This can happen when the lever is sloppy attached to your transmission. The
two areas to check is the lever where it is bolted onto the shaft that
slides in and out (relay shaft). This is held on with a 13mm nut that you
reach into the hole to tighten. If it is loose for a long time it ruins all
the spline parts by vibration. BAD!

Also the socket can get loose where it is attached to the linkage rod with
a lousy roll pin. The third thing is if your socket is severely worn or the
plastic ball inside.

In short, looseness can cause the socket to go past the point where it can
push on the ball at an effective angle, so you are stuck in gear.

-- Gnarlie

On Tue, May 6, 2014 at 6:09 PM, Neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi all.
>
> '81 Vanagon with WBX transmission and linkage.
>
> Clutch: ok. Transmission oil level: very likely ok. Transmission works
> fine 95% of the time but recently got stuck in 4th three times over a
> period of 2 weeks. I drive it at least every other day.
>
> Today, at 35 MPH, I had to stop quickly. No time to shift out of 4th.
> Just jumped on the brakes and clutch. Transmission got stuck in 4th. I
> gently "bumped" the clutch which allowed me to get out of 4th.
>
> Archive wisdom suggests this may be the 3/4 slider hub issue. Are
> these symptoms typical of a 3/4 slider hub issue?
>
> At a stand still, if I move shifter "quick and hard" into 4th, I hear
> and feel a slight metal on metal sound like a part in the shift
> linkage is bumping up against metal. I don't feel this shifting into
> 2nd. Possibly the end of front shift rod hitting front of shift box
> above spare tire?
>
> I'm hoping it's not a slider hub issue so will inspect the shift
> linkage and try a fine adjustment at the base of shift lever in cab.
>
> Thanks for any insights
>
> Neil.
>
> --
> Neil n
>
> Blog: tubaneil.blogspot.ca
>
> '88 Westy http://tinyurl.com/c8rlw6p
>
> '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"  http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>
> Vanagon VAG *Gas* inline-VR Engine Swap Group:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/d7gd5ej
>