Hi all. I saw a post on the Europe VW Syncro site. That shifter rod joint and the spline has been a constant source of annoyance for me ever since my gearbox rebuild and I know Hart is also frustrated at not being able to get it right in the Tristar for smooth shifting. The post included a link to a website of someone making new modified ones. They sell just the front rod or the whole lot.
Check out the web site. Would appreciate views. It’s not cheap but as someone once said “what price happiness”.
Peter
Hi Peter,
Sorry to learn you both still have unresolved gearshift issues.
Rudi and I discussed this very thing when I had my syncro at his place last October for a transaxle rebuild. He stated that his preference was to have the customers van at his place, not just the transaxle. Meaning it gave him the opportunity to reinstall the transaxle after a rebuild AND test drive/fine tune the gearshift prior to the van leaving, so as to avoid customer having issues as you have stated.
So in my case, Rudi took the opportunity to do exactly that, resulting in my gear change being as good as or better than before.
Assuming all components of the gear change from front to back are in good condition on both vehicles, then I’d suspect if no one else has been able to fine tune the gearshift so far, it might be cheaper and easier to take a run up to Bribie on your next trip away and have Rudi tackle it.
I say that because, even if you replace the entire gear change components, you still have the same problem of fine tuning the shift into all gears that you are still sorely missing. Good luck.
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The linkage looks well made, and the center adjuster looks much more user friendly than the factor spline. I can see if the rod is worn, it will mean new bushes will not help. You could just make bushes to take up the wear though.
Ken, my shifter is all in very good condition, but the center spline has a few marks in it from the clamp, making it very difficult to put into the exact position. The solution on these looks nice and will make for easier, more accurate adjustments
Richard
Hi Richard,
It’s not just the centre spline that Rudi fine tunes.
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Understand Ken, there are a lot of parts to get right.
I just recall from refurbishing mine, the center spline was the only part that made getting it perfect difficult!
Richard
That’s one adjustment point I’ve never had to … nor never wanted to … mess with. Works for me!
Where’s the fine not messing with things!!
I see the same company makes a complete assembly for the gear leaver also. Looks very nice. I never gor a rebuild kit for all the bushes there in mine as everything is still very good. The factory setup does not look prone to wear. I wonder how many miles are on vans that have this part worn out?
Richard
Richard,
Agreed, the only wear items I’ve seen in the whole gear linkage rod are the two rubbery fingers at the front end plus the rubber boots/bellows. Period. The rest is BS, just about fearmongering by parts sellers to ramp up sales.
One of the rubber bellows I found disintegrated, but sadly NLA … is part # 251711184C.
Been mulling over what other part might be able to be utilised/adapted.
I guess if the boots at the back fail and left unmaintained the rod itself will eventually wear.
I used this for the boot at the front
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8865359
Not perfect, but helps
I have recently had an issue with the lube in the sleeve where the shift rod goes through next to the gearbox as I put new boots on and didnt lube it enough.
When it gets hot it gets harder to shift.
I have been slowly making it better by squirting in some lanolin in to the boot and then moving the shift rod along and back to ensure everything is coated.
After about a year now it shifts perfectly.
When the boots were old and cracked or missing, I didnt have this problem - only new boots brought this issue out.
Hhhhmmmm … we need a show and tell on this one.
For me, first cleaning out all the crap (due to busted rubbers) of all working components of the gear shift rod, followed by a light lube then cover all with new rubbers to keep out the next lot of crap … has worked well for years ever since.
Amazing the difference I experience between when the lube has dried out compared to a fresh injection of lube. Shifts so easy once lubed.
Wear of gear shift rods and linkages is going to be an interesting problem for us all as we put on the Ks.
I have a wonderful 2WD C type Caravelle, which I have owned for about 27 years.
It now has more than 440,000 Ks on it.
It goes like a scalded cat compared to the Syncros.
But not as breathtaking as the Bergmeister.
Mark Hammond rebuilt the engine and had the gear box rebuilt before we both retired, and since then it has not done many Ks. It’s primary problem: stiff gear shifting and finding reverse.
My current solution:
I have a relatively low mileage GL 2 WD donor car which is progressively being stripped for spares. Between now and Monday they are both going down to Mark my current VW mechanic in North Paramatta, so that he can swap the gear shift rods and linkages, as well as the power steering from the donor to the C type.
At this stage, don’t know what I would do if it was my nearly 300,000 K SYNCRO.
But the first thing that comes to mind is that I don’t think that it could be the rods.
Unless they became bent, they should last the life of the vehicle.
My concern would be with the linkages, and there, I would expect wear.
Although a totally different motor car, I recently had a RR mechanic replace the linkages from another donor car, to my DS7 Vanden Plas Princess.
Primary problem: adjustment and worn ball joints.
Now I do not know what our SYNCRO linkages are like, but experience tells me that it should be possible to re engineer them.
I’ll have a better idea of their wear when I go to pick up the C Type, the old rods and linkages will be in front of us, and I will have chance to discuss them with Mark my VW mechanic of these past 11 years.
Scott, did you get to replace with something else the NLA rubber boot # 251711184C I spoke of earlier? It’s located toward the front end of the gear shift rod and where it enters the first plastic pipe.
Can you take a photo of the exact spot you mean Ken?
By the way - how’s your son?
Cheers,
Scott
No can do photo ATM, probably better anyway … see the attachments.
Interesting aside, when I first eyeballed the disintegrating rubber bellows on my van, a large fragment of it was jamming (caught) up inside the pvc pipe and as a consequence, was causing a discernible resistance when shifting the rod backwards and forwards. Happy then to see it gone. All the more reason you should climb under and check yours out.
I can’t find anywhere a good pic of it. My hand drawing gives a rough idea of its shape, the end dimensions shown are accurate for the PVC pipe and steel rod diameters.
The rubber bellows in question is Part #5 on the ETKA schematics.Shift rod.pdf (42.1 KB)
Shift rod.pdf (42.1 KB)
OK so that’s the one towards the front of the syncro you are referring to.
I will need to remove the spare tyre carrier and have a good look 
There is a boot used on the shift linkage of the air-cooled T3.
I used that.
Hi Nils, Richard & Scott,
A few rubber boots/bellows/gaiters worth considering as a solution. In assessing though, main issues are … what are their physical dimensions/fit and degree of flexibility in the bellows portion, ideally to eliminate all resistance.
Nils, is your replacement one of these and if so, were the diameters of the two ends suitable or needed modification?
If none of these, can you identify yours please?Ta.
Cheers.
Good thinking Nils
That boot does not allow for movement, the front collar is not a firm fit so it slides on the gear linkage, or at least that’s how all of mine fit 
https://www.busdepot.com/211711183b
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