hi.
the shift bushings last indefinitely with simple regular spray lubing.

all I ever do is tighten loose things, keep it nicely adjusted, and
frequently spray lube all parts that move, like a few times a year even.
It's real easy .

not keeping up with it will, eventually, of course leave you with a worn out
shift linkage system that does need new parts..
but if you take care of it ....the parts barely wear.

I might also say that some vanagon owners do not recognize when
.....numerous systems, ...throttle cable ...shift linkage  ...and other
things that move and need regular lubrication .................
they do not recognize when they are stiff, or needing simple attention badly
..
or even when they are not working right ...which leads to more wear yet.

I fix and make vanagons happy full time ..
and I do more cleaning, lubricating, and adjusting .....and getting perfect
results, than I do changing parts ..
I do replace worn out parts ...but so much of what I do is just intelligent
service .......and with a reasonable amount of that ....they'll last
indefinitely, more or less.

it's really decent shift linkage ..well worth caring for, and it's not even
hard to do.
And vanagons  are so easy to get under too.  Very convenient.  if it's wet,
and the van is not in a garage or on pavement ...I throw down a heavy piece
of black plastic ....like vis-queen, only thick and black - construction
materiual.  .  Makes a great wet ground tarp...if those are the conditions
you have to get under a van on, like if it's always outside.  But get under
there and spray where things move and slide..
Sometimes I have to undo the bracket in back to add grease the ball on the
shift lever on the side of the trans . The rest I treat with strategically
applied synthetic spray grease.

scott
www.turbovans.com

www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jon Kanas" <kanas@QADAS.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, January 14, 2011 9:49 PM
Subject: Shift Linkage Issue

>  Good Evening,
>
> I need a bit of advice from the list.
> 1987 Syncro Westfalia, 120K Mi.
>
> The shift linkage on my Syncro Vanagon has never been apart
> for anything in twenty plus years.  It's getting generally
> obstinate to shift, especially into 2nd when it's cold.  It
> works reasonably well when it warms up, and works really
> nicely when the bottom of the Vanagon is wet.  I'm assuming
> the linkage is either dirty (it works very nicely when it
> wet), needs new bushings, or both.  I want to get under it
> once, and fix it as soon as we have a reasonably warm
> weekend.  In the list members' experience:
>
>   1. How long do the shift linkage bushings last (miles or
>      years) before they should be replaced.
>   2. If I take this all apart to clean it up, should I just
>      assume that I need bushings and order them in advance?
>   3. Is there a "kit" from one of our find list vendors
>      that is a complete set of the shift linkage bushings,
>      boots etc?  If yes, which vendor and kit?
>   4. Any "gotchas" when doing the linkage that I should be
>      aware of??
>
>
> --
>
> *Best Regards,
> Jon B Kanas
> Email: kanas@qadas.com <mailto:kanas@qadas.com>
> Longmont, Colorado; Cultural Center of the Universe
> Website: http://www.qadas.com/~kanas
> <http://www.qadas.com/%7Ekanas> *