Hey Jamie,
This isn't as bad as you think.  It will take a couple of hours, longer the
first time.  I'd be happy to do it for you in partial trade for that
Vespa....
I think the key is a very good floor jack (I use the 3-ton from Sears), and
a second cheaper floor jack to help adjust angles so it slides off/on
easily.
Pmail me if you want more advice.
bmc  :)
"Faith will move mountains, but you'd better bring a shovel...."

> From: Jamie Ayotte <jayotte@DESTEFANOARCHITECTS.COM>
> Reply-To: Jamie Ayotte <jayotte@DESTEFANOARCHITECTS.COM>
> Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2002 15:49:33 -0500
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: tough shifting... pilot bearing?
>
> hi.  this is three days in a row that i have posted questions to you all...
> and here's another:  after researching the archives i've come up with a
> conclusion that scares me.  i've always worked on my own cars and vehicles,
> but never anything that seems so involved as dropping a transmission...
> now, the problem is that i have tght, loud shifting in all gears.  by loud i
> mean that it sounds like the shifter is just rubbing metal on metal- in
> other words, it doesn't seem to be internal- now, does anyone think that the
> problem could be as simple as getting under the van and greasing the sh*t
> out of everything connected to the shifter... OR am i gonna have to cry
> myself to sleep tonight trying to muster up the cohones to drop the
> transmission?  also, when i do drop it, what else should i change?  as i
> don't think i will want to do that again for a while?
>
> thanks,
>
> jamie
>
> 86 westy
> 78 vespa
> 98 golden retreiver- syd (who is my second set of hands on this one)
>