Is access to the shift cup easy from under the car? I'm left with a lot of
fore/aft slop in my shifter (after replacing the coupler several months ago),
and I'm going to be under the car and removing belly pan(s) soon to change the
oil and replace a leaky PS hose, so I'm thinking it may be a good time to
replace that nylon cup at the front of the shifter.
Joe Elliott
'88 S4
-----
Not real easy, but possible. It's on top of the torque tube near the bell
housing.
Bill
-----
If there is play in the shifter only in the fore and aft direction (ie
between 4/5 or 2/3) that points to forward shifter cup.
If there is also play side to side that points to play in the rear UJ or in the
fittings at the base of the shifter.
remember the nylon cup in the forward shifter rod ball joint is the same as the
nylon cup in the clutch release lever about $4 versus ?60 for the complete ball
joint.
Jon
-----
I thought Jay covered this: Lift the body off the drive train.
I believe there are instructions for an alternate approach at
www.nichols.nu . It's doable from below but
access is limited and it takes a lot of force to get the cup over the ball. I
employed a crowbar lever against the body. Measure the length from the shaft to
the cup before removing the old one and put the new one on similarly. Add a wire
loop, wire ties or such around the shaft and torque tube to hold the vermin in
place should the cup fail in the future.
Glen
-----
What they all said, tedious to do, I went through most of my pry-bars / nail
pullers until I found one that would fit, ended up I think using a short one. I
added a large tie-wrap to prevent future "popping off". Not sure if it reduces
any 'shifter sensitivity'... (Wally, I think, recommended pantyhose as an
emergency roadside repair...) It's also worth checking the set screw on the rear
coupler. I had excess side-to-side wiggle, not from the coupler, but because the
coupler was slipping a bit on the rod.
Charles 80S
-----
The couple of these I did we pried the darned thing off with a flat bladed
pry bar by putting the 90 degree bent part on the top of the TT and one edge
under the cup. Then we used a hose clamp to reseat the darned thing. The hardest
part is actually screwing the cup on. Not much room for chubby forearms.
jfk