While doing a lot of other maintenance on my L Bug, I decided to replace the shift rod bush. I have already done it a while ago (probably about 15 years ago), and figured it could be one of the small rattles I now have.

I removed the shift rod (the old bush was OK by the way - go figure) and I noticed that the shift rod has small bends in it (see photo).

Is this normal?

Is this a problem?

Should I straighten it out befor I re-install it?

bends are normal

thats odd? in type 3s they are dead straight.

Some have a very slight dog leg in the middle some don't.

I've never actually pulled any of my Lbug ones right out of the tunnel to check but the couple of Sbugs I've stripped have been straight as a die.
Lbugs have a shorter rod though

Thanks for the replies.

I couldn't see how it would have got bent, and figured it must have always been like that.

I also figured that the bends (being relatively minor) wouldn't make any difference to the shift.

If I hadn't asked, I would have left them in - if it aint broke, don't fix it.

It was quite easy to remove - the only trick was the plate on the front of the tunnel isn't exactly a plate - it is more of a big brace? (for want of a better term) See pictures.

If I could get the damned thing out I could check the one I have here Jeff, I know it is taken out through the front, but where at the front?


Aha, so you answered my question while I was trying to do just that.

It's just a crash deformation plate and is an ass to get out if the sway bar is still in place.

Mine wasn't too bad. I had to wiggle it around a bit, but only took a minute I reckon.

Just about to go and try and get it all back in again.

Thanks Lee, the last person who told me to get my body off was........oh never mind, best not to go there.

I was actually looking for a small round plate. It took me a little while to realise it was the whole piece.

You could put the bush over the shaft, but then you wouldn't be able to get it into the hole in the bracket.

In the L bug, the tunnel is long enough to be able to slide the rod completely out of the bush before it comes out the front, so you could still do it without removing the front panel. I still wanted to take it out and check it. It had a lot of surface rust (or dust in the coat of grease I put on it last time - 15 years ago I think - I will have to check my records), so I wanted to clean that off. I remember when I replaced the bush last time, the shift was getting VERY stiff - it was just that the rod needed lubrication. Made a hell of a difference.

Here is a photo of the 2 shift rod bushes - the 'yellow' one is the old one. I have taken the metal ring off it and installed it on the new one, but it still looks to be in great nick. Now that I have gone this far, I will replace it of course.

Jeff
I also noticed Your rear suspension needs a coat of paint...

Yellow or Blue would be nice...

or silver green hammertone.... would look great...

and the axles too.....

Killrust..

LEE

Exactly correct Smiley. There is no way the bush would have gone through the hole with the shift rod already through it. It needs to compress untill it gets to the groove for the bracket.

I don't know about earlier bugs, but in the L bug, it is a breeze to get the shift rod in and out I reckon. I just fed it along each way with a pair of long nose pliers. I had to jiggle it a few times, but still only took me about a minute each way.

It is even quicker if you tie a piece of string through the gearbox end of the shift rod before you take it out. You then just need to pull it back through using the string. Make sure you lube it well before you thread it back through the bushing. When I did the 68, it was slightly bent but the S bug was straight. I gave them both a good sand to clear off all of the old grease and gunk build up and they work well now.

Yogie

OK GUYS

Now I know....

thanks for that... and I'll try the string trick too...

Lee

good advise from yogie. sand or if you can wire buff the rod before putting them back in makes it easy and plenty of grease.

I didn't sand the shift rod, but i did give it a hit with Mothers Mag wheel cleaner - came up great. I re-coated it with graphite grease before I re-installed it.

I think rounding up some string and tying it on would take a lot longer than just feeding the shift rod along with pointy nose pliers. I had read about the string idea on Joels 'how to' thread, that is why I thought it must be harder to do on other models. I can't see it being at all necessary on my L bug.

yeah I just pushed it through. All in all it should only be a 30min job at most.

I was 14 when I did my first shift rod bush. i just read the workshop manual and did it first go

Thats all I did the first time, then again this time. It was very simple, that's why I wondered if some of the earlier models were harder to do.

It's the exact same process whether it's a standard or a super, only difference is the standards need the inspection plate on the frame head removed first, the rod hits these before its out of the hanger.

All explained in my howto thread.

Lee, the bushing is pretty well a tolerance fit, that's how it works by keeping the rod in the one spot and letting it spin in the hanger rather than flop around, if the bushing just slipped into the hanger with the rod still in it would fall out the first time you changed gear.

When I replaced the bushing the first time 9 years ago I didnt use a string or anything, and it was a f##king nightmare trying to feed it back through, kept getting hooked up on all the conduits for heater, handbrake and clutch cables.


Alien8 came up with a good idea of using migwire instead of string, the thinner it is the better it works