Got it! For those reading this it was very difficult to get my rod end started in the bushing (72 super) once I got it replaced. I used a 90 degree bent pair of needle nose pliers, put it in the tunnel and as far forward as I could, stood over the hump in the back seat area and pulled. The bent pair of needle nose let me use my weight to help it get started and also let me lift up on the rod to get it going straight.
I have purchased a beetle that was all apart with orange and white seats but the front seats did not fit. It belongs to another car, but they match the car. So I was just looking for some ideas and noticed yours. Thank you!
Ah right I'm with you now, all I did with mine was cut the runners off the bottom of the toyota seats and welded some metal brackets in there place that allowed me to bolt them to the VW runners.
just bought a beetle, and your videos are gold. thanks for all the hepl you've been giving me. I'm from Sydney - any good clubs/events you can recommend. thanks.
Great video, much appreciated! I'm curious to know how the hanger replacement goes. I'm assuming you're going to have to cut an access panel in the tunnel to get to the hanger and weld a new one on unless you've got some great trick for that job.
im glad ur not mad and from what u sed were both right if the hanger is bad well thats prity simple just rmeber that wite lith greses is not as costic as regular grease i have been trying to find a way to macine one out of aluminum so it will never fail =3-
Hey Mate it's all good, I'm always open to suggestions, criticism etc. I've since found the issue tho, its my hanger that the bushing fits in is wallowed out and sharp from years of running metal on metal which is just chewing the bushings out quick. I've got a new hanger to fit to it when I've got time, but definitely needs grease, it would tear apart in no time without it, the workshop manuals say to use white lithium grease. I did first time but it was cheap stuff that turned gummy.
They will still shift ok but a bit sloppy with front bushing gone like mine is in the video but if the rear one falls apart you will not be able to select gears. I believe they even make urethane blocks for the rear couplers now.
not sure how big your hands are but the first time I did mine I had someone guide it into the bushing/hanger while i pushed on the rod through the hole in the front frame head. It;s only a tiny hole though I can just get my hand in there.
Thanks, I'm hoping I can do it without cutting the tunnel at all. feed the new one into place with a broom handle or wire and spot weld it from the the top. Have the new one sitting here ready to install, just need to psych myself up to do it
i need to do that badly!!!..my shifter is all over the place!!..though i have gotten used to it that way...it would be nice to feel what it should feel like..
Actually the tube was easily pulled out by hand working through the shifter hole as the video shows and I used a broomstick to push it back in. Took only minutes.
BoostedVW, I'll be doing this in the next few days as I'm working on building a console and it looks like yours. Do you mind posting a quick video of it to get more ideas? Also, can u give me the dimensions, I know is wider on top and narrower on the bottom, those are the measurements that I would need. Thanks in advance.
If you can get at the bolts that hold the shifter down you could. Have you just glued the carpet down really well? I never glue mine in mainly becuase it needs periodic removal for cleaning. I'd be worried about covering it with grease if you left it in.
No, its not a VW seat. I just went out and got 2 old vw seats and removed the bottoms, and now working on removing the tracks of the other seats. I have to figure out how to connect the two pieces together and still make it look nice. Thanks
Thanks, shifter is just stock one with a aluminium gear knob and short throw kit, console was just homemade out of MDF and some grey cloth and carbon vinyl.
Could you take out the shifter without removing carpet? I need to do this job on my 67 and just put in new carpet. Last time I tried to pull up carpet for maintenance it destroyed the carpet.
I'll have the whole interior out in a future vid, will be able to show then but they are just the old runners unclipped from the original seats and the Toyota Celica seats bolt straight to them.
when theses bushing go out either in the front stick shift or in then rear square bushing assembly can this cause the car to not be able to go into any gear?….cause I've figured out that my rear bushings hat square assembly is out fell apart and now THE car won't shift and is stuck in first gear for some reason does any of this make sense….i appreciate it mate from san antonio tx use…..thanks for you response ahead of time : )
The carpet was glued and steamed as to make a really tight install. It's more so paranoia that prevents me from pulling it up. Enough Plastic sheeting, and preparation should protect the area I hope
You've got to catch this problem early on because the longer you leave it the more the shift rod wears the hole in the hanger and it'll get so that you'll just end up pushing the bushing through the hole. It won't stay in the hole when you lube and push the rod through it. Then you'll end up having to replace the hanger assembly. And that is a hassle!!
Next time run a string through the bushing and the hanger, and use a wire hanger to grab that end of the string and pull it back out...that way you have both ends of the string. This way if you do drop the bushing, you simply pull it back up with the string.
FatherNSons LifeStyle funny you say that, my original how too had that method and too many people were bitching and whinging they kept dropping the string or getting it caught. Mig wire works better than string but once you’ve done it a few times you don’t need any
i do have a question, your vw i for left side driving, are the gears in a mirror way, compared to right side driving and thanks for the video very useful,
BoostedVW ok first gear should be top left, second is down left, top right is third, down right is fouth, the reverse is in neotral left push down and down, are the way they are in your vw, by the way what is the local nickname for the vw over there and whera are you, once more thanks i saw the video just in time.
montgomery scott All air cooled VWs 4 speeds are that pattern. The only thing that changes with a RHD car is the position of the steering and pedals. Here in Australia they are just called Beetles or Superbugs for the 70s models with strut front suspension like mine.
Question: I got the rod to the front pretty easily on my 72 super, got the bits of the old bushing out and got the new one in place. Used lithium grease to grease the bushing and the rod end (end looked good - no rust). I can't for the life of me get the rod end started in the bushing. I'm guessing its an angle issue (need to get it going in straight). I've tried using the bent wire to lift it up, but it just doesn't want to go. Any suggestions?
Julian Dominguez vw alternator or Subaru? Subaru it depends on the year, early ones need an ignition wire to turn on the regulator as well as battery sense, warning light and B+ Later ones are self exciting so just have warning light, battery sense and B+. There really late ones are controlled by the ecu so have a few extra wires
im having some issues with my gearshift, i asked my mechanic to put a quick shifter, it was fine on the first 2 days, now im having an issue because im having a hard time getting to 2nd gear as if something is stucked and i have to muscle it out, i tried to take it out myself and put it back in and same thing happen. my mechanic is a couple of miles away from my house and i want yo DIY it.. any suggestions?
Hi John, that just sounds like the alignment of the lock out plate needs tweaking with. if you loosen off the 2 mounting bolts you can move the shifter and lock out plate around a bit. if its having trouble getting second gear try nudging it to the right hand side of the car.
saw this post and just wanted to share what resolved the issue permanently, found out that the 2 rubber squares on the shift rod coupling had fallen of... replacing them made shifting like a charm..
Its only the crash plate thst needs removing, pretty simple, theres 6 or so bolts holding it up. Supers don't have a hole in the apron like standards do, the rod comes out underneath it.
buenas noches boostedVW como puedo o que puedo hacer para tener los pedales de el lado izquierdo soy de mexico y aca no e visto nada igual me serviría de mucho tu alluda un saludo de ante mano..
There's this site that has a solid brass shifter bushing. It's www.EV4Unow.com. They say it's guaranteed for the life of the car. Just want to give you a head's up.
i cant help think that ur the one making the part fail early (im not insulting u ) im thinking that myby u shouldny grease up that nilon bushing nilon is natraly lubricating and i think that ur grease wile aplicable in the day is now ataking the cheep plastic u know what they say never use vasaline with condoms it will eat it lol =3-
Thanks heaps mate (From a fellow Aussie). It was my job for today. Thanks to your video I had the confidence to do it. Thanks again... Tim
Thanks Tim, glad it helped
This video was exactly what I was looking for. I'm having the same symptoms with my Beetle. Thanks for posting this video! Good stuff.
Got it! For those reading this it was very difficult to get my rod end started in the bushing (72 super) once I got it replaced. I used a 90 degree bent pair of needle nose pliers, put it in the tunnel and as far forward as I could, stood over the hump in the back seat area and pulled. The bent pair of needle nose let me use my weight to help it get started and also let me lift up on the rod to get it going straight.
Excellent video. You have a talent for explaining things. Wish you would do more VW videos...
malkucken thanks, I will eventually, for the moment though my beetle is in storage at the other end of the country
Thanks for posting your video
Just replaced my shift bushing last night
Its easy to do having seen youre post well done
Glad it helped out
Glad to hear it worked out.
I think the reason mine starts so easy is the hole in my hanger has worn big from running with no bushing too long.
I have purchased a beetle that was all apart with orange and white seats but the front seats did not fit. It belongs to another car, but they match the car. So I was just looking for some ideas and noticed yours. Thank you!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH BROTHER ALL THE WAY FROM ENSENADA B.C. MEXICO WITH MY 1974 SUPER BEETLEcc
Thanks, I haven;t found one yet because I'd like one too.
They do make the rubber blocks for the rear coupler in urethane though.
Ah right I'm with you now, all I did with mine was cut the runners off the bottom of the toyota seats and welded some metal brackets in there place that allowed me to bolt them to the VW runners.
just bought a beetle, and your videos are gold. thanks for all the hepl you've been giving me.
I'm from Sydney - any good clubs/events you can recommend. thanks.
Congrats on your Beetle
just finished up my friend...thanx again ...MUCH ABLIDGE!
Great video, much appreciated! I'm curious to know how the hanger replacement goes. I'm assuming you're going to have to cut an access panel in the tunnel to get to the hanger and weld a new one on unless you've got some great trick for that job.
im glad ur not mad and from what u sed were both right if the hanger is bad well thats prity simple just rmeber that wite lith greses is not as costic as regular grease i have been trying to find a way to macine one out of aluminum so it will never fail =3-
Hey Mate it's all good, I'm always open to suggestions, criticism etc.
I've since found the issue tho, its my hanger that the bushing fits in is wallowed out and sharp from years of running metal on metal which is just chewing the bushings out quick.
I've got a new hanger to fit to it when I've got time, but definitely needs grease, it would tear apart in no time without it, the workshop manuals say to use white lithium grease. I did first time but it was cheap stuff that turned gummy.
They will still shift ok but a bit sloppy with front bushing gone like mine is in the video but if the rear one falls apart you will not be able to select gears. I believe they even make urethane blocks for the rear couplers now.
not sure how big your hands are but the first time I did mine I had someone guide it into the bushing/hanger while i pushed on the rod through the hole in the front frame head.
It;s only a tiny hole though I can just get my hand in there.
Thanks, I'm hoping I can do it without cutting the tunnel at all.
feed the new one into place with a broom handle or wire and spot weld it from the the top.
Have the new one sitting here ready to install, just need to psych myself up to do it
Great video, thanks.
Thanks for that. This has helped me a lot
i need to do that badly!!!..my shifter is all over the place!!..though i have gotten used to it that way...it would be nice to feel what it should feel like..
Excellent video!~ I am going to try to run a "mechanics' (bailing) wire from the front of the car to pull the rod out when I do mine.
Thanks Bill.
good idea, another person also suggested MIG welder wire as well, very thin but really strong.
Actually the tube was easily pulled out by hand working through the shifter hole as the video shows and I used a broomstick to push it back in. Took only minutes.
BoostedVW, I'll be doing this in the next few days as I'm working on building a console and it looks like yours. Do you mind posting a quick video of it to get more ideas?
Also, can u give me the dimensions, I know is wider on top and narrower on the bottom, those are the measurements that I would need.
Thanks in advance.
Great video, helped quite a bit. thanks
If you can get at the bolts that hold the shifter down you could.
Have you just glued the carpet down really well?
I never glue mine in mainly becuase it needs periodic removal for cleaning.
I'd be worried about covering it with grease if you left it in.
Saved alot of time ! great job
Do u have a video on how to remove Steering bearing and brushing
No, its not a VW seat. I just went out and got 2 old vw seats and removed the bottoms, and now working on removing the tracks of the other seats. I have to figure out how to connect the two pieces together and still make it look nice.
Thanks
How do you have your seat installed in your bug? Can you youtube it?
Thanks for your videos, makes the job much easier. Love the shifter / console, did you buy it or make it?
Thanks, shifter is just stock one with a aluminium gear knob and short throw kit, console was just homemade out of MDF and some grey cloth and carbon vinyl.
Could you take out the shifter without removing carpet? I need to do this job on my 67 and just put in new carpet. Last time I tried to pull up carpet for maintenance it destroyed the carpet.
No worries, good luck with it.
I'll have the whole interior out in a future vid, will be able to show then but they are just the old runners unclipped from the original seats and the Toyota Celica seats bolt straight to them.
Cool! Thanks for the tip.
when theses bushing go out either in the front stick shift or in then rear square bushing assembly can this cause the car to not be able to go into any gear?….cause I've figured out that my rear bushings hat square assembly is out fell apart and now THE car won't shift and is stuck in first gear for some reason does any of this make sense….i appreciate it mate from san antonio tx use…..thanks for you response ahead of time : )
Is the shift rod supposed to be bent? On a 1971super beetle.
How did you get that middle piece where you have extra gauges? Did you make it or does someone sell that?
The carpet was glued and steamed as to make a really tight install. It's more so paranoia that prevents me from pulling it up. Enough Plastic sheeting, and preparation should protect the area I hope
You've got to catch this problem early on because the longer you leave it the more the shift rod wears the hole in the hanger and it'll get so that you'll just end up pushing the bushing through the hole. It won't stay in the hole when you lube and push the rod through it. Then you'll end up having to replace the hanger assembly. And that is a hassle!!
I've actually got a new hanger to fit to mine, that's a video for another time
There was 3 different styles of runners used in bugs, they may be bug seats just not for your model.
What year bug is it?
The 50s and earlier beetles never had bushings, just metal on metal.
I'd like a urethane one but noone makes them.
Next time run a string through the bushing and the hanger, and use a wire hanger to grab that end of the string and pull it back out...that way you have both ends of the string. This way if you do drop the bushing, you simply pull it back up with the string.
FatherNSons LifeStyle funny you say that, my original how too had that method and too many people were bitching and whinging they kept dropping the string or getting it caught.
Mig wire works better than string but once you’ve done it a few times you don’t need any
i do have a question, your vw i for left side driving, are the gears in a mirror way, compared to right side driving and thanks for the video very useful,
Hi, no its all exactly the same LHD or RHD
BoostedVW ok first gear should be top left, second is down left, top right is third, down right is fouth, the reverse is in neotral left push down and down, are the way they are in your vw, by the way what is the local nickname for the vw over there and whera are you, once more thanks i saw the video just in time.
montgomery scott
All air cooled VWs 4 speeds are that pattern.
The only thing that changes with a RHD car is the position of the steering and pedals.
Here in Australia they are just called Beetles or Superbugs for the 70s models with strut front suspension like mine.
montgomery scott No worries, Fosters is a pretty awful beer, I stick with Tooheys but Coronas are ok for a premium beer.
Question: I got the rod to the front pretty easily on my 72 super, got the bits of the old bushing out and got the new one in place. Used lithium grease to grease the bushing and the rod end (end looked good - no rust). I can't for the life of me get the rod end started in the bushing. I'm guessing its an angle issue (need to get it going in straight). I've tried using the bent wire to lift it up, but it just doesn't want to go. Any suggestions?
Why not use the bronze bushing?
They’re too harsh, they transfer too much vibration and noise.
the reason for rubber is to have some give and cushion from that.
@@BoostedVW Gotcha! Thanks.
What if you have a shortened frame Myers manx? are the inspection plates still need to be removed?
BXCRRCR Tyler hard to say, it would depend how the pan is shortened but it's only a couple of bolts
? How did you hook up your alternator
Julian Dominguez vw alternator or Subaru?
Subaru it depends on the year, early ones need an ignition wire to turn on the regulator as well as battery sense, warning light and B+
Later ones are self exciting so just have warning light, battery sense and B+.
There really late ones are controlled by the ecu so have a few extra wires
Thanks!
Does is have a specific name?
hi i have a 68 1300 bug and mine has gone . can not get any gears when running would this fix it ?
So does it go into gear with the engine not running?
If so thats a clutch problem or at worst a gearbox problem, but not your linkage setup.
thanks
Maybe I'll just live with my sloppy shifter.
It's honestly not that bad! I just did a video on it too. Just be patient it's worth it
im having some issues with my gearshift, i asked my mechanic to put a quick shifter, it was fine on the first 2 days, now im having an issue because im having a hard time getting to 2nd gear as if something is stucked and i have to muscle it out, i tried to take it out myself and put it back in and same thing happen. my mechanic is a couple of miles away from my house and i want yo DIY it.. any suggestions?
Hi John, that just sounds like the alignment of the lock out plate needs tweaking with.
if you loosen off the 2 mounting bolts you can move the shifter and lock out plate around a bit.
if its having trouble getting second gear try nudging it to the right hand side of the car.
thank you for the reply! =)
saw this post and just wanted to share what resolved the issue permanently, found out that the 2 rubber squares on the shift rod coupling had fallen of... replacing them made shifting like a charm..
my 1971 super beetle does not have any holes in front to remove the gearshaft
Tom Gabbard you have to swap unbolt the crash plate to expose the hole
Thank for your answer.
There is no holes in the front under the grill either.
It looks like you would have to pull the hole front.
Its only the crash plate thst needs removing, pretty simple, theres 6 or so bolts holding it up.
Supers don't have a hole in the apron like standards do, the rod comes out underneath it.
BoostedVW
thank you I finally found it
Your right, that was easy.
That was very helpful.
Had it out in less then ten minutes. Thanks again.
Tom.
Hi Tom, glad to hear you got it sorted
I made it out of MDF, I think you can buy plastic ones though.
Yep, center console
buenas noches boostedVW como puedo o que puedo hacer para tener los pedales de el lado izquierdo soy de mexico y aca no e visto nada igual me serviría de mucho tu alluda un saludo de ante mano..
Im have one 1970 os auutostick have problen in the speed is the schiffer
well time to find a way to make one then huu lol =3-
There's this site that has a solid brass shifter bushing. It's www.EV4Unow.com. They say it's guaranteed for the life of the car. Just want to give you a head's up.
i cant help think that ur the one making the part fail early (im not insulting u ) im thinking that myby u shouldny grease up that nilon bushing nilon is natraly lubricating and i think that ur grease wile aplicable in the day is now ataking the cheep plastic u know what they say never use vasaline with condoms it will eat it lol =3-
thanks
Im have one 1970 os auutostick have problen in the speed is the schiffer