Manual Tranny Shifter Has The "Leans"

[seattlelegacy]

The 84 wagon shifter tends to point to the passengers side of the car. I haven't had any trouble shifting the car, or finding the gears, but it seems like the stick tends to point toward the passengers seat if I don't keep my hand on it. It doesn't look normal, any suggestions??

[GeneralDisorder]

Ah yes - the infamous 4 spd shifter slop. Basically there is a roll pin "yoke" down there, and the pin is harder stuff than the shifter or the shift rod into the transaxle. I've really grown to hate the design. I've tried a number of things to fix it. Best bet is to drop the tranny down a bit and drill out the roll pin hole to 3/8" and run a new bolt through it, and reef it down as hard as possible.

 

My next attempt would have been to tap two holes in the side of the shifter, and grind two flat spots on the tranny shift rod. Two bolts, or most likely two hex set screws on either side would probably fix the problem permanent. I say would have been because I'm going with a 5 speed, so the fix would be a waste of time. I might do it just to show people how tho.

 

By far the Best (not easiest or cheapest) way to fix it, is to install a 5 speed and it's linkage. They shift a lot nicer anyway.

 

GD

[seattlelegacy]

Ah yes - the infamous 4 spd shifter slop. Basically there is a roll pin "yoke" down there, and the pin is harder stuff than the shifter or the shift rod into the transaxle. I've really grown to hate the design. I've tried a number of things to fix it. Best bet is to drop the tranny down a bit and drill out the roll pin hole to 3/8" and run a new bolt through it, and reef it down as hard as possible.

 

My next attempt would have been to tap two holes in the side of the shifter, and grind two flat spots on the tranny shift rod. Two bolts, or most likely two hex set screws on either side would probably fix the problem permanent. I say would have been because I'm going with a 5 speed, so the fix would be a waste of time. I might do it just to show people how tho.

 

By far the Best (not easiest or cheapest) way to fix it, is to install a 5 speed and it's linkage. They shift a lot nicer anyway.

 

GD

 

Crap. I was hoping it was a bushing or spring. Looks like I'll deal.

[Urabus-84HBDR]

this has been an ongoing issue with my 84 hatch. I pulled orig. trans. the synchros were shot from 2nd to 3rd. so put 'new0 old trans. from parts car, and it was like that, 'Leans'. It would shift o.k. but, when shifting if you didnt hold/push down (sounds weird) the shifter itself would come out of the pivot point, therefore stuck in gear. So the answer to this problem! putting in 5s d/r, right now, tonight just looking for some pointers now. good luck and thanks all!

[BobBrumby]

There is a spring that makes the shifter sit below third and above forth, if thats what your talking about. Some bushes could get it less sloppy but the linkage modification fixes most of the slop.

 

Urabus there is ment to be a green bush on the bottom of the shifter, if you run it long enough with out one the knob that the bush attaches to wears out and may not have enough length anymore to stay in the hole.