I will be completely honest in saying I didn't read through your entire
email. But....

:)

The deformations in the M/F parts of the front and rear linkage can be
"massaged" with basic hand tools: sockets and what not. I would suggest
annealing (heating) the female, and/or male part, and shape as needed
(don't ask how I know this.... In short, haha, I adapted a WBX transmission
and linkage to an engine positioned as per the air cooled engine; all told,
the linkage had to be shortened)

Image of shortening linkage:

image of parts after I "massaged" them, note the weld:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GByIZGfOy3M/S8JHcSxJggI/AAAAAAAACyA/Qlg5ksYYlcA/s640/ShiftLinkage_cutInstalled.jpg

re: the 23mm Bentley specs. I assume you're measuring your socket on the OD
?

Here's how I did it. A strip of metal used as a gauge:

Image:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-YxGvKrXgWNI/S_bYA3gXeeI/AAAAAAAADFw/EeODBTIsWwU/s640/FrontShiftRod_23mmMetal.jpg

Neil.

On Mon, Mar 5, 2012 at 12:35 AM, Mike South <msouth@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I have an 85 Westy, formerly AT, that I am in (what I really I really,
> dearly hope are) the final stages of converting to a manual
> transmission.  I took it for my first test drive with everything
> hooked up and, as I said in the subject, I can get it to go into every
> gear but second.
>
> The front and back shift rods (by which I mean the long rods that run
> from the bottom of the lever at the front of the van back to the
> ball-and-cup thing at the back) were clamped together by the previous
> owner so hard that there are four indentations in the rods where the
> corners of the clamps have bitten into the rods.  Because of these
> indentations it is relatively easy to get it into the position that it
> used to be in (since you have that "convenient" (I say sarcastically)
> "stop" point), but getting it to move further in or out from that
> point is more of a challenge.
>
> I am wondering if people can tell me how far into the back rod their
> front rod is inserted.  When I look at mine from the side, I can still
> see the end of the front rod in the slit in the back rod.  I would be
> able to see daylight through there if there was daylight to see under
> the van, and I think I could fit a thin finishing nail through there,
> but not much else.
>
> Here is the "logic", such as it is, that I am applying to think I
> might be able to make an adjustment to the rods to get it to go into
> 2nd.  Since second gear is with the lever inside the van pulled
> backwards, that means it's pulling the lever on the transmission
> forward, and *if* it's not getting into gear because it's not moving
> it forward enough, it could be helped by me shoving the front rod
> further into the back rod, shortening the overall length, so that when
> it pulls forward, it pulls further forward.
>
> I would just go down there, try that, and see if it worked except that
> it's going to be both difficult to do, and difficult to undo, because
> the rods are deformed by the aforementioned pinching, so I thought I
> would bounce it off y'all first and see if you think it makes sense to
> try or would be a waste of time.
>
> Also One More Thing That Might Be Relevant
>
> I did that lateral adjustment thing in the bentley where you are
> supposed to have 23mm between the ear and the guide in the front shift
> box (at least that's what I think it's showing).  When I put in a
> socket (that was actually 23.4 mm or so wide) in the position shown,
> the left side ear was all the way against the box.  It doesn't look
> like that's what they were going for in the picture.  I'm mentioning
> it in case having that adjustment wrong could be the issue, and also
> to ask others where the left ear is when the right is 23mm from the
> guide (or if I'm interpreting that picture wrong).
>
> Thanks for any help you might be able to offer.
>
> I should also mention two things about the transmission itself.  One,
> it's a zero miles rebuild from AA Transaxle.  This is the first time I
> have used it.  Two, I did get it to go into second, once, when I was
> cornering I think.  So I'm guessing that the transmission can "do it".
>
> One other thing I guess is that, since it's second, I guess I can try
> putting it in second by hand (disconnecting the ball from the cup and
> putting it into second by hand, then starting off on a hill or
> something and see if it is actually in gear that way, to eliminate the
> possibility that there's anything wrong in the transmission itself.
> Advice on "how you know it's in second when you're shifting it by
> hand" would also be appreciated.  I'll probably lie under there while
> someone else shifts it before disconnecting just to make sure my
> mental picture is correct before trying that.  Should be easy to tell
> if I put it in 2nd or 4th though when I let off the clutch, I guess.
>
> One more thing, this is also a zero miles Bostig conversion.  It's
> possible that it could be sitting in the vehicle slightly differently
> (like the whole transmission could be pulled a little left or right)
> than it would with the original engine.  I don't necessarily have any
> reason for thinking this would be enough to matter, but I don't want
> to leave anything out that could possibly be relevant.
>
> Thanks for any insight you guys might have on any of it.
>
> mike
>

--
Neil n

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