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3 shift linkage upgrades, my installation/driving impressions (long)
You should try Ceramic Coating your Headers to keep the heat in and not in
the engine bay. IT really works nice and doesn't rot your heards like the
wrapping does.
On 8/10/06, Eric Person <scirocco25@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> 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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> >>>> Scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> >>>> http://neubayern.net/mailman/listinfo/scirocco-l
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>>
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> >>
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> >
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> >
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--
Don Walter - Waukesha, WI
1986 8V Black Scirocco (Daily Driver)
1984 8V Audi 4000s (RIP 2/14/2006)
1986 2.0L 16V TEC 2 Black Scirocco (see progress at
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/708939)
1986 2L 16V Toronado Red Scirocco (Ben's Car)
1988 1.8 16V Toronado Red Scirocco (sold on 3/29/04)
1984 1.8 8V Pewter Scirocco (sold years ago)
1971 Karman Ghia (sold)
1969 Karman Ghia (sold)
1969 Beetle (sold)