Bus shift linkage

[davejohansen]

Spent a good portion of yesterday stripping parts off the bus. Getting set to take the front beam off but need to remove the shift linkage first. The square head set screw has seen pentrating oil for a few days coming up to the big event ( I had a feeling it was going to be stubborn) after heating and cooling the bugger, I clamped on a visegrip wrench and bam the screw sheared off . No problem break out the "easyout" tools. Now after breaking a few drill bits to drill out the hole. More oil and heat, the next attempt I manage to break the easyout . Bigger drill bits follow with the set screw being pretty much completely drilled out. (guess I'll need to retap the threads a bit bigger than stock).. However I still cannot get the two shafts to
budge and the visegrips are starting to distort the rods. My next step is to breakout the zip cut and slice the rods apart.

Question is, how hard is it to find replacement linkage. CIP stocks some new "universal" types that look straight in the pic, does one just bend it to shape so that it matches the old.

Here is that universal rod shaft

www.cip1.ca/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=C26%2D711%2D130
Dave

[riffraff]

If you mean the coupler when you say linkage, slice away.
Make sure you don't sacrifice the shift rods, sacrifice the coupler. Slice the coupler on two sides and pry it off. The rods are corrosion bonded to the coupler, so that is likely your only course of action. New couplers work just fine, but you REALLY want to have OG shift rods.

[ken]

those things never want to come apart....

I've had to cut them right through the rod, remove them, and weld them back together off the bus.

If you do have to replace the front portion of the shift rod, at least use the right one. The universal plan would a pain to say the least.

wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=211711155c

Ken

[davejohansen]

I was always considering cutting right through the rod... the thought of splitting the coupler never entered my mind (cooler heads do prevail).

Ken, thanks for the info on the replacement rod if I completely screw up the OG rod. I would like to reuse what I have if I can ;D

Dave

[davejohansen]

Keith

So I can cut the coupler lengthwise as in this pic?



I thought the coupler would be attached to the front rod.

Dave

[riffraff]

That must be a later rod than I have in mine. Mine have two set screws and is an independent coupler from the two rods. Yours looks integral with one of the rods.
Better seek Ken's advice on this one before cutting.