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3 shift linkage upgrades, my installation/driving impressions (long)
Thanks Larry. I guess I was hallucinaling when I drove the Mk I. Why on
earth would anyone comment on anything to this list in the current climate?
I'm sure as hell glad I didn't just get my car, it would remain in an
unfinished heap, cause I'd be afraid to say anything.
Cathy
since it only got the solid links. What I took out was in good shape too.
On 11:32 pm 08/09/06 "LEF" <rocco16@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> Spherical rod end linkage is very little improvement over new stock
> plastic ball-in-socket pivots, since there is little/no play in the
> stock setup.
>
> The biggest improvement in the shift linkage comes from putting
> solid, low-tolerance bushings everywhere you can replace the stock
> polyurethane units, which quickly go south from oil/heat.
>
> I put the complete MissingLinkz kit on mine (minus the weighted
> link) and found the above to be true.
>
> larry
> sandiego16v
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Ben
> To: roccit_53@scirocco.cs.uoguelph.ca ; scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 9:36 AM
> Subject: Re: 3 shift linkage upgrades,my installation/driving
> impressions (long)
>
>
> This sounds great Cathy... I've been wanting to upgrade the shift
> linkage in my Mk1 again and could use some advice. Sounds like
> the 'Scott Rose' setup was the best... maybe Scott could tell us some
> more about this setup... I recall hearing about it, but never heard
> the details.
>
> You might have to take some pictures for us... or better yet I'll
> just crawl under your car in a few weeks at track day north. ;)
>
> Thanks for your report!
>
> Ben
>
>
>
> --- C Boyko wrote:
>
> > DISCLAIMER: This is just opinion, nothing else. But for those
> > thinking of building linkage parts, or buying an aftermarket
> > setup, it may be helpful.
> > So...I've been mucking with linkages on three A1s in the past
> > few days, I'll give before and after impressions.
> > Before:
> > 1987 16V: This car had the linkage upgraded five years or so
> > ago, with fresh bushings and a TT short shift kit. It's never
> > shifted nicely, though I've spent more than my share of time
> > undoing that clamp and adjusting the rotation of the shift rod.
> > The bearing on this rod was tired, so replacing it was needed.
> > Lots of left/right play on the gear shifter (like 1-2"?). 1979
> > MkI: This car always shifted really well, so why not mess with
> > it? I'd say it was about as good as you could get for stock. 1988
> Cabby: I'd installed the majority of a bushing rebuild kit a year
> > ago, and it was still really floppy at the stick. Like 2" of
> > side to side play. More inspection revealed that the shift rod
> > bearing was looking like any 20 year old rubber would when it
> > lives beside the exhaust. Fragmented, even.
> > So, the upgrades: (using Bentley terminology)
> > 1987 16V: It got the Scott Rose linkage, which requires sending
> > in a core. Position of the joint on the selector shaft lever
> > (the bent flat piece on the tranny) is lower than the stock
> > position, and the other two selector rods come already attached
> > to the L shaped relay lever. Also, the rear selector rod is
> > lacking the kink that you'd find in the stock one.
> > Anyway, as always, working under the 16V is a greasebath, but
> > it all went in fine, I did need to add a few bushings, so it's
> > wise to have a normal linkage rebuild kit on hand. This setup
> > is totally solid, with (sp?) heim joints that bolt though the
> > various holes on linkage parts. It's also completely
> > adjustable, I set it up with lengths similar to what was in
> > there (and I think I need to skightly lengthen the back one). I
> also replaced the shift rod bearing with the high density urethane
> > one from Missing Linkz/4 crawler. It requires removal of the
> > bracket, but it was super easy to do. Adjustment with a
> > cassette case to measure shift finger clearance worked well,
> > and the first drive was good enough to leave alone. Second gear
> > is a bit tough to find in rapid shifting, so it will get
> > adjusted today. In combination with the TT short shsift kit set
> up on "shortest", it's such a short distance to reach the gears that
> > you can't believe it's actually in gear. It takes one drive to
> > get used to. The only two drawbacks are cost, and the fact that
> > you need to get under the car to adjust it, as the selector rod
> > ends are not "snap on/off". I can live with that :) It is the
> > most solid feeling of these three, and has finally cured what
> > ailed this car's shifting.
> > 1979 8V: Klausie gets the less expensive version of everything, it
> > seems, and he got the Missing Linkz/4 Crawler selector rods and
> > their short shift add-on. This last bit would be easy to fab
> > up, or you could simply weld a chunk of metal on there, but it
> > wasn't huge money, and I knew I'd never get around to it
> > otherwise. They suggest not putting it at full short right off
> the bat, but what's the point of that? For this whole
> > installation/adjustment, I never lifted the car, how's that for
> lazy? This setup has joints which are "pop-on/off" deals, and
> > threads on the rod ends for adjustability. I adjusted it to the
> > same lengths as what was there, with the short shift part at
> full short, and went for a drive. I was missing 1/2 gears entirely.
> > This would normally mean crawling under the car, but a
> > significant legthening of the rear selector rod found them for
> me, again, done from topside. For the money, this is a nice upgrade,
> > shifting is firmer and shorter, more positive, and I really
> > like it! (not as firm/short as the Scott Rose one, but less
> money too eh?) This car got no additional bushings. The only
> > downside is that the engine is friggin hot on the arms when you're
> > adjusting it :)
> > I'm wondering if replacing just the top connecting link (the
> > one with the pins through it) would do quite a bit to clean up
> > shifting.
> > 1988 Cabby: I replaced the shift rod bearing with the Missing
> > Linkz urethane one, and I noticed that the relay lever (that L
> > shaped thing with the balls on it) was wobbly, the bushings in
> > it were shot, so they got replaced. The slop is somewhat
> > better, but there's still somthing floppy here. It finds gears
> > okay, so for now, it'll stay as is.
> > The summary?
> > 1987 16V: TT short shifter, new bushings/bearings/Scott Rose
> > setup = goodest :O
> >
> > 1979 8V: stock with Missing Linkz short shift attachment and
> > "solid" linkage = still pretty damn good :D
> >
> > 1988 cabby with new bushings/bearings = good enough... :)
> >
> > Oh, I have pictures of the various bits....
> >
> > Cathy
> >
> >
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>
>
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