In a message dated 02/01/2007 2:31:06 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

My  shifter goes too far forward in 1st and 3rd gear.  This must be  pretty
common.  I loosened the nuts and adjusted the slots at the base  as much as I
could and that helped but I'd like to bend it or do something  to bring it
back further.  I don't want to put too much stress on the  bottom section and
pivot point by just bending the top.  Any  suggestions?

Dave, the rod has bent.  This has happened  more than once to me and some of
my customers.  It bends right where the  set screw is for the shift socket
collar.  If you bend it back it will be  OK for a spell but the shaft is now
weakened from bending and it WILL eventually  break in the most inopportune place
and you will be left with trying to figure  out how to shift to get home.  I
used a BIG screwdriver.  The fix  >  find a steel rod that fits snugly into the
shaft and will be about 3  ~ 4 inches on either side of the break.  Then weld
the two pieces of the  shaft back together.  A little clean up with grinder
and file and re-drill  the set screw location and your back in business with an
unbendable and  unbreakable shift rod.

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy, '90 Carat, '87 Wolfsburg  (Forsale) & Lionel Trains (_Collection
for  sale_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
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_Vanagon  Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
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camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10,  2007