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3 shift linkage upgrades, my installation/driving impressions (long)
Scott sells a nice 4-piece delrin kit that replaces the worst parts of
the A1 linkage, the ball and the relay shaft bushings.
http://www.usrallyteam.com/shiftlink.html
I just ordered one this week, since it seems I can only get about 6
months out of the stock rubber bushings with my race DP. It just seems
to melt thru those crappy stock ones. I had thought about making a nice
metal relay ball and making some brass inserts for the "cage" for the
ball, but we will see if this delrin kit can get the job done.
Yes, I agree that those missinglinkz parts look ghetto, I could probably
do better with my limited tool set.
Eric Person
Dan Bubb wrote:
> Whoa! Cathy, you feeling alright? I can't remember the last time you were even slightly testy! ;^)
>
> Anyway, I don't know how tightly the MissingLinkz rod ends fit on the balls, no experience there.
>
> I completely disagree that "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."
> I've never seen little/no play in the stock setup. I have seen the plastic pieces badly worn though and I have seen the metals balls also badly worn and at that point it cheaper to upgrade to rod ends than eff around procuring new factory pieces.
> My rod end setup is much tighter than any stock setup I've ever driven.
>
> My personal opinion on the Missinglinkz bushings is that they look like they were made with a drill and a file. The workmanship sucks,but the do fit relatively well and are better than factory bushings. One of these days I'll buy a lathe and make some quality pieces! Righhhhhhttttt!!!
> Dan
>
>
> From: "C Boyko" <roccit_53@scirocco.cs.uoguelph.ca>
> Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 7:44 AM
> Subject: Re: 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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