VW Shift Cable Saver: Changing the front to back cable end bushing from inside the car 

This kit was such a great purchase. I had no idea how “old” my shifter had become until I swapped it out

I was deeply gratified to find how easy this was to do. First, drilling the hole was no big deal. Once I curled the carpet down and out of the way the actual drilling took less than a minute. With the bushing on the shift lever, I was able to hook it on the cable end and lift it into a fairly convenient spot to push it the rest of the way onto the bushing. Then with the lever part way out and angled a little I was able to get the circlip pliers through the hole. Once the circlip was on the bushing I pushed it with a screwdriver into its groove. The whole operation took maybe 90 minutes. Thank you DieselGeek, your kit and this process saved my ASS.

You all should get an award for this technique.

Guys, I bought this kit a few days ago for my 02 TT & installed it in an hour. WOW the car feels brand new, I’m extremely grateful & amazed 👍🏻

It has been 4 years since I replaced this bushing of my TTQ from Deselgeek, nothing is happen but all GOOD, great & solid still like a champ. Did you know how much dealer want to rob my money to repair this shifter? They asked for10K ! Since then I declared to NOT VISIT or TRUST ANY VW/AUDI DEALER in the world. Thank DESELGEEK ! Honestly thank you.

Very Clever!! This saved a ton of time and effort to remove exhaust and work under the car. I got it done pretty quickly even after dropping the small pieces several times. Thanks for having the kit available.

Thank you so much for this VERY informative video. I ordered your bushing set, and followed your instructions in the video, and got my Jetta back on the road. I saved a lot of time and money by using the method you described.

Superior installation info and excellent customer service; this is what separates, the quality Diesel Geek products from the other brands! Thank you, for providing repair kits like these; to fix the common VW Mark IV failures and save us money, in the process! I wish I had known about this alternative install option; before, I did the install on my Turbo S New Beetle! :) I did my install on a lift; dropped the exhaust and removed the bottom plate of the shifter box.

Thanks for posting this video, I must've watched it 3 times before realizing I drilled the hole on the side of the shift box too far forward. Was still able to get the snap ring installed. Thank you again and keep em coming. BTW, I purchased your kit and my GTI shifts beautifully.

You're a life saver! Driving my TT to work this morning and the shifter just went completely dead! Towed it home, took it apart to find out WTF Audi. this would be such an easy fix if that box came out topside, already drilled an access hole when I found this video to order the bushings.

Wow your videos are some of the BEST I have ever seen concerning VAG Automotive. Well done my friend. Thanks too Keep rockin!

This is a great video. Saved me a ton of time. Makes you wonder if the service hole on the right side of the box was overlooked by engineers.

I have researched for 2 days when I came across this...THANK YOU

Thank you so much. Can't believe how easy it was to fix with your product. Thanks a million! 2003 Audi TT

Excellent instructional video, took my time and got done. Needed the extra screw. Had to dremel a slot and used a flat tip screw driver and a litte heat to get it out. Saved a ton of money..THANKS!!!

cool, i got these for my s3. and worked like a racing car, very tight and precise.

Just completed your fix to my 2002 Audi TT ALMS tonight. Your bushing kit and instructional videos are brilliant and saved me HUNDREDS of dollars! My front to back shift bushing disintegrated and left me stuck in 5th gear and a shifter flopping around. I decided to change out the side to side shift bushing while i was at it. I took both front seats out, as it's only 4 allen bolts each side, and I really can't imagine doing this fix with those in the way. The center console and cupholders came out as well. I'm definitely not a mechanic, but I like to do some minor repair and maintenance work on my cars where I can, and I was able to do this job. The side to side bushing was the toughest for me, as the bushing is a tight fit to the bell crank arm. I was able to get it on by inserting two long shank screwdrivers through the side of the shifter housing, and pulling and pushing on either sides of the shift cable eye and bell crank carefully. The toughest part of the front to back bushing installation is getting the circlip, and then the end clip on the bushing through the tiny 1 1/8" hole with pliers. The video says you don't need the end clip, but I felt more comfortable reusing it. You're definitely going to want one of those long flexible, magnetic grabber tools for when you drop the clips down into the housing. This job definitely requires some very tedious small access space work, but it can be done and it will save you a ton of money. I'm going to buy an extra kit for my other TT as a backup. Bravo DieselGeek!

I just ordered your bushing set I should get it by Saturday thank you for the video

Thank you so much for posting this video It work great for my TT saved me a boat load of money the parts you make worked perfect

Thank you for the help today, i got the gti going. Everything is good and smooth.

Ordered the bushings and y’all have a how to video 🤙 hell yeah

Thanks you for the video...Sons Audi tt is back on the road!!!

Thanks for these vids you are a gentleman

You are absolutely awesome my friend!! I apreciate so much your explanation. I was really sad when realized that need to die under my TT quattro. Thanksgod I've seen your video.. you're master!! Keep It Up! THANK YOU

Thank You!! God has given you creative and wise ideas. Thanks for sharing

great video.i hope this is my problem.my 2000 jetta was not shifting to all gears all of a sudden. when i got to my neighborhood and tried to shift i had no gears.had to push it home. will check out more in the daytime

Just ordered the kit as mine broke again. Did this fix about a year ago by finding used shift cable and transferred the grommet. Was able to do it from above w two guys and like four pairs of needle nose pliers. Telescoping magnet and grabber for the fourteen times we dropped the parts LOL. This will be way easier once the hole is drilled. I am sure we stressed the used grommet transferring it, hence the one year life of the fix. Also nice touch in incl the sckt-hd cap screw as we did strip the torx last year apparently. Not completely but may be drilling it out this time. Great kit. Was thinking similarly of lathing a part. Can’t buy this part separately at dealer.

In my mk4 5 speed new beetle, my lever moves side to side when i am in gear..in neutral all is ok, and front to back is ok either in neutral or in gear. I ve adjusted the cables several times but nothing happens. What could be causing the problem?

Great video thanks for making it. I'm watching this because my MK5 5 speed only catches 3rd and 4th gear. Side to side and reverse was very tight when it got cold. Frist night below zero and the gear box froze. I tried to go into reverse and something snapped. Now side to side is like butter but I can't get any other gears. Only 3 and 4. Anyhow, great video, I need to figure out what part seized and broke in the bloody gear box. Any insight would be very helpful :)

I currently have this kit, and the front to back bushing is the last one to do. I believe mine is still connected, but it does have some play. If I were to drill the hole, could I pull up on the shifter then disconnect the linkage? Kinda like the reverse of the installation. I want to finish the install, but dropping the exhaust/heat shield isn’t happening lol.

Gracias. Por tu explicacion logre salir de una emergencia con mi golf mk3

Hi can u help got 1998 golf vr6.gear stick got play.also shiftr towers got movment.goes into to gear just stick wobbly. Any idea s.cheers

I just bought a golf. I am having an issue with it being REALLY stiff going side to side. What could my problem be and do you have anything that will help me fix my issue?

Brilliant!!!

Anybody know if you're suppose to put some type of grease on the bushings Side to side and 1st gear saver) or the ball of the shifter? I have an Audi TT. Great videos ,saved hundreds$$ changing the side to side and 1st gear getter.

can you do this from inside the car? you have to take off the interior centre console trim?

very nice video

Hello, I have a 2012 MK6 GLI. I just took my center console out and notice my bushing came off and saw this video. I purchased your bushing and wanted to ask if its really safe to make a hole on the passenger side of the shifter box so I don't have to take down the whole thing. A buddy of mine wants to take down the whole thing but this seems like a great idea to just shave a hole. Please let me know if you this works on my make and model.

Is the Allen screw to replace the torx on the side to side included in the deluxe mk4 bushing set?

I stripped the bellcrank screw but I'm sure I applied more torque than the video shows. The thing won't budge. How did you do it so effortlessly? Does it unskrew to the left or right??

If the front to back is not completely toast, is it possible to disconnect it after drilling the access hole? and then replace it as shown in the video?

My 3rd is really hard to shift into even with the car not running ,could be a bushing problem or more of a clutch fork issue?

Hello i have a question maybe u can help i have a 03 jetta 1.8t we just replaced the trans but we can get the gears align right now 1st gear is where reverse should be and i have a lot of play in the shifter with the side to side and even when we put the pin in shifter it still has some side to side move meant will u be able to help me out i dont wanna keep spending money on stuff people think is wrong with it

Where can i find the bushing for the ball for a 09 mk5, is it in your website

Puedes proporcionar el # partes de todos los bujes, los de abajo y afuera de la caja. Gracias.

Where can i buy the shiftee bushings and the lever

Hi, i am trying to purchase this bush from your website but in country choice i cant find Oman (my country) , can u support?

hi guys i need to replace my 200 beetle shifter cables bushings where can i get this bushings ??? can some body please tell me where can a get it?

Can someone please help me. I can't find a fix for my help. When I shift into first the shift knob moves to the right like if its in third once I let it go. what can I do to make it not look like it's in third when I'm in first gear is it a bushing issue and if so which one.

Hello I have a 1998 MK4 TDI and it has the older version of the Shifting cables I believe they’re MK3 however do you have the whole kit for it?

thanks

Mine feels like it could use a bushing, shifts okay but a little fussy. 2002 vw golf 5 speed

If anybody had an issue with getting out the old bushing I was able to take mine out with ease after hitting it with a blowtorch. Be careful not to set anything on fire though;)

Can you install on my '02 Beetle? I would be happy to pay for this service.

Thankyou

When I came to the unscrewing moment, mine was completely stripped out... I have some doubts about the drilling tho.. If I drill the head off, won't the rest of the screw be stuck inside the mechanism? Will I need to make a new tap or things like this? Thank you!

The tool to make the hole what size is it?

just had new clutch and gearbox on a mk4 golf but now struggling to get first gear can only get it if I push down a little on the gear stick all other gears are fine enyone got eny ideas

great video, just ordeed a kit, hello from Australia

Hello, the piece of my seat leon fr mk1 has broken. Do you ship to Spain? Or could you provide me with another web page that they send to Spain, thank you very much and a lot of good videos, a greeting from Spain has helped me a lot

What if your front to back cable bushing still has a remnant that keeps the existing cable ring attached? I'm having trouble removing the cable end ring from the existing bushing from the 1-1/8" window I drilled. Did I hear you right that in my situation, the window option from the top won't work? Do I instead have to do this job from the bottom by removing the exhaust, etc.?

I did a 02J conversation on my 02A ... do you guys know if there shorter cables ? Mine are fairly long

What is the thick black ring around the shift ball? I need that as mine is worn

Will this work for a 2011 Jetta with a manual shifter?

I have a mark 6, is it similar? (Manual)

@dieselgeekdotcom how long will it take for the bushing to arrive, what can I do for a temporary fix to drive to work and back?

Would anyone happen to have the part number by any chance? for the bushing?

Hi I have trouble getting into 6th gear from 5th on my 2010 sharan 7n. I replaced the clutch recently and followed your cable alignment guide which gave me all the other gears accurately. Before my new clutch it was sometimes a bit hard to get 6th but not so hard as now. Any ideas? or should I adjust just one of the cables again? many thanks

Aloha, thanks for the video. My shifter is floating around freely like it is attached to nothing. I'm assuming the bushing broke and the cable actually came off. Does that make sense? If yes, I should be able to buy your bushing kit and repair in a similar manor correct? Thanks!

You mentioned the only way this works is if the cable is already disconnected. With the access hole drilled, can you disconnect the cable from shifter? I think mine is still connected, but I'd love to take my center console apart once, do everything, then just button it up for another 100k miles :)

Where did you get the right bushings? I’ve looked everywhere and was told I have to get a whole new cable

I have a 2007 Jetta it has an automatic shifter that is giving me problems. It’s hard to come out of park and to go back into park, any idea what’s the cause

tankyou

Why a 1.125" hole saw, and not bigger?

What size bit is needed to drill the head off the torx that holds the side to side? Mines completely stripped when I took off the middle console. Thank you in advance 🙌

Que referencia tiene el casquillo de plástico que va con el cepo de la palanca. Gracias

same issue with my audi tt . Can you send me that buck and circlip ? I will pay for for it. Cameron

I have a question. Where did you all get the bushings from? I am in Birmingham

Hi, can you send the kit to Mexico?

Where can I get this bushings. I try everywhere and nothing. I have 2001 ve Jetta

What size is the c clip used on the cable bushing ?

Hi!, good afternoon, could you help me? please?, I have some question about mechanism, in my car the gear shift is similar like this, but in your video you have a yellow shift that enbones whit the part that you assemble on minute 8:06, Is this one piece with the lever? I do not know if I broke this shift, but I do not have connection betwen shift and plate. And I can not move my car in reverse. Thanks for video

i did mine taking out exhaust. 😑

Anyone selling these bushing kits in Europe???

Drilled a hole. Used a flathead. That sirclip was a BITCH to put on. Like 2 f%%%$^ hours of losing the clip in the housing and fishing it out

Buenas noches no sé nada inglés y entendí como hacerlo perfectamente bien

buen video, pague 800 pesos xkambiar, esa pieza..lo kise aser yo mismo y nopude

Hello Jim. Steve here, 2008 Beetle Convertible 5 speed, I just received your bushing kit, however did so assuming my cable had come of in the Box, I Gained access from removing center console, appears both cables are still attached, shifter gets hung up when moving forward back etc, So, its with Mechanic now (he has only deduced from moving shifter some) says just buy 2 new cables that we are having trouble finding, Q: does the actual cable ever break? or is it 1) the Bushings in box , or could it be2) the transmission cable side Black connectors of which are (available?) replaceable I believe ? Things went bad when I was quickly shifting from 1st to 2nd, Thanks Greatly appreciate your help, Steve

How do I find the kit?

This video explains how surgeons remove appendixes.

The Volkswagen dealership gave me the wrong bushing, way too big. What is the proper bushing I should ask for?

use a shoelace and pull it on bud save your fingas n time n energy lol