Copy and paste this link - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=676591

 It will take you to a series of adjustments that need to be performed in sequence in order to achieve the proper adjustment. Since it's possible for any one of the adjustment points to be out of whack, don't skip any of the steps. It is also spelled out in the Bentley manual on page 34.8.
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Don Hanson
Sent: Saturday, April 15, 2017 11:44 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Shift linkage? 84 manual transmission

Any suggestions for adjusting?  I have a 5sp diesel trans, recently rebuilt by AA Transaxle.  Over the winter, away on an extended road trip, the reverse lock-out function seems to be going away... probably from my being lazy and repeatedly pulling it out of gear without bothering to climb into the driver's seat to push in the clutch.
   I am also looking to "adjust" my shift from 2nd gear (that's the gear like first gear in a standard 4 sp Vanagon). these adjustments are likely 2 different things...the linkage was redone wben I first began with this van maybe 100k miles ago.  the second to third gear shift has always been a little off...easy to "miss" that gear when the tranny is cold and not paying attention, but just fine after a few minutes and the transmission gets warm...
   I'm really amazed at the linkage...and how it can get all the way from front to back to work the gears. There's just too much going on under there with interconnected leverages, vectors, etc. to actually deduce how it all does the job...
    Anyone care to advise on what​I need to do for these two different (?) issues?  I'm​ guessing it will be something just below the  floor, related to the adjustment for the shift lever base, maybe something else for the reverse "gate"...