Front-to-back shifter bushing in my 2000 New Beetle failed in my driveway one night five months ago as I was about to head out to the grocery store; totally clueless as to what had just happened, I stayed on RU-vid every night FOR A WEEK watching the DieselGeek videos, but I had SO MANY DOUBTS about repairing the car myself--until I saw this excellent tutorial. All positive comments posted for this installation video GO DOUBLE for me--the only thing I have to add is this: DEFINITELY GO THE HOLE SAW ROUTE! This deal that it "can" be done topside is just basically, in my opinion, a "pissing contest"; the access hole allows you to KNOW FOR SURE that the circlip is on correctly PLUS (as seen in this video) you can re-use the original snap clip (which, to be honest, gave me a little more peace of mind). I mean, if you can do the repair from topside, congratulations...but to me, the hole saw method just made more sense, especially when compared to repairing it from underneath the vehicle.
Perfect vid and instructional. The pin in the kit is for pinning the shifter in the home position to adjust the alignment on the shifter cables in the engine bay.
I think its worth pointing out that to install the bushing without drilling the hole you would have to drop the exhaust to remove the shifter from underneath
You are right! I should have stated that more clearly. I debated what I should do and only included the final decision. I briefly mentioned that it could have been its own video because dropping the shifter is more involved.
@@TheDamnedScribe Thanks!! I just checked it out. I saw what he did and it would have still been a pain. If I had seen that first I might have tried to do it that way. The hole is the easiest way. But, I wasn't crazy about cutting a hole in the first place. Is that how you did yours?
I'm just typing this comment to attest that, impossible as it seems, the difficult bushing can be installed without drilling the metal case. The Humble Mechanic said in his channel that he was able to do it with a screwdriver, that's all he said in a comment on one of his videos, as far as I know. I don't know how he did it exactly, but gave me the confidence to try it myself. I did it in the following way (excuse my poor English): I installed the bushing in the shifter applying some vaseline, then inserted the shifter end inside the loop of the cable (with more vaseline). Now comes the step where I departed from the official dieselgeek procedure: I opened the snap ring with snap ring pliers, I put a little nut to lock the snap ring in an opened position (you can use whatever you want, I just happened to have a small nut near me), I glued a piece of sturdy wire to the nut and bent the wire in the shape I needed to insert it from above, along the shifter. Then it's just a surgery game, you'll need patience here. You need to insert the snap ring on the bushing, almost blindly, (I put a flashlight on the other opening of the shifter metal case, where you access the side-to-side bushing). Make sure the cable is completely pulled in the bushing or the crease where the snap ring must sit won't be accessible. I had to insert the snap ring with its opening facing down, because there is no room otherwise. Once you think the snap ring is in place, you give the wire a firm push downwards to remove the nut and lock the snap ring in the bushing. Insert your finger through any of the openings and make sure the snap ring is well positioned and won't fall off. It should spin on the crease of the bushing. If it doesn't, try to push the ring inside with your fingers or a screwdriver, it could be only partially inside the crease. It's a good idea to practice a few times outside the car, with the wire and the shifter with the bushing installed. If you're not able to insert the snap ring in the bushing using the wire-nut thing, don't even try to do it inside the shifter case. Good luck!
Thanks for doing this. I had a auto shot that wanted to replace my entire shifter. They wanted over 2k. I saw the diesel geek videos, but they do not show what it takes to install the kit while the shifter is still in the car. Your video gave me the confidence to do it on my own.
If anyone is looking at doing this to a Mk1 TT Quattro (like me) you CAN NOT drop the whole box without taking out the drive shaft! This is the only way I found to do it myself as I don’t want to take out my drive shaft.
Make sure to do a shifter alignment! The kit comes with the 5mm pin needed. There are lots of videos on the alignment procedure. I think the last bit of front to back slop could be resolved that way -- or perhaps linkage ends need to be addressed. Those bushings wear & break easily too.
Hi! I have the alignment procedure in at least one of my other videos. And, I also address the cable end bushings in another video. I do other bushings and the adjustment in this video. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NvbUCeKZ8cY.html This is where I do the last cable end bushing. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6z564LN8W-E.html
First time watching one of your vids. What a great channel! I own a 2004 golf tdi :) hope you make more vids. Great job you sound like a genuinely nice person. Keep up the great work 👍 Definitely subscribed
Thank you so much!! I am the happiest when I'm tinkering on things. I am jealous of your TDI. I would love to have one. Maybe one day I will get one. And, there are many more videos coming.
Hiya, I own a VW MK4 Golf 2000 1.6L. underneath the gear shifter cover there is a plastic over over the gear shifter mechanism where I want to replace the bushing, how do I get this off?
Waou…. What a great man …. Nice pictures… good interpretation..every thing is perfect … more great videos . thank you for helping every body and specially me . Please what was the diameter of the lateral hole you made. And how or by what you close this hole ?
@MaqsVids cheers, had my 1.8t since november 09, for this years mot i have replaced rear axle, bearings, stubs, calipers etc... front subframe & wishbones etc... £150 worth of bolts from vw have gone into this job 😂 failed mot/inspection on track rod ends, did complete tie rods and in for mot/inspection retest this morning 🥳 gear linkage and timing belt/water pump next on the list 🤦♂️😂 i live in scotland and i think i have found the lifespan of the rear axle and front subframe... 25years in out climate 😂
@@funnyguy1487 @funnyguy1487 Is this what you are talking about? This is the video of when I did the relay. If it's not remind me of what I said I would do. 😏👍 I'm currently looking for a new console and I can revisit it when I install it. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XjKDpi-uGwQ.htmlsi=3Genp66W39JsZXby
@@Estemugue Hi! Thanks! If you are talking about the hole saw, 25 mm (~ 1 inch) will likely work. But, 28 mm will definitely be big enough. It is very close to 1 1/8 inches.
I am actually on my first drive with it now. It feels brand new. I imagine it feels better than new. So far, I would definitely say I would do it again. Have you checked out your bushings yet? DieselGeek has great stuff on what to look for.
@@BASSBOYDecepticon Hey! I checked out Uro Tuning and ECS. Which kits(s) are you referring to? (Side note....I stumbled across some other stuff I might put on my Golf)
@@BASSBOYDecepticon I think I found the kit you are referring too. Is this it? www.urotuning.com/products/shifter-rebuild-kit-8-pcs-mk4 If it isn't, show me the one you are referring to. If it is, the kits do not come with the same parts. The URO Kit comes with: Left selector bracket bushing Right selector bracket bushing Shift pressure spring Shift pressure spring bushing Shifter ball cup DieselGeek Kit comes with: Shaft bushings "First Gear Getter" bushing "Cable Saver" bushing left to right "Cable Saver" bushing front to back Adjustment Pin After looking them over, they complement each other. But one (URO) is an OEM replacement and the other is an upgrade. And, I will likely be getting the URO one as well. My spring bushing is pretty bad.
You are the second person to mention that. Where were you when I was looking into it? Huh? 😉 Is that how you did it? I think I saw Humble mechanic do it that way...after I did mine.
Hiya, I own a VW MK4 Golf 2000 1.6L. underneath the gear shifter cover there is a plastic over over the gear shifter mechanism where I want to replace the bushing, how do I get this off?