The First signs of bad wheel bearings in bugs is higher speed (say 65-75) instability. A lot of the times they wont even be noticeable under 45 until they are *super* shot, so dont worry about not having noticed them tootling around town. As for the lockout plate, yes, that is the original shape. The upturns on either end are so you can adjust the position of the plate independent of the shifter base. Lastly, yall seriously have to have the best quality and visibility of any mechanic videos anywhere on UA-cam. So clear, you dont block your shots with your body, and you explain where everything is super well. keep up the awesome work.
Thanks so much! Great to hear on the bearings. The owner picked up the car and he told me he could tell on the drive home. Thanks on that lock-out plate. I wondered what was going on with it. I wonder how the tab got so badly bent...
Hi Franny...Pieter here from Johannesburg South Africa...I really love to watch your episodes...you would be a good motor mwchanic technical teacher...just one thing to add...don't forget to replace the dust cover in the front of the tunnel...if that is missibg it will cause a lot of dust to mix with the grease on the shiftrod and pole causing the grease to become sticky....can't wait for the next episode...stay great!!!
Oh, oh....those red urethane parts are not good. I would at least replace the pads in the rear shift coupler with rubber OEM if possible. You are doing the right thing; now it’s time to examine the nylon bushing that sits in the tunnel by the shifter. Great time to clean out the shift rod completely and grease it. Sometimes after installing the bushing it will be a little stiff but it loosens up; an especially hard area to clear while installing the rod back in the car is back behind the emergency brake assembly. There is a bunch of tubes for the heater cables and emergency brake cables that criss cross back there and sometimes make it hard to slide the rod in that area. From what I read the bushing is installed with the gap facing the driver sideways. Not sure of the reason. You are absolutely doing the right thing by installing a vacuum advance distributor like it came from the factory. The car will run a little cooler be a little more fuel efficient and the response off idle will be crisper. If possible put in a Pertronix electronic module inside. The quality of points and condensers for these cars has gotten so sketchy that it makes sense for trouble free operation.
The owner has a new coupler on order so that is why I just re-installed the original. Seems to be working ok for now, but great to know there is something better. Thanks on the orientation of the cut in the bushing. I wonder why sideways facing the driver... Oh, the distributor made all the difference. I thought it would! and bonus - it came with an electronic points module. That install is coming up and was really straight forward. The muffler... Now that is a different story!
I just had the transmission flushed on my BMW and new oil in the differential as well. Interesting to see that rod is bend instead of straight. Also I never knew what that round opening in the front was for. Always good to learn :)
Thank you so much. I am really learning a lot from you. I have a 1968 Beetle which got stuck in the back yard for more than 10 years. Because of your videos, I am planning to restore it again.
Amazing videos keep up the good work! I just discovered your channel. Easily One of the best diy auto repair channels on youtube. UA-cam is doing you a disservice by not showing your videos more!
Please feel free to share our content OUTSIDE of UA-cam. One of UA-cam's rewards is for your videos bringing people to the UA-cam platform. We unfortunately do not get enough sharing on other forums and therefore, our channel remains small. Sorry, way more than you probably expected to hear. Thanks for the feedback. Welcome to our channel. Franny has great FIYs. Heidi
Another great production. Absolutely fabulous editing and sound. The lighting for each scene is amazing. Hope you are able to work on Miss Eva soon, my 55’ 356 coupe has some similar steering problems. Do you have the ZF steering box in Miss Eva?
Eva is getting a bit jealous. She needs brakes and the steering bushing is very stiff. Yes she does have a ZF steering box. I can't remember if that was an "A" thing or a "T2" thing. Steering is usually quite good and light. We need to sort that...
You are amazing! I love your videos. I just got a 69 bug and I have learned so much from you. I can't thank you enough! You are very thorough and have an amazing skill. I can't wait for the next video!
What awesome instruction and video! Thanks! You should be in Hollywood due to your cinematic (videographic?) and communications excellence -- and entertainment as well!!.
Good teaching, again. The only thing that made me gulp was the red urethane coupler. Those kind are too hard. They shift really well, but they also transmit too much vibration from the transmission to the shifter. The originals VW couplers had a softer section where the bolt goes through, and they melded in a harder rubber on the outer edges where it contacts the coupler cage. And, the slit in the shift rod bushing goes to the side. It’s okay to have it on the top, though, because you were correct about not having it on the bottom. This last: you were lucky when you pushed the rod all the way in, because there are so many metal tubes in the tunnel-but you missed them all. Good job.
Coupler and shifter need plenty of grease, yours is too dry, great video though ! I'm a long time subscriber of your chanel in Aus, have a look at my VW related videos and return the faver please !
I got a good amount on the bell, the ball cup was full and the shaft bushing and shaft have all it would hold. For the coupler I used silicone grease which is clear. Too much grease doesn't help and only collects dirt.
3:41 You're not using your feeler gauges correctly. Sticking the .006" blade in there and saying that's the right amount of drag is a very poor way to do it. The correct drag on the blade to you is a different amount to the next person. The correct way to use feeler gauges is to have your .006" and .007" blades out. Make the 6 go and the 7 not go. There's nothing subjective when using this technique.
That level of precision isn't required. Remember what you are trying to accomplish - you are setting the cold valve clearance. As the engine warms up this distance will increase as the heads and engine block increase more than the steel push rods. You are setting the minimum clearance. This service (for 0.006" clearance) should be preformed ever 3K miles. If you decide to go with a tighter distance you will need to check that clearance more often. If you err and set it to .007 or .008, you will just incur, at worst a noisier valve train and after that a possible loss in power. It is important to note that VW (and Porsche 356) require a fair bit of maintenance at regular intervals. If that maintenance become too tedious it won't get done (and for the majority of cars was not). Checking the valve clearance with a single 0.006" gauge and looking for a slight drag speeds up the valve check time to just a few minutes hopefully ensuring it will be performed at ever oil change. There is no need for high precision. On the 3.2 Carrera, the same hold true EXCEPT if you are using the back side method and checking the clearance at the cams. Then, since such a small difference has a bigger effect on the final actual valve clearance I always use a go-nogo set of feelers. I believe this is still faster as those rockers are in a deep well making accessibility difficult even when the engine is not in the car. Adjust your valves how you like, just make sure you do it on schedule. My method is just fine for the level of accuracy required.
Great job Franny! I never had to do anything with the shift rod or linkage in either of my Beetles, but the cover that was missing on that one was intact on both of mine. I think water and dirt did a lot of damage in there, along with age. Also, my Beetles were not nearly this old when I had them some 30 years ago, so they might need that work today.
The very first thing I did to my Beetle when I got it was to replace that shift coupler. Pretty amazing that VW engineered in those access ports to remove the rod! Two things I noticed....at 5:07, is that a crack in the cylinder head near the #4 intake port? Second, the chassis number would seem to indicate that this Beetle was built during the first week of 1969 production.
Thanks for the head's up! I think that is a line of sealant. There is a lot of it in there. Sure does look like a crack though! Thanks for the production date. I'll pass that along :)
Yikes - that old VW is full of surprises! I’ve always thought the round plate under the bumper bar was so that you had a way to open the trunk if the release cable snapped. Who would have thought it was to remove the shift rod...? :)
Very timely video. I have to change the bushing and coupler on my Super this week. The shift lever is all over the place and have to hunt the gears. Supers are a little different with no access holes.
I know this an older post but just wanted to thank you for doing such a great job of information about the details of the shifter. I have 70 beetle and was able to repair my shifter that was stuck in reverse thanks to your clear information. Again thank you so much! Definitely a subscribe from me!
Wow, You Rock... 👍👍👍👍👍 (I've said it before and I'll say it again) You make it seem so easy... 😊 I have 2 Buggies (64 and 74), after watching your Videos I get motivated to put my hands on my Buggies... 😊🚙😊🚕😊
I had a 1958 convertible in college I turned it over doing about 40 slid it on its side for a bit another fellow came by we put it back on its wheels I changed the rear tire and off I went.
Thanks for being thorough with your explanations and the great camera angles down the tunnel. It really helps to see how it all goes together in real life. Keep up the great work!
I love your videos! I love your lift! And I'm new to the buggy world and I didn't know about the pump bottle with oil 🤦 So I'm definitely going to purchase one. Thank you!!
Thanks for the info on the shift linkage. I acquired a pretty ‘64 Bug last year with sloppy shifting. My garage here in TX is going to order new bushings and he is aware of the access from the front. My 3rd gear position is almost under the dash. My steering was really sloppy as well, which is dangerous. He put it on the lift and wiggled the passenger front wheel and found a loose wheel bearing. He tightened that up and it really helped the steering slop. Flash Drive Motors, outside of Austin, did an electric conversion on it. With about 4X stock torque and 3X stock HP, it’s a rocket. We added A/C (it’s TX), front disc brakes, seat heaters, coil over shocks, back up switch and LED headlights.
Timely, informative, well done. BTW, my buggy's shift rod has a bend as well. A previous owner had installed the shift plate upside down, not sure why, it worked, sort of
Absolutely the best how to videos ever. I'm working on a 72 super beetle and can't believe how professional and through you are. Way past be bedtime but I just could not stop watching.
That was weird. Those holes through the front just to remove the shift rod. VWs were kind of ingenious cars. Used to love them. You could cruse at 70 and they felt very stable. I guess they are enclosed at the bottom so you cannot get at them from underneath. I had a 1963 Pontiac tempest with a 326 motor and a transaxle. It had a shift rod just like the Beetle rod with that cup and had a bushing in a bracket to hold the shift up. I bought the car in 71 if I remember right and I loved it. I think that bushing was a two piece so you could replace it by just removing the bracket. That rod was in the open underneath. Well it broke and I could not get one anywhere. Of course you could not shift it from inside so after it broke on the road I got under the car and put it in 2nd gear, only had 3, and drove it like that till I got rid of it. It had a torque tube with the clutch in the front and I was told it had a flexible drive shaft. I wonder if that VW bushing would have fit that.
Hi Franny Love you in depth videos. My coupler is a bit older and after removing the bolts that held it onto the shaft, the coupler seems to be stuck on the shaft due to either rust, age, or just bad luck... How should I go about breaking the couple free from the shaft? I am leaning towards a torch and heat after wd40 and penetrating oil. Any ideas? Thank you!
These videos have been my saving grace. Just purchased a 71 super beetle convertible that needs a few things. Thank you for taking the time to make these.
Is it hard to maintain an old big, I would love to drive was as a regular vehicle? I just find myself unhappy with these computerized cars these days, I have a 2014 beetle it was fun at first but dint hold a candle to a classic.
Great video with things I need to do. I have three old beetles and my ‘61 arrives today. I already know that it has a shift linkage problem (shifting seemed way too far to the right during my purchase test drive and getting it unto reverse was a real challenge) so found your video. Idea for you: How about making a video for someone like me who needs to put together a car repair toolkit?
The bushing replacement was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. When I did it no good videos where available, it was complete pain to do. I did not take the whole shift rod out though
Hi, I need help with my 67 bug and the turn signal on the steering wheel. I need to take the steering wheel off to get to the signal. The nut is frozen, can't break it lose. So do you have a video or advice to get the nut lose? Thanks.
Appropriate enough that the car is lemon. I had a byg and Vegas. The Chevy Vega s I had were very reliable and easy to work on, unlike the nightmare that was the beetle!
Great video production as always. When I was putting my shift rod back in, I thought I had it lined up with that $2 plastic bushing. I'm very weak from a disease, so I used a block of wood and pry bar in the front for leverage. Wrong! It bent the bracket the bushing goes in. Not an easy job straightening it out, and it still isn't perfect. Also someone previously installed the wrong clutch cable and it was maxed out on adjustment. Added some spacers to the end and that made a huge difference in shifting. Lemon Drop sure is lucky to have you tending to her. Did you figure out what that noise was on your test drive?
As usual, very interesting and excellent camera quality! You decided to use the old shifter plate instead of the newer black one that looked a little different? Did you test that one at all to see if it worked like the original? Thank you.
Hi, it's me again... question: When ever I replaced the disk pads and rotors and bled the brakes for my friends, (remember, I'm just a hobbyist), I would tell them that you needed to "break" in the pads and rotors for about 1,500 miles or so, basically because that's what my Dad used to tell me. Is that true? I used XP pads on my Neon on the track, but they were a special compound that didn't need to heat up to work well. So, no break in required. I'd be really interested in your thoughts on that...
For the most part you can expect that new disks and pads will take a bit to bed in. But, since they are self adjusting you just want to go a bit easy on the brakes until they are good. For Drum brakes, same deal, but you may need to go back and re-adjust. That is something we'll get to once the owner has driven the car a bit.
Hi Everyone! In this 1969 VW Beetle episode, I get to that awful shift linkage, set the valves and finally go for a drive!
Why does the owner own the beetle but never works on it??? This is the reason people own beetles… easy to work on
Loving that shirt 😍
Yea! :)
Nice to see you here! Heidi
Bravo girls.......👏
Great job on giving tips and how to. Nice to see quality production - no rambling or annoying music , quiet background and good lighting and filming.
The First signs of bad wheel bearings in bugs is higher speed (say 65-75) instability. A lot of the times they wont even be noticeable under 45 until they are *super* shot, so dont worry about not having noticed them tootling around town.
As for the lockout plate, yes, that is the original shape. The upturns on either end are so you can adjust the position of the plate independent of the shifter base.
Lastly, yall seriously have to have the best quality and visibility of any mechanic videos anywhere on UA-cam. So clear, you dont block your shots with your body, and you explain where everything is super well. keep up the awesome work.
Thanks so much! Great to hear on the bearings. The owner picked up the car and he told me he could tell on the drive home. Thanks on that lock-out plate. I wondered what was going on with it. I wonder how the tab got so badly bent...
definitely agreed! just wish you'd get your hands on some type 3s 🤪
Hi Franny...Pieter here from Johannesburg South Africa...I really love to watch your episodes...you would be a good motor mwchanic technical teacher...just one thing to add...don't forget to replace the dust cover in the front of the tunnel...if that is missibg it will cause a lot of dust to mix with the grease on the shiftrod and pole causing the grease to become sticky....can't wait for the next episode...stay great!!!
Great video! You do a wonderful job explaining what you are doing and making sure viewers understand where any pitfalls may lie. Great Job!
Wow! Thanks so much!
Oh man! I got a shouty! Here I am 2 years later just finding it! Haha! 15:46
Yep
Oh, oh....those red urethane parts are not good. I would at least replace the pads in the rear shift coupler with rubber OEM if possible. You are doing the right thing; now it’s time to examine the nylon bushing that sits in the tunnel by the shifter. Great time to clean out the shift rod completely and grease it. Sometimes after installing the bushing it will be a little stiff but it loosens up; an especially hard area to clear while installing the rod back in the car is back behind the emergency brake assembly. There is a bunch of tubes for the heater cables and emergency brake cables that criss cross back there and sometimes make it hard to slide the rod in that area. From what I read the bushing is installed with the gap facing the driver sideways. Not sure of the reason. You are absolutely doing the right thing by installing a vacuum advance distributor like it came from the factory. The car will run a little cooler be a little more fuel efficient and the response off idle will be crisper. If possible put in a Pertronix electronic module inside. The quality of points and condensers for these cars has gotten so sketchy that it makes sense for trouble free operation.
The owner has a new coupler on order so that is why I just re-installed the original. Seems to be working ok for now, but great to know there is something better. Thanks on the orientation of the cut in the bushing. I wonder why sideways facing the driver... Oh, the distributor made all the difference. I thought it would! and bonus - it came with an electronic points module. That install is coming up and was really straight forward. The muffler... Now that is a different story!
Are you going to add that cover plate? As you said, that is likely why it got so stiff not being weather protected
Yes, the owner has it on order. You can already see some rust in the tunnel. Crazy that whoever restored the car originally never added it...
I just had the transmission flushed on my BMW and new oil in the differential as well. Interesting to see that rod is bend instead of straight. Also I never knew what that round opening in the front was for. Always good to learn :)
Love it, can’t wait to see more! Also more Porsche!!! Thanks Franny
Thank you so much. I am really learning a lot from you. I have a 1968 Beetle which got stuck in the back yard for more than 10 years. Because of your videos, I am planning to restore it again.
Great! Good luck with it :)
What a great mechanic you are just awesome! Thank you so much for doing a video like that.
Youre the best!!! Thank you for all you do.
What a fantastic video tutorial thank you 👍👍
As always great video's you give me more confidence to work on my own vw bug thanks
You can totally do it!
That thing that was hanging down, 20 minutes into the video. Was your gas line! Definitely try not to hit that😉
Good work. I was here saying, adjust it to the neutral position straight up and down. I'm sure you heard me....??
Perfect video as usual!!
Amazing videos keep up the good work! I just discovered your channel. Easily One of the best diy auto repair channels on youtube. UA-cam is doing you a disservice by not showing your videos more!
Please feel free to share our content OUTSIDE of UA-cam. One of UA-cam's rewards is for your videos bringing people to the UA-cam platform. We unfortunately do not get enough sharing on other forums and therefore, our channel remains small. Sorry, way more than you probably expected to hear. Thanks for the feedback. Welcome to our channel. Franny has great FIYs. Heidi
Another great production. Absolutely fabulous editing and sound. The lighting for each scene is amazing. Hope you are able to work on Miss Eva soon, my 55’ 356 coupe has some similar steering problems. Do you have the ZF steering box in Miss Eva?
Eva is getting a bit jealous. She needs brakes and the steering bushing is very stiff. Yes she does have a ZF steering box. I can't remember if that was an "A" thing or a "T2" thing. Steering is usually quite good and light. We need to sort that...
Have you ever done an episode showing how to adjust the shift linkage on a Porsche 356B?
You are amazing! I love your videos. I just got a 69 bug and I have learned so much from you. I can't thank you enough! You are very thorough and have an amazing skill. I can't wait for the next video!
Wow, thank you! Glad it is helpful :)
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Got a ride in Lemon Drop!
Another great tutorial and lesson in patience! =)
Hi Franny. I love your videos.
Thanks!
What awesome instruction and video! Thanks! You should be in Hollywood due to your cinematic (videographic?) and communications excellence -- and entertainment as well!!.
Awww, thanks so much!
Appreciate all your videos. Correct the shift rod is bent from the factory. Definitely replace that front cover that was missing.
You should put a slick shift in that it cuts down the throws of the stick to about half of what they are
Great episode 👏 👌
Hola se ve mejor así sin el gorro,ni los "brackets" de los dientes!!
YAAAAAAY!!!!! Hiiii Lemondrop! Kev Kev missed you! haha
You bet!
I appreciate your video very much. The segment on shift linkage was very helpful. Thank you!!
Much appreciated your VW videos as I did the restoration on my '70 Bug and your continuing videos.
Good teaching, again. The only thing that made me gulp was the red urethane coupler. Those kind are too hard. They shift really well, but they also transmit too much vibration from the transmission to the shifter. The originals VW couplers had a softer section where the bolt goes through, and they melded in a harder rubber on the outer edges where it contacts the coupler cage.
And, the slit in the shift rod bushing goes to the side. It’s okay to have it on the top, though, because you were correct about not having it on the bottom.
This last: you were lucky when you pushed the rod all the way in, because there are so many metal tubes in the tunnel-but you missed them all.
Good job.
Coupler and shifter need plenty of grease, yours is too dry, great video though ! I'm a long time subscriber of your chanel in Aus, have a look at my VW related videos and return the faver please !
I got a good amount on the bell, the ball cup was full and the shaft bushing and shaft have all it would hold. For the coupler I used silicone grease which is clear. Too much grease doesn't help and only collects dirt.
Love how much detail you go into. Thanks
Nice video, best I seen on the shift bushing replacement.
Thanks 👍
3:41 You're not using your feeler gauges correctly. Sticking the .006" blade in there and saying that's the right amount of drag is a very poor way to do it. The correct drag on the blade to you is a different amount to the next person.
The correct way to use feeler gauges is to have your .006" and .007" blades out. Make the 6 go and the 7 not go. There's nothing subjective when using this technique.
That level of precision isn't required. Remember what you are trying to accomplish - you are setting the cold valve clearance. As the engine warms up this distance will increase as the heads and engine block increase more than the steel push rods. You are setting the minimum clearance. This service (for 0.006" clearance) should be preformed ever 3K miles. If you decide to go with a tighter distance you will need to check that clearance more often. If you err and set it to .007 or .008, you will just incur, at worst a noisier valve train and after that a possible loss in power. It is important to note that VW (and Porsche 356) require a fair bit of maintenance at regular intervals. If that maintenance become too tedious it won't get done (and for the majority of cars was not). Checking the valve clearance with a single 0.006" gauge and looking for a slight drag speeds up the valve check time to just a few minutes hopefully ensuring it will be performed at ever oil change. There is no need for high precision. On the 3.2 Carrera, the same hold true EXCEPT if you are using the back side method and checking the clearance at the cams. Then, since such a small difference has a bigger effect on the final actual valve clearance I always use a go-nogo set of feelers. I believe this is still faster as those rockers are in a deep well making accessibility difficult even when the engine is not in the car.
Adjust your valves how you like, just make sure you do it on schedule. My method is just fine for the level of accuracy required.
Amazing how knowledgeable you are on these things. Definitely subbing
Great videos, very helpful. Thanks
Great job!
Brilliant episode congratulations Franny just amazing work :)
Thanks so much!
Enjoyed all the videos and learned alot!!! Thank you! !
Great job Franny! I never had to do anything with the shift rod or linkage in either of my Beetles, but the cover that was missing on that one was intact on both of mine. I think water and dirt did a lot of damage in there, along with age. Also, my Beetles were not nearly this old when I had them some 30 years ago, so they might need that work today.
Yeah, that plate looks really important ;)
I don't see it in the comments, but the tube in the shift tunnel is the gas line.
I just found your channel and I have to say that you make the absolute best VW videos I have seen. Thank you and keep up the great work!
That was very fun and satisfying, but this video voyeurism is very exhausting!
lol!
You're awesome. " quick like a bunny".
The very first thing I did to my Beetle when I got it was to replace that shift coupler. Pretty amazing that VW engineered in those access ports to remove the rod!
Two things I noticed....at 5:07, is that a crack in the cylinder head near the #4 intake port? Second, the chassis number would seem to indicate that this Beetle was built during the first week of 1969 production.
Thanks for the head's up! I think that is a line of sealant. There is a lot of it in there. Sure does look like a crack though!
Thanks for the production date. I'll pass that along :)
Replacing that front bush and replacing the clutch cable are the jobs I dread the most!
Fitting a Hurst shifter is a fabulous upgrade over stock.
Learning! I got my bug running!
That's great! Congrats! Such a fun car :)
Yikes - that old VW is full of surprises! I’ve always thought the round plate under the bumper bar was so that you had a way to open the trunk if the release cable snapped. Who would have thought it was to remove the shift rod...? :)
I know the round plates just in front of the rear wheels on 356 and 911 is for the rear torsion bars so maybe I should have guessed? ;)
Same as on a Type 14 Karmann Ghia.
..no sign of the claw hammer...:)
Thank you you’re absolutely amazing ❤
I love your videos and that’s a good thing.
Very timely video. I have to change the bushing and coupler on my Super this week. The shift lever is all over the place and have to hunt the gears. Supers are a little different with no access holes.
❤️ miss lemondrop!!
I know this an older post but just wanted to thank you for doing such a great job of information about the details of the shifter. I have 70 beetle and was able to repair my shifter that was stuck in reverse thanks to your clear information. Again thank you so much! Definitely a subscribe from me!
Absolutely fantastic explanation. Thank you for taking the time!
Wow, You Rock... 👍👍👍👍👍
(I've said it before and I'll say it again) You make it seem so easy... 😊
I have 2 Buggies (64 and 74), after watching your Videos I get motivated to put my hands on my Buggies... 😊🚙😊🚕😊
I had a 1958 convertible in college I turned it over doing about 40 slid it on its side for a bit another fellow came by we put it back on its wheels I changed the rear tire and off I went.
Thanks for being thorough with your explanations and the great camera angles down the tunnel. It really helps to see how it all goes together in real life. Keep up the great work!
So glad it was helpful!
Great vid , well done and very informative on these topics .
I have to do the gear selector shaft, so a big thank you.
Cheers from Australia .
😎👌
I love your video’s, great content & really easy to follow. Thank you 😊
Really interesting
I love your videos! I love your lift! And I'm new to the buggy world and I didn't know about the pump bottle with oil 🤦
So I'm definitely going to purchase one.
Thank you!!
Thanks for the info on the shift linkage. I acquired a pretty ‘64 Bug last year with sloppy shifting. My garage here in TX is going to order new bushings and he is aware of the access from the front. My 3rd gear position is almost under the dash. My steering was really sloppy as well, which is dangerous. He put it on the lift and wiggled the passenger front wheel and found a loose wheel bearing. He tightened that up and it really helped the steering slop. Flash Drive Motors, outside of Austin, did an electric conversion on it. With about 4X stock torque and 3X stock HP, it’s a rocket. We added A/C (it’s TX), front disc brakes, seat heaters, coil over shocks, back up switch and LED headlights.
Timely, informative, well done. BTW, my buggy's shift rod has a bend as well. A previous owner had installed the shift plate upside down, not sure why, it worked, sort of
lol! It would be easy to mess that up.
"That shift linkage... we gotta work on that... " hahaha i.e. it's really bad - great video as always
Hello Franny!! This a great vídeo, I did this work in My 1964 beetle, it was very hard, but finally the shift shaft Is Ok, Best regards!!
Very thorough 👍
I love te shout out to the duckman :-D Two of my favorite channels connecting.
He is a bit of a nut (in a good way), but a super nice guy and VERY knowledgeable. I'm a fan :)
Absolutely the best how to videos ever. I'm working on a 72 super beetle and can't believe how professional and through you are. Way past be bedtime but I just could not stop watching.
Thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed it :)
That was weird. Those holes through the front just to remove the shift rod. VWs were kind of ingenious cars. Used to love them. You could cruse at 70 and they felt very stable.
I guess they are enclosed at the bottom so you cannot get at them from underneath.
I had a 1963 Pontiac tempest with a 326 motor and a transaxle. It had a shift rod just like the Beetle rod with that cup and had a bushing in a bracket to hold the shift up. I bought the car in 71 if I remember right and I loved it. I think that bushing was a two piece so you could replace it by just removing the bracket. That rod was in the open underneath. Well it broke and I could not get one anywhere. Of course you could not shift it from inside so after it broke on the road I got under the car and put it in 2nd gear, only had 3, and drove it like that till I got rid of it.
It had a torque tube with the clutch in the front and I was told it had a flexible drive
shaft.
I wonder if that VW bushing would have fit that.
Hi Franny Love you in depth videos. My coupler is a bit older and after removing the bolts that held it onto the shaft, the coupler seems to be stuck on the shaft due to either rust, age, or just bad luck... How should I go about breaking the couple free from the shaft? I am leaning towards a torch and heat after wd40 and penetrating oil. Any ideas? Thank you!
Excellent
These videos have been my saving grace. Just purchased a 71 super beetle convertible that needs a few things. Thank you for taking the time to make these.
So glad they are helpful!
Great vid..👍🏼🇬🇧 got the same job to do with the shift rod. I’ve done it before in about 1996.😬
Great job
Is it hard to maintain an old big, I would love to drive was as a regular vehicle? I just find myself unhappy with these computerized cars these days, I have a 2014 beetle it was fun at first but dint hold a candle to a classic.
Very good!
Great video with things I need to do. I have three old beetles and my ‘61 arrives today. I already know that it has a shift linkage problem (shifting seemed way too far to the right during my purchase test drive and getting it unto reverse was a real challenge) so found your video. Idea for you: How about making a video for someone like me who needs to put together a car repair toolkit?
The bushing replacement was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. When I did it no good videos where available, it was complete pain to do. I did not take the whole shift rod out though
Hi, I need help with my 67 bug and the turn signal on the steering wheel. I need to take the steering wheel off to get to the signal. The nut is frozen, can't break it lose.
So do you have a video or advice to get the nut lose?
Thanks.
Great video. Cool shirt 👍
Appropriate enough that the car is lemon. I had a byg and Vegas. The Chevy Vega s I had were very reliable and easy to work on, unlike the nightmare that was the beetle!
👍
Great video production as always. When I was putting my shift rod back in, I thought I had it lined up with that $2 plastic bushing. I'm very weak from a disease, so I used a block of wood and pry bar in the front for leverage. Wrong! It bent the bracket the bushing goes in. Not an easy job straightening it out, and it still isn't perfect. Also someone previously installed the wrong clutch cable and it was maxed out on adjustment. Added some spacers to the end and that made a huge difference in shifting. Lemon Drop sure is lucky to have you tending to her. Did you figure out what that noise was on your test drive?
I did!! That is in the next video :)
Awesome. Usually neglected. Using SuperLube?
Excellent internal lighting, when you installed the bushing😎👍
Thanks 👍
As usual, very interesting and excellent camera quality! You decided to use the old shifter plate instead of the newer black one that looked a little different? Did you test that one at all to see if it worked like the original? Thank you.
Thanks so much! I didn't re-test but it is shifting so much better!
Hi Guys 😍💋 💝💖
urethane bushing in that shifter coupler, it's recent. og bushing is black
Great tutorial. Thanks. I like the way you figure things out.
Thanks!
Very nice video shifting rod adjustment. I have to try this on mine.
I have a 61 vw dune buggy
Love to get your opinion on it
It jumps out of gear
@Heidi and Franny's Garage I loved the shout out to @DuckmanCycles and VW Garage. Talk about a close knit community!
He is just the nicest guy! I needed some advice and he was so nice to respond! Great sense of humor too :)
Great job! Precisely demonstrated.
Hi, it's me again... question: When ever I replaced the disk pads and rotors and bled the brakes for my friends, (remember, I'm just a hobbyist), I would tell them that you needed to "break" in the pads and rotors for about 1,500 miles or so, basically because that's what my Dad used to tell me. Is that true? I used XP pads on my Neon on the track, but they were a special compound that didn't need to heat up to work well. So, no break in required. I'd be really interested in your thoughts on that...
For the most part you can expect that new disks and pads will take a bit to bed in. But, since they are self adjusting you just want to go a bit easy on the brakes until they are good. For Drum brakes, same deal, but you may need to go back and re-adjust. That is something we'll get to once the owner has driven the car a bit.