plywood should last for years. I can not find the site I viewed that on.

[LeeE]

for some reason the PO of my Bus hammered and bent the metal around the bushing hole enough that a new bushing would not stay in place.
I used a short piece of thick-wall PVC pipe, same ID as the OD of the shift rod, and held it in place with a hose clamp on each side of the hole. It's been there for over 12 years, works fine.
_________________
1978 Westfalia stock 2.0 FI
Welcome to the Okeedokee Swamp

[wagohn]

Thanks all.
_________________
1976 VW Transporter, 2.0 FI Engine

[Wildthings]

[onehappykombi]

[aeromech]

Of course you understand that the OP has the later style shift rod with a different bushing than yours.

So, let me ask. Did you remove the old bushing from the tip of your shift rod and then install the new bushing in its place?

Before you install and tighten the grub screw that connects the front and rear shift rods were you able to slide the forward rod forward and aft on the pin?
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[onehappykombi]

[aeromech]

Are you sure you installed the correct bushing? I’ve done this several times and never had a problem

https://socalautoparts.com/product/shift-rod-bushing-bus-front-of-front-shift-rod-2/
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[airschooled]

On early bays, the bushing has some small “teeth” that need to clip in to ensure complete installation. Often the old bushing comes out in pieces, leaving dirt or small pieces of the old bushing behind. If you don’t get the old bushing 100% out, it could cause the new bushing to jam.

New bushings also come with some much casting flash on them, called sprue in the plastics world, that they must be trimmed/sanded down to fit inside the tube well. Even a properly made bushing still takes some force to install. I typically put the bushing on a clean smooth section of concrete, and set the rod on top. One good boo with a rubber mallet on the shift rod should set it just fine.

Robbie
_________________
Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com

[onehappykombi]

[aeromech]

That will be difficult without destroying your new bushing. Might try using a drill bit to ream the hole
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound