Shift Rod Bushing

[Al Greig]

Wondering if anyone has replaced the shift bushing on VW based TD’s. The shift rod has a socket which engages the shift lever. There is is not enough clearance for this socket to pass beyond the tubes that come out of the EM brake location, 2 for brakes and one for heater. On a normal VW, the socket is located forward of the EM brake so clearance is not an issue and the shift rod can be extracted to replace the bushing.

Al Greig

[Toller]

Only solution that worked for me was removing back of seat to remove inspection plate to access rod coupler. Removed coupler and pulled out shift rod. Installed bushing on rod bracket and then maneuvered the entire assembly back through access hole. Only real challenge was supporting rod in tunnel in order to line up bushing bracket with bolts for shifter plate. Used a combination of longer metric bolts with head cut off and wire through hole that shifter is mounted on to lift the bracket and end off the shift rod up into place. The longer metric bolts/rod has to be at least 5” long in order to reach to bottom of tunnel.

David B Dixon
Port Perry ON CA
Sabine

[edward ericson]

On mine I had to pull the shift rod out through the front of the tunnel.

If the trouble is only the cable tubes for the brakes and such, the way forward is to use a pry bar to bend them away from the cup.

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