gear linkage adjustment

[RamG60 0]

is the any adjustment to the gear linkage? Just replaced my entire gear linkage to standard from a B and M as couldnt select reverse or ist easily. Have to push down and left and be acurate to get 1st gear. Any ideas would be really appreciated.Regards

[Ice White Socks 0]

Its a question I have never really seen answered on here TBH (other than using trial and error on the linkage cables). There is a special tool shown in the Bently manual but I have never heard of anyone having one.

 

It IS adjustable and its also a two minute job. Stealth did mine and it made a big difference. Plus I remember something about there needing to be a 'c' ring on the left of the linkage assembly under the gearstick- some people are missing this which has caused them problems.

 

HTH- Mike

[davidwort 0]

Passat manual pages

 

not that detailed, but gives instructions for basic setting, the VW tools clamp over the gear lever parts and selector unit and allow for precise settings, all the engine mounts and wear on all the gearshift components make for a more notchy, vague and sometimes difficult change.

If you fiddle with the bolts at the gearlever end you'll struggle top get it right again without the VW tools, generally you can make the adjustments you need from the two 13mm nuts holding the cables onto the selector unit at the gearbox end, just make sure it goes straight ahead into 3rd with no side force needed.

 

part no. 19 is the circlip that can go AWOL

 

and post 91 cars have a shift weight and slightly redesigned shift tower, basically the same system though.

[RamG60 0]

thanks very much, that info should do the trick. I have all new fitted yesterday gear components, lever, clips etc and still was had the same issue. At present I have no reverse and acidently parked in a space today to grab something from the shop and had to get help from locals to push me back! Did I feel like a a twat!! Thanks for this, will have a look in a bit.

[bighairymuppet 0]

keep us posted my shifter a bit to the left and i need to adjust it myself.

[RamG60 0]

had a look and still a bit miffed.... Am going to a friend to investigate as I still dont have reverse and first you have to push down to select 1st! Will update my findings... Likewise, if you find out how, please let me / us know. Ta

[Kevin Bacon 5]

OK, here's the deal people.... and I'm going to stick it.

 

Backward and forward travel

 

This is adjusted on the gearbox selector. There are two cables. An upper and a lower. The lower one is fixed and the upper one is adjustable. 13mm spanner.

 

Left and right travel

 

This is adjusted at the gearstick end under the gaiter.

 

The object of the adjustment is to get the left, right, forward and backward planes all equal in travel.

 

A common issue is when the lever has more travel to the left, which makes engaging 5th difficult, or has more travel to the right, making 1st and reverse difficult to engage. Make sense?

 

9 times out of 10, the backward and forward planes are OK, but to check, just make sure you can select all the gears to start with. If you can, it's the left / right planes that need adjusting.

 

So....

 

1) Pop the shift into neutral and slacken the aforementioned 13mm nut on the top cable on the gearbox.

 

2) Lift up the gaiter and look at the sprung mechanism in front of the OBD port. Flick the stick left to right to see it in action. It has a 13mm nut on it and stiff spring, it's pretty easy to spot tbh.

 

3) Hold the stick firmly and slacken the nut.

 

4) Now....this is the critical part.....you need to make sure the gear stick travel is the same in both directions (left and right) and then retighten the nut.

In other words, the 'day light' gap between the moving parts should be equal at the limit of the stick's travel - on both sides. It's difficult to explain and I can't take pics (yet) as my car is at Stealth.

You should see what I mean when you start playing with it.

 

On David's picture above, parts 7, 8, 13 and 17 are the fellas I'm on about.

 

5) When you're happy the left and right planes are equal in travel, retighten the 13mm nut on the gearbox.

 

Job done. Take out and road test.

 

If it's still bad, check the shift lever isn't missing it's hinge circlip.

[Taggart 0]

Cheers wiyah, it might solve my reverse/first problems.

[RamG60 0]

A sense of confidence reading your reply, I will give it a try.... Thankyou for the precise solution. Ramg60

[RamG60 0]

one word.... legend - all sorted

[A-J 0]

Cheer's for that, I'll put this on my to do list.

[sim0n_parker 0]

mines ok, just sometimes it feals abit stiff going into first, like if im sitting at the lights go to put it in first to pull of and ill have to give it more force then i usally do to get it in, but othertimes its not a problem,

 

simon

[zax 0]

Well i've been reading and reading...

 

Left and right travel is fine, it's putting it into 2nd and 3rd that seems stiff. Is this something that i need to adjust at the gearbox end (from reading the above article) or am I looking at a completely different problem?

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

[CazzaVR 0]

4) Now....this is the critical part.....you need to make sure the gear stick travel is the same in both directions (left and right) and then retighten the nut.

In other words, the 'day light' gap between the moving parts should be equal at the limit of the stick's travel - on both sides. It's difficult to explain and I can't take pics (yet) as my car is at Stealth.

You should see what I mean when you start playing with it.

 

Any pics of this , Kev? My 1st, 2nd and reverse are a little sticky occasionally- I'm pretty sure they just need a slight 'tweek' to smooth them out.

[adamukcorrado 0]

My gear box is really vague (although all gears can be found correctly - theres just a lot of play)

 

The linkage on top of the gear box is all very rusty and all the joins have a lot of play, is there a kit you can buy to replace the worn washers & bolts etc? or is it a case of trying to get all the little bits seperately? if so any ideas what the part numbers may be?

[mattkh 0]

My gear box is really vague (although all gears can be found correctly - theres just a lot of play) The linkage on top of the gear box is all very rusty and all the joins have a lot of play,

Hi

Can you put up a picture of the linkages on top of the gearbox.

[adamukcorrado 0]

will do tomorrow if it ever stops raining!

[kop10320178 0]

i have the same problem with lots of play (front & back), i stripped mine down and there is a plastic/rubber bush that fits in the end of the cable that attaches to the gear stick shaft, mine has fell to bits, vw can not replace this on its own but you have to replace the cable £90 which includes the new bushes

jay

[steveo29 0]

i might have a used bush if you want to cover posty....i replaced mine with a nylon one

[adamukcorrado 0]

Yeah i'll take your spare bush, certainly worth a try, PM me your details and i'll paypal you the money.

[CazzaVR 0]

Some pics of what actually needs to be adjusted would be much appreciated- just can't get my head around it really, and absolutely don't want to balls it up :?

[steveo29 0]

davids post on page one with the pics explains it ...you wont louse it up its pretty easy tbh

[steveo29 0]

right a couple of members asked about my nylon bush for the cable end

 

i had it made by a guy on some other forum to my drawings...it needed a slight fettle with a dremel to make it fit and improved the feel no end

 

who else is intrested ?

 

ive asked for a price ..not sure if he will deal with individuals or i can be the middle man

[steveo29 0]

okay they guy that made the cable end has agreed to make some more...you can deal with him direct

 

ive started a thread here with contact info and some fitting tips from david

 

viewtopic.php?f=25&t=66959

[adamukcorrado 0]

I have sorted my gear box by greasing the linkages on the top of the box (should of thought of doing that sooner really!) and tightening the bolt at the end of the cable- it had come loose - hence the vague feeling previously,

 

I have also fitted a nylon bush made by a chap on here, which has greatly improved the whole feel of the box.

 

All really cheap / free fixes! :clap: