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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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> >  Scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> >  http://neubayern.net/mailman/listinfo/scirocco-l
> >
>
>
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