Pudding Stirrer?

[evilC]

I have a standard pudding stirrer shifter in the 1303 Super. The shift is so bad that the shift pattern looks like an intersection roundabout rather than an 'H' gate. The shift stick spins in its bearing that also makes life a little less positive and has the habit of unscrewing the ball knob as you try to make a sensible H pattern shift. This is all at standstill and I have yet to experience it on the road (won't be long though). The engine is a standard 1600tp at the moment that I don't intend to substitute (daughter going through the learner process) for a couple of years so I don't really want to pull the engine and tranny. Is there anything that I can do to crispen up the gear change at the shifter end in the interim? I have looked at the aftermarket shifters such as Empi, Gene Berg, CSP etc but all have a trigger for the reverse lock out that I don't like the principle of. (I will be using it for autotesting and road rallying where very quick forward/reverse selection is required and grabbing a trigger in the heat of the moment could be hit or miss and a bit painful!) The Bug@5speed shifter for the 901 box looks good with the spring loaded LH rail and that is the pattern that I would ultimately prefer. I am not adverse to fabricating something but if I can get the standard shifter to perform in the meantime that would be useful.
I am also aware of the cheap quick shift options but I don't want to fit that only to discover that all its done is reduce the basic aweful pattern but that its still there.

Thanks

Clive

[gonebuggy]

My suggestion is this. First, replace the shift coupling rubber (bugpack makes a nice urethane one) it comes with a new cage, but use your stock one. It's better. Replace your shift rod bushing. Clean your stock shifter and lube it well and re-install it with a "quick shift kit". It takes some time to get it shifting perfectly and crisply, but that's the case with any shifter. I find that putting it in the reverse position with a slight tension on the bolts. Try locking it down with the bolts in the midway position in the shifter base travel. Adjust as necessary.

You will notice a WORLD of difference, with little expense spared. If you decide to purchase or make a shifter down the line, you've lost a little money on the quick shift kit. The other stuff is maintenance and should be done regardless.

Alex

[evilC]

Thanks Alex, you have reinforced my first thoughts on the solution. If thats the way to go then:
1) Is it possible/advisable to replace the shift coupling with a universal (Hooke) joint? I'm not overly concerned with the vibration aspect.
2) I presume the quick shift kit will not stop the shift lever rotating? This I find quite irritating. Is there a defect in the shift rod that causes this to happen? Can it be repaired/modified?

Clive

[gonebuggy]

Originally Posted by evilC

Thanks Alex, you have reinforced my first thoughts on the solution. If thats the way to go then:
1) Is it possible/advisable to replace the shift coupling with a universal (Hooke) joint? I'm not overly concerned with the vibration aspect.
2) I presume the quick shift kit will not stop the shift lever rotating? This I find quite irritating. Is there a defect in the shift rod that causes this to happen? Can it be repaired/modified?

Clive

Clive,

I would not recommend a U-joint instead of the coupling. The coupling is there to help take some impact off of the tranny (input shaft or "hockey stick") good urethane bushings will be more than adequate

You are correct, the quick shift kit will not stop the shifter from rotating. To solve this, look at how a bus shifter works. It's almost identical to a bug one (besides length and throw reduction) but they use the same principle. The difference is, the ball that goes into the shift rod "cup" is pinned to prevent rotation. A bus shifter is long and angled, so it would be a nightmare to use if it rotated! I tried to find pics, but no luck. It's a relatively easy mod. Sorry for the poor description

Alex

[evilC]

Thanks Alex, your comments are appreciated.

The UJ idea was just an idle thought. My Hillman Imp was rear engined with a transaxle much in line with the VW one. It used a very tightly wound spring about 6" long with pressed in connectors at both ends that could take some flex but it gave a good poitive shift when new. The Hewland Mk9 gearbox (T1 case) is mostly controlled by UJs so it ought to be possible to do a bug one in the same manner but I have taken your advice and will be purchasing the coupling, bush and quickshift from our local emporium.

I thought there ought to be a pin to stop the rotation. I will have a look when I strip the shifter down. Your description was fine, I might persuade the VW spares place to let me study a bus shifter whilst I there. If I stop the rotation and add a qick shift then there is the possibility that the I can bend/entend the shifter to fall more readily to hand off the steering wheel.

Clive

Clive

[al_kaholik]

If my memory serves me correctly, the bug shifters have a sprung ballbearing either in the cup or on the ball to keep it straight and stop it spinning. Might be as simple as removing the grease, cleaning and regreasing it and it might work.

On the note of fitting a quickshift, mark the edges of the shifter first so that its easier to get back in place, both front, back and sides.

And with the shift bushes, get a genuine one for the rear, they are far superior. I binned my urethane one along with the red gearbox mounts. The front sleve and or clip are as far as I know ALWAYS out of stock at VWH (It reminds me to chase up where mine is...) Though not as fiddly as you'd think to fit.

Al

[evilC]

Thanks for your comments Al.

A quick update on my holidays - I sorted the shifter!:

I fitted an EMPI quick shift with a 5mm roll pin at the central axis of the ball i.e throught the shoulder of the Empi ball section. This pin projects forward through a slot I machined in the outer casing. Side to side movement causes the roll pin just to rotate in the slot and front to rear movement causes it to move up and down in the slot. With the pin at the central axis of the ball there is the minimum of movement to cope with. the small ball at the cup end only takes up the slack in the cup and doesn't (or shouldn't) sit in any groove.

I welded the stop plate up as the shoulder had started to split and then ground it smooth. Its now much more solid and shouldn't split again.

I changed the forward bush for a new one.

The rear shift bush I used the Empi urethane bushes into the VW cage, opened up the split steel pin so it was a proper interference fit in the shift rod and used a 6mm socket headed bolt through the steel pin. The original reason for using the VW cage is that the boss is much bigger than the Empi one, giving more threads for the grub screw to bite on. Secondly, and more importantly, the urethane bushes are a true (hand) press fit in the VW cage. To show the difference if you fit the VW bushes to the Empi cage then there is about 1/8" (3mm) of slack.

The gear lever stick is bent back and extended about 2" (50mm) with a snooker ball as gear shift ball!

All up this is now a sensational shifter!!!!!!!! It is SO positive it reminds me of a rose jointed racing change. Setting it up was a doddle and it falls readily to hand straight off the steering wheel without the original stretch. I can't recommend the final product more highly. All of this is initial impressions however, and once its been in use for a bit I will report back. For the overall cost of the mods I can't see why I should invest in an aftermarket shifter????

Clive.