# Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace???????



## matt86golf (Mar 4, 2002)

Hello, I have 5-spd shifter wabble. I saw on here that I need to replace some bushings and it will cost about $35. So I went to the dealer and they didn't know what I was talking about. Can someone please help me be more specific. THanks a bunch.


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## A1Rocco (Oct 6, 2001)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (matt86golf)*

If shifter "wabble" is anything like the shifter "wobble" I have then you can probably fix it with a shift linkage bushing replacement kit for the 020 tranny in an A2 car.








You know "wabble" and "Pupmits" are great names for dogs.









[Modified by A1Rocco, 3:45 AM 3-27-2002]


[Modified by A1Rocco, 3:46 AM 3-27-2002]


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## vwgolfmk4 (Sep 26, 2001)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (A1Rocco)*

I had the same thing...Go to Techtonics and get the whole shift linkage replacement kit...Its like $100 but its so worth it....Its like a brand new shift linkage.


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## matt86golf (Mar 4, 2002)

*Re: Shifter wobble....what part do I need to replace??????? (vwgolfmk4)*

thanks for the help. I only paid $800 for my car so I"m not sure I should spend $100 on the shift linkage. Any other ideas?
Hey vwgolfmk4, I use to street race on the gandy bridge every saturday night







Had some crazy times down there. Lotsa fun. I had a red 3000GT with black rims. 


[Modified by matt86golf, 5:38 AM 3-27-2002]


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## veritas137 (Jul 24, 2001)

*Re: Shifter wobble....what part do I need to replace??????? (matt86golf)*

Got the same problem on my cabby. I picked up a shift bushing kit on ebay for $15. We'll see how it comes out.
Tim


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## phildo (Jul 23, 1999)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (matt86golf)*

You can get the replacement bushings for around $35-50 and this will eliminate the play in your shift linkage. To do the job right, you will have to drop the exhaust to get to the shifter box. I recommend you have a helper when you put everything back in, because you will have to re-align the shifter and it is kind of trial-and-error.
I recommend that you also rebuild the shifter lever at this time as well, since you'll have the box out. This is a plastic ball, a housing, a plate and a spring. You can get a kit with all of these parts.
Make sure you use white lithium grease on all of the bushings and wear surfaces.
For your replacement parts, I recommend Dieselgeek - contact [email protected] or http://www.dieselgeek.com for more information.
If you are interested, this is the perfect time to install a short-shift kit. You can get a kit for much less than $100. Contact David at [email protected] for this kit. A word of warning, though. Short-shoft kits can be tricky to get tweaked right unless your entire shift mechanism is perfectly aligned.
If you don't want to go to all of this trouble, you can replace *most* of he bushings under the hood, which should improve your shifting quite a bit. The exception to this are the two bushings on the long rod underneath the car - you have to drop the shifter box to get to those.
In case you are wondering, I just got done doing this exact job on my '91 Golf. I hope I don't have to do it again for a while








Regards,


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## matt86golf (Mar 4, 2002)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (phildo)*

Phil, that sounds good. Thanks a lot. This is my beater so there is no need for a short shifter







I'm just trying to keep it in tip top shape mechanically. Thanks again.
Matt


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## a1jettagli (Sep 14, 2000)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (phildo)*

*you have to drop the shifter box to get to those.*

whats a shifter box? is that kinda like a transmission?


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## phildo (Jul 23, 1999)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (a1jettagli)*

The shifter box is a metal box that bolts to the body from the underside of the car. You have to drop the exhaust to get it out. Your shift lever mounts in it, where it connects to the the shifter rod which goes through it (there is a bushing there).
I also recommend investing in a Benyley manual.


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## Frankulie (Jul 17, 2001)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (phildo)*

No no no...tst tst tst
...or







you can remove the shift knob and
boot, (i also had to remove the black tubing covering the shaft)
and remove the circlip holding the shaft to the whole ball mecanism
thingy. You can do all of this from inside the car. 
By the way, the spring is compressed against it so it WILL try to pop out.
Now ,if you remove the bolt (under the car) holding the shift lever to the long
link (along the xhaust) the shift lever will slide down and you can remove the
'ball' bracket & shift plate from inside the car......ouf.
I may be way off, but if you detach the shift lever from the shift link, and you 
remove the bolts holding the shift plate in the car, can't you just pull out the 
whole thing ?
I haven't touched it in a while...


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## phildo (Jul 23, 1999)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (Frankulie)*

I don't think you are describing the right procedure. It sounds like a different setup. In my car, the shift rod has a hook around the shift lever, and you can only lift it off. You do have to remove the shift boot inside. 
Here is a pic: http://home.houston.rr.com/hydezoo/phil/vw/A2shiftmec.gif
Dropping the exhaust is actually removing the 3-bolt flange at the cat, and also the heat shield. This didn't take very long, and makes it much easier to get everything out (provided your cat bolts are not totally rusted - mine came loose fairly easily after brushing away the rust and a squirt with liquid wrench). 
The problem is getting the shift rod back far enough to come out of the front bushing. I don't think you can do this with it in the car, because it is prevented from rotating downward by the steering rack.
The shifter rod is held into a cup at the bottom of the box by a metal retainer. "Up" is the only way to get both pieces out.
I'm sure this isn't the only way people have figured out how to do this, but it is the most comprehensive, and it's the method described in the Bentley (if you're following along).


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## Frankulie (Jul 17, 2001)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (phildo)*

You are right !
I have an A1...
i assumed the A2 were similar


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## phildo (Jul 23, 1999)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (Frankulie)*

Yeah, his is an 86 I believe.


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## matt86golf (Mar 4, 2002)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (phildo)*

Thanks guys








Here is another question for you. My shift knob is held on by JB Weld (long story). Is this going to give me any problems? Oh, yes mine is an 86.
Also, if you have a few extra minutes could you please tell me which #'s from that picture I need to replace? That is the same picture the dealer let me bring home








THanks,
Matt


[Modified by matt86golf, 3:02 PM 3-28-2002]


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## BookerDog (Dec 11, 2000)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (matt86golf)*

Really, to fix most of the wobble, you won't do anthing with the in car shift mechanism. I agree it's a good idea to do it, but it is a real PITA because you do have to drop the shift box, which means removing the middle pipe of the exhaust and the heat shield.
So, just buy the linkage bushings, trust me, this will fix most of your problem. You'll be replacing parts like 18, 13, 40, 5, 35. Be sure to check that the plastic end caps on part 33 and 40 are in good shape and not cracked. Also there's a plastic golfball looking thing attached to part 12 that you need to check the condition of.
The shaft bushing, 20, can probably stand to be replaced, but I wasn't ever able to get the old one out without dropping the shift mechanism. 
I'd recommend going to the Adirondack site www.germanautoparts.com and buying the stuff you need there. If you select your car, and then transmissions, you'll have two places you need to look. 
First: Shift Repair Kits. You'll only need the shift bushing kit, which runs $6.50.
Then you'll need to go to the Shift Linkage Parts. If any of those plastic caps (Parts 33 or 40) are busted or worn, you'll want to get those. They have the short one for $1 and the longer one for $2.50. Heck, I'd probably replace these anyway because they're so cheap. If your plastic golf ball looking thing is trashed, then you have to buy the the whole rod which runs $29. It's probably OK though.
So, if you don't have to replace the relay lever, you're looking at $10 in parts. Very cheap, and pretty easy to do, other than the time you'll take getting the shift lever re adjusted. Do yourself a favor and put the car in reverse before you start and don't take it out of gear. It's the easiest to reajust to, IMHO.


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## phildo (Jul 23, 1999)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (BookerDog)*

BookerDog - how do you replace the golfball without dropping the shifter box? It is held in by a pin, and I don't see how you can get that out with the lever still in the box.
My golfball was fine, however someone before me put some kind of funky teflon-based grease in there which gummed everything up. My recommendation, stick with plain ol white lithium.


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## BookerDog (Dec 11, 2000)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (phildo)*

I'm talking about the golfball on the relay lever, not the one at the bottom of the shift lever. You know, this one:








I don't feel bad about using Adirondack's picture because I recommended purchasing from them.


[Modified by BookerDog, 1:23 PM 3-28-2002]


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## phildo (Jul 23, 1999)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (BookerDog)*

OK, yeah duh.... You mean THAT one...








When I replaced that part, I got a square bushing instead that fits better in the bracket.


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## Numbersix (Nov 7, 2001)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (phildo)*

Techtonics sells a shifter alignment tool for A2's which is $12 IIRC. Works great. 
Buy the entire linkage repair/rebuild kit if you plan on keeping the car. There's really little else which will band-aid the worn parts.


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## axelbaker (Dec 30, 2001)

*Re: Shifter wabble....what part do I need to replace??????? (matt86golf)*

If you have a pick-n-pull in the area go and find one the peice of the shifter linkage in the pic bookerdog posted. It should cost $10 used vs $50 at the dealer.
Also you should be able to get a set of bushings for $10 from the dealer, ask for part number # 191 798 211A


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## voltron1011 (Dec 6, 2003)

*Re: Shifter wobble....what part do I need to replace??????? (matt86golf)*


_Quote, originally posted by *matt86golf* »_thanks for the help. I only paid $800 for my car so I"m not sure I should spend $100 on the shift linkage. Any other ideas?
[Modified by matt86golf, 5:38 AM 3-27-2002]

I know... I paid 300 bux for mine


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## 420mph (Nov 10, 2003)

*Re: Shifter wobble....what part do I need to replace??????? (voltron1011)*

ok, here you go.... some good stuffs.....
http://www.thepaty.plus.com/8v...e.htm








Complete rebuild from http://www.germanautoparts.com $50.

Also, if it's bouncing back and forth while you're driving, it could be a bad rear motor mount.....
http://www.thepaty.plus.com/8v...s.htm
basicaly.... http://www.thepaty.plus.com http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## mongboy (May 18, 2004)

try this site
http://www.oxfordshirevwoc.co.uk/gearstick_fix.htm


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