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Definitive guide to adjusting gear linkages on a Vw T5.

91K views 35 replies 24 participants last post by  Rayray  
#1 ·
Hello everyone, I thought I would write this guide to correcting all the slack and flop in you gear changes on the Vw T5.
If you vehicle has any of the following, this guide will most likely help you. Please remember your vehicle won't have all the following just maybe some of them.

Symptoms.
1- Hard to select gears especially 1st or 2nd.
2- Hard to select reverse.
3- When selecting a gear (whilst driving) there is a sense of not fully engaging or pushing against something..
4- When in gear. There is slop left to right or especially from to back.
5- Vibration on the clutch pedal on a cold startup or occasional warm engine.

If you have any of the above please follow my guide.
Tools you will need.
A torx driver
Vw key fob and key.
Small ratchet with long reach 13mm socket.
Silicone spray preferably lithium spray greese.

Procedure.
The first thing to do is using your key fob key remove the fuse box cover on the centre console.
The next is to remove the 4 torx screws holding the centre console under the gear stick. They are located 2 under the drivers dash. 1 on the right hand side of central fusebox and the 4th in the passenger side footwell.
Next remove the couling in one piece. It justs pulls off In one piece leaving the gear stick and gear fob in place.
Next lift the circular leather collar around the gear stick. Careful not to snap the surrounding ring. Lift it up so you can easily gain access to the below meachinsm.
Next pop the bonnet and using the 13mm ratchet really tighten the centre 13mm nut on top of the selector. (Really tighten it).
Then back into the van and on my photos you will see two cables attached to the selector mechanism. This is your front to back and left to right. Press the sliders on each and they will both click back. Make sure they both click back and will stay back if done right.
Next put the van in second gear.
Next look on top of the black plate for the hole and hole below on the mechanism.
Next using the torx driver if it fits the hole tightly or a 6mm drill bit push through the top and bottom hole making the vehicle align it's self in second gear.
Next press the plastic button on each cable and it will reset to the locked position.
Next pull out the torx driver or drill bit and using the spray grease spray everything that moves in sight, and I mean everything, including all the under bonnet mechanism. I had the wife go through all gears for 2 minutes whilst I emptied my can making sure it was fully everywhere lubricating everything.

That's it. Reverse fit the couling and your done.

You should now have a tight nice selecting gear stick that feels like a new van.

If you find there is something not quite right re check the procedure before refitting your coulings to save time.

Hope this helps at least 1 person out.

Thanks guys!

P.s I've attached photos to show what I've done.
 
#11 ·
Hi there, thanks for the post and info, bout to do this but have a query:

Wouldn't it be important to select second gear BEFORE you unclick the adjusters, so that you are in the vicinity of 2nd when they come off??? Or if not what gear are you in when you disconnect the cables? Just thinking if you are in nuetral or any random gear, the whole cable and gearbox side of things will be there (say in NUETRAL) when the shifter is locked into second with the drill bit/pin, therefore being a long way out and not selecting any gears?

Anyone who can confirm this much appreciated, cheers Ben
 
#13 ·
the Haynes recommends neutral, once the clips are un-clipped select 2nd gear from the gearbox turret, pushing down & rearwards on the selector arm but apparently you need a special tool T10217 which goes between the arm and the top of the box, obviously its thickness ensures 2nd gear & probably not 4th has engaged, then you set the gearstick into the locked position with a drill bit / screw driver, then set your cables from the gearstick end, i.e re release the clips. :*
 
#15 ·
my gearbox was like stirring stiff porridge and it kept falling out of reverse. followed this guide as best i could! however, my van is now stuck on my drive without a reverse gear (and no gears 2, 4, 6.) right now, when i lift the gearknob and put it into the reverse gear, it engages 1st!!!!!

Yep, i messed up. so what do i do now? I do i set the gearbox in neutral under the bonnet?

should i just buy a second hand linkage from ebay? totally stuck right now, i've tried for about an hour to get it right.

all help welcomed and thank you in advance

(its a 2007 lwb t30 2.5tdi):(
 
#18 ·
I have just read 'aguire' reply I had the same problem select 2nd and get 4th no reverse etc. I found a simple fix. Leave the stick in the 2nd gear position release the ratchet lock clip on the left cable, hold the cable still move the gear stick to the right as far as possible then release the clip to lock the cable. You should now have all gears, just check the holes still line up though.
 
#28 ·
Thanks so much for posting this, following the instructions has made a huge difference to my gear shift. My symptoms were, stiff to select first and second when driving, both up and down the box, but when stationary all shifts were mint. Whilst still a tiny bit stiff into second, I'd say I have an 80% improvement.