Can't find reverse!

Today I pulled the works out, relubricated everything, put it all back together. All forward gears but no reverse. I think my next step is to take your advice about manually trying to find the gears by moving the nosecone shaft. Thanks. Will keep you all posted. I really want to drive this car. This Year!

Bob-you mentioned in the body of this thread that you were able to "find" reverse a few times. Did it engage smoothly or did it clunk?
And can you feel it engaging AT ALL to any degree? Have you changed shifters since the original problem reared its ugly head?

Im with Mr Slaters First guess the shift tube is not right ..

Here is what i would do. making sure you have a inch or 2 at the rear end of the tube to cut and spot weld it back together.

I'd pull it again and take a pair of plyers and make sure the rear shifter rod is in neutrial. while its out.

Then at the rear end of the tube 1/2 inch from the taper end make a cut add a inner solid steel rod 2 inches long that you can weld to the rear part of the tube and slide inside the forward tube part snuggly lose.

re asemmble the thing and make sure the shifter is staight up and not forward or backward as well as from side to side ((Straight UP))

All this while making sure the trasmission is still in neutrial side to side and forward and backwards

Check and recheck it before you spot wel it to a perfect alinement,

Weld it enough so you can test it. recut the weld if its off and repect if you have to. Before you pull it back out and weld it up good.

But thats got to get you close to perfect. Guys What do ya think??

Reinspect the thing before you weld it up. Man i got get a spell checker

Scott, to answer your question, It went into reverse without any noticeable clunk but it felt as though it was solid. In response to Barry, When I pulled the old shaft out and measured, I never checked if it was in Neutral. I measured several times but I guess if it was in gear then that would throw off my measurements and that could account for not being able to get reverse at all now. I will pull it out, check for neutral and remeasure. I think I will also check to see If I can manually shift to reverse from the nose cone. Will keep you posted. Thanks!

Scott, I am able to feel gears while trying to get in reverse. I feel them but it just seems that they won't or cant engage. The shift assembly is the same except for the newly shortened shift tube.

"...can't engage..." Assuming good throw-out (TO) bearing and correct bend in Bowden tube?
Bowden tube link (example): http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=401034

(My grandchildren live in Sauk Rapids, MN)

You really need to pull off the coupler and shift directly at the trans. No point in messing with the shifter if the trans is bad.

That said, if you can hit 1-4, the the length of the shaft is probably ok. However, the hole in the shift rod that the coupler bolts through might be at the wrong angle. If you have a late model square coupler, it should be level when in neutral (set screw on top points straight up) and with the coupler level, the cup under the shifter should also be facing straight up. I.e, the shift rod cup must be vertical and the shift rod bolt hole must be horizontal.

Bob go back up and reread my post, that's the sure thing to put you on the right track.

Problem Solved! Took everything apart once again and discovered I had welded the newly cut shift shaft off of my registration mark by about 4 degrees. Not sure how I did that but once I corrected the weld I put everything back and without even having to readjust the shifter base I have all my gears as smooth as silk. Took it out and had a great day till the rain came. Thanks everyone for your collective help!

Ah-HA! Now get out your parka and DRIVE that sum'bitch Bob!

(Keith, given Bob's diagnosis, it seems you might be on the right track.)

I love this hobby!