Shift Rod Tube Rebuild and Cleaning VW Split Window Bus Restoration Vandemic E5

[@davejohnson3376]

Nice! Finally I’ve found a video that actually shows all the parts of the shifter system and how it works. I can now go about overhauling mine. Thanks for taking the time 👍

[@HapticGarage]

That's awesome Dave, I hope the project goes well and I'm thrilled to be some small part of it. Thanks for watching!

[@CTmoog]

I'm working on this now! This video series is just what I needed my friend! Thanks again!

[@HapticGarage]

That's awesome CT, I'm glad you're making progress on Rusty! Thanks for the support!

[@CTmoog]

Nice job man! Cool video effect with the grinder ! 👍😎👍

[@HapticGarage]

Thanks CT, that was fun to mess around with!

[@maintayne]

Yeah that was the highlight for me, so trippy. And all I had to drink was my morning coffee. Great video, thanks!

[@VWJawbreaker]

Now that’s thinking outside the box! Very clever ways of accomplishing the task. Job well done buddy!

[@HapticGarage]

Thanks VWJawbreaker! As you know, us home shop types have to come up with some interesting solutions. I'm glad you like the video and thanks for all the support! Our northern buddy 5150mxVW was asking about us all; I was happy to report all is well. Stay safe!

[@aussiebeatle4049]

Fantastic backyard engineering, love the ingenuity shown and I learned a bunch. Many thanks!!

[@HapticGarage]

Thanks Aussie Beatle, this was a fun one. They can eat up some time, but the home grown solutions are a lot of fun to attempt. Sometimes they work, other times not so much... Have to say I was happy with how this turned out, and even better knowing it may help you and others with your projects. Thanks for your continued support!

[@vwnut1967]

Great ideas Thanks fr sharing your unique and ingenious ways of problem solving.BIG THUMBS UP

[@HapticGarage]

Thanks vwnut1967, that's high praise from someone who figured out a cool way to make a Beetle visor out of a snow board! Big thanks for the kudos, and thanks for checking out the video!

[@daytripping]

Thank you so much for this video!! I took out my transmission last week for a rebuild. Going to do what you did in this video over the weekend. Learned a ton on how the shift rod is put together. Thank you

[@HapticGarage]

Thanks user99kb, I'm glad this is helpful to you! I hope your project went well and your shifter is smooth and crisp!

[@mra2957]

Love the groovy early 70’s jamb music!

[@HapticGarage]

Thanks Mra Mra, just seems to fit and it's kinda fun to edit!

[@HubertusSchaper]

Hi Haptic, great to see you working on this great bus, However, I would clean up the bottom beneath totally for rust protection That tactile is the same as asking for rust. you know Iàm do the restoration of my VWT3 and at this moment I did clean the total bottom beneath and is clean to do a real good rust preparation with lanoline and Ovatrol oil. So then I have control for rust. The gear shifter is a funny construction from the VW Factory. but is functional. I did have some problems with the same-Well I`m looking forward again for a new video from you. Take care and stay healthy. greeting.HCS

[@HapticGarage]

Hello Hubertus, yes- I would like to do some metal work and rust prevention all over the bus when possible. Right now the immediate goal is to get it on the road and make improvements gradually. I'll have to make some of those improvements if I wish to drive the bus in the rain. I'm glad you like the video- thanks for catching up on the series!

[@other_brother_darryl4714]

love the laughter of success. Awesome when that happens

[@HapticGarage]

Cool stuff Veedub914, can't resist a little verbal victory lap. Thanks for being here!

[@markm6264]

Just had this issue with my 21 window last week. I have a mechanic working on it for me , but its great to have a little better idea of exactly what was being done. Great video... Thanks

[@HapticGarage]

Oh wow, a 21 window! Too cool. Thanks for the kind remarks and I hope the work on your bus was completed successfully. Thanks for watching!

[@vdub618]

great series! Thanks for sharing

[@HapticGarage]

Thanks Vdub618, it's been a lot of fun to share this project. Thanks for always being a part!

[@matthewchilders5263]

Great videos. Been watching a few of them today.

[@HapticGarage]

Thanks Matthew, good to have you with us!

[@volkybaru]

Do you have an episode on mounting the shifter mechanism back?

[@HapticGarage]

Hey Volkybaru, thanks for watching- check this one out for the install- kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXSmemqPfa6Ke9k

[@DentFreeImagePeterVega]

Great video, will love to see part 2! I will be doing this soon to my bay project.

[@HapticGarage]

Very cool Peter, good luck on the bay project! While this splitty is great, I look forward to working on my '68 doublecab some day. Bays seem like great VWs to drive and maintain. Enjoy!

[@SkaterStimm]

Take a rag and a broom handle with some grease and grease the rag and insert it into the tube, it really helps with the shifting and cleans all the old grease/dirt out as well.

[@HapticGarage]

Exactly Skater Stimm- getting all that grease and dirt out really helps. Thanks for sharing the alternative approach and for checking out the video!

[@SkaterStimm]

@@HapticGarage I have done two buses now, the ram rod method is the only way. I typically do it when the engine and transmission is out so removing the drag link is a new one, and that is awesome it worked. Sadly it won't work for newer buses since the coupler is not accessible.

[@HapticGarage]

Yeah Skater Stimm, I was thrilled about sneaking past the swing lever / draglink area. I'll keep your comment in mind when I work on the '68 Double Cab someday. Thanks for sharing!

[@vistable6006]

Great video Haptic! Keep up the good work!!

[@HapticGarage]

Thanks Vistable, always great to see your comments. Thanks for being here!

[@jureirt4025]

love your vids keep it going and good luck. More Dweezil videos please

[@HapticGarage]

Hey Jure Irt, thanks for the well wishes and the gentle nudge to resume the Dweezil Videos. I'm looking forward to getting back to that project too. It will be so cool to finally have that car on the road. Thanks for watching and being a part of the channel!

[@vwcoco]

Another good vid sir !! Plenty of good tips and good luck on the next job

[@HapticGarage]

Thanks vwcoco, I hope everything is great on that side of the pond. More to come!

[@omargallardo8987]

Great video! I’m going to try the same on my 65 bus, remove the swing lever to pull rod and replace bushings. It should work the same right? Thanks for sharing.

[@HapticGarage]

Hi Omar, I hope your project went well. I'd expect the '65 to be similar if not the same. Thanks for watching!

[@lohlemeier]

I’d think a gun cleaning kit would make quick work of that. You’d have to figure out what “caliber” it was. Maybe 20 gauge? That work for the smaller tubes too. Just use a smaller caliber brush.

[@HapticGarage]

Absolutely. Maybe a bit pricey but the right size metal brush for each guide tube would be great. Thanks for watching Lane!

[@VWLifeVW]

wow a bench seat

[@HapticGarage]

Dude, I know! I can like, sit on it and stuff... Thanks for checking out the project and y'all stay safe over there in Texas!

[@HapticGarage]

OK, it hit me like a ton of bricks... I finally understand the significance of your comment about the bench seat- didn't realize the later splittys only had the 1/3 & 2/3 style front seat for the non-walk through busses... This bench seat may be from an earlier bus??? Not sure, but it really made me laugh when I realized your weren't messing with me by commenting about this. I thought, "Who cares? I'd rather have a walk through!" Anyway, just had to share that, and thanks as always for commenting!

[@VWLifeVW]

@@HapticGarage ha ha! Yeah 1961-62 I think bench seats were around

[@TCOmotors]

Lifesaver

[@HapticGarage]

Thanks @TCOmotors!

[@MH-ev3wr]

Does the split window not have the shuttlecock bushings that go on the shift shaft? If they do, how do you get the front one with the metal clip on it back into the tube "against the grain"?

[@busman5429]

First thanks for labling your videos made it easy for me to go back and watch again. This week my friend stop by and pull my transaxle and I pulled my rear shift rod out from the back. The front shift rod tube I had out already when I pulled and rebuilt the fron I-beam assembly. I need to see how you clean the shift rod tube so I can clean my tube out. What did you use for lubricating the ID Iad. of the tube ?? It cool seeing all the video under the bus since i cannot get to look at my bus which is the smae year as yours.

[@HapticGarage]

Hey Dan! I'm glad you're finding the info helpful using it to move your project forward. To clean the tube, I put a few short cuts in a washer, then put that on the end of a threaded rod like I was making a plunger. Chuck the other end in a drill and use it to spin & push a copper pot scrubber through a few times. After rinsing with kerosene, I just used wheel bearing grease to lubricate and protect the ID of the tube. I put in a liberal amount and then pushed it through with a rag a few times. I hope this helps, and good luck!

[@TheKpm181]

Thanks for the video. How much grease do you use when reinstalling the shift rod? And where or how did you apply it? Just on the 2 bushings or a ton of grease in the tube beforehand? Just standard bearing grease?

[@HapticGarage]

Hi @TheKpm181, I used the wheel bearing grease and coated the entire rod mostly to prevent rust. Also greased the ID of the bushings and the shifter cup. I hope this helps!

[@thelittleredbarn174]

Would you happen to know if you have to loosen the front shift Rod connection to make room to get the rear coupling out? Thanks

[@HapticGarage]

Hi Music Connect! You may try shifting into 1st or 3rd (the shift rod will move rearward), then loosen a grub screw and shift into 2nd or 4th. Hopefully the coupler slides off far enough to loosen the other grub screw and remove. If not, removing the shifter may allow enough forward movement of the rod to clear everything. If that's necessary, it may be a good idea to mark the shifter's location to ease reinstallation. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[@danoven4866]

Great ideas but how about using cleaning rods/brushes for a shotgun and/or smaller caliber brushes for the small tubes.

[@HapticGarage]

Thanks Dan, I was pleased with how that project turned out. Yes, definitely, gun brushes are useful in the shop. This was a little too nasty of a job for the ones I've set aside for shop use- I save those for cleaning oil galleries when drilling & tapping a case. But that's just history; I see no reason they wouldn't work great for this. Thanks for sharing the idea!

[@VWLifeVW]

you don't realize how lucky you were with that front coupler. most need to be cut off !! took me hours.

[@HapticGarage]

Yeah, there's a lot to be thankful for with this bus. Sometimes it's weird to loosen a bolt without needing a blow torch. I'm glad you got it done, sorry it was one of the stubborn ones!

[@thebeatles5009]

So at 10:30 what’s the point of that bushing? The og shift rod off my 65 bus didn’t even have an opening for that. But the new one I ordered does

[@HapticGarage]

Hmm. The little bushing in the front of the shift rod came around a little later; it slips over a pin that supports the front of the shift rod. The earlier busses used a sleeve behind the shifter cup like the one found in the Beetles. There should be a loop hanging down behind the floor opening that your shift rod passes through- that needs the sleeve and it supports the front shift rod on your bus. The change happened in 1966? Mine is a '67. My guess is that everybody gets the new version now and it's probably compatible with the old sleeve. It's good that you are verifying all of this- smooth shifting is worth it! Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

[@flatfourluka1306]

Great video! Are you planning to repaint the bus? Edit: I think its current patina looks kinda cool :D

[@HapticGarage]

Thanks Mr. Skarloey, I kinda like it too! I don't plan to paint the outside anytime soon, although I'll have to do some metal work at some point. Hopes are to drive the bus while I finish Dweezil!

[@flatfourluka1306]

@@HapticGarage i was also about to ask about Dweezil, looking forward to also seeing some progress on it!

[@HapticGarage]

​@@flatfourluka1306 Yeah man, I'm looking forward to catching up on that editing- gotta stay focused for now but it'll be great to share that ASAP!

[@SkaterStimm]

On my bus it was 100% the front bushing and the adjustment of the shifter plate. It is the opposite of what you think. If 1st and 2nd are a problem you should push it towards 3rd and 4th and vise versa. You were definitely pushing it the wrong way when you started.

[@HapticGarage]

Yeah, it's a learning process. Spoiler alert- it's all good now. Thanks for watching!

[@DemopVWgarage]

these shift rods and couplers are the devil ;) Wish I had filmed my torture effort ;)

[@HapticGarage]

I've heard some horror stories about these. Kinda like the parking brake pivot bolt- stuff gets nature-welded together with no graceful way to remove. I'm sure your situation would've been must see footage! Thanks for watching!

[@DemopVWgarage]

@@HapticGarage I had the same issue as yours where the shifter wouldn’t go all the way over for first ended up having to cut and rotate the shaft about 3mm to make it work.

[@HapticGarage]

​@@DemopVWgarage Ohhh that stinks. I had something like that happen after replacing an old hockey stick. That may be a local term... it's the bent thing inside the nosecone. The aftermarket hockey stick simply wasn't manufactured like the old one so it didn't line up the same. Not sure if this applies to your situation but thought I'd mention it.

[@DemopVWgarage]

@@HapticGarage yeh I bet mine was a combination of a new gearbox and old shifter shaft with a gene berg shifter but who knows🤷🏽‍♂️ Got to love working on these old buses hay😉 my next issue is trying to get rid of a second gear bog on the 31pict carbie🤔

[@HapticGarage]

Yup, always a learning process. Good luck with the carb issue, I like the vacuum advance idea but I'm sure you will find something that works for you. Let us know how it goes!

[@VWLifeVW]

we call those shuttlecocks

[@HapticGarage]

Yup, good name for them. Thanks for watching!

[@SkaterStimm]

I wish we could invent a better system, they work...but I almost want something like the BustyBits Throttle upgrade, but for the shuttlecocks.

[@VwRosstorations]

Nothing worse than a sloppy rod...😁

[@HapticGarage]

Zing! But seriously folks, thanks for checking out the video Vw Rosstorations!

[@lpz3665]

Nature of Omaha wildlife Volkswagen rebuild man.. Doesn't he sound like he does nature shows.

[@HapticGarage]

This nature show features beetles and other bugs.

[@eddiecastaneda9523]

German Colonoscopy