Ken Wilford at Vanagain sells all the parts to rebuild your shifter
mechanism in the car.

I have replaced mine, and discovered a marked improvement in the way the
shifter felt(also added Berg short-shift kit--even bigger improvement)My old
parts looked tired.

Replaced a fellow listees one weekend, and discovered part of his old one
was actually cracking..........fix it before it breaks.  The parts are only
like $20, and are easily replaced by even a novice shade-tree mechanic.....

Adam Puzerewski
81 westy
74 beetle
86 cabrio
Vanagon Partsmobiles
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jay L Snyder" <Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2001 10:33 AM
Subject: [VANAGON] Sloppy Shifter

> I had a sloppy shifter problem with my '86.  There are (4)  10mm nuts that
> hold the shifter base to the body.  These slowly worked themselves loose
> until the shift lever would move around so much you couldn't find
anything.
> Eventually, the van was stuck in second gear.  I was able to drive it home
> that way.  I replaced the four nuts and all was well.  See if you have any
> up and down slop in the shifter.  If so, drop the spare and check those
> nuts!  It cost me less than a dollar to pick up new nuts and lock washers.
>                                                              Jay