In a message dated 14/05/2004 2:14:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

Welding  will anneal the metal unless the welding is followed by  heat
treating.  If allowed to cool naturally, welding high carbon  steel is like
cooking
spaghetti.  The biggest problem in welding  something like this is
identifying the
grade of steel so that the proper  procedures can be applied.  Get a new
shifter rod or fabricate, harden  and temper one.

Plain BS.  I have mig welded a number of  these shift rods.  My own and
customers.  NONE have had any further  problems what so ever.  A new or used one is
going to break just as the  original one did.  Another faulty Volkswagen
design.
Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 10 ~ 13, 2004
'87 Westy, '90 Carat &  Lionel Trains
Member: _Vanagon List_ (http://www.vanagon.com/) , _LiMBO_
(http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/) , _IWCCC_ (http://www.westfalia.qc.ca/)  & _CCVWC_
(http://www.ccvwc.ca/)
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in  the Ottawa Valley
_STEBRO/Vanagon Stainless Steel  Mufflers_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
or  http://frankcondelli.com