Gear Linkages Fitting Guide?

[Bananalad]

Anyone have a guide on how to change these? Looks tricky enough so looking for the best way to go about it?

[vlj]

You just pull the old ones off (sometimes a bit tricky the rubber bit can come out of the linkage) then stick new ones straight on, set the new ones to the same length as the old ones

[Bananalad]

Ok thanks, whats the easiest way to get at them? Jack the car up and get at them that way?

[vlj]

No if you open the bonnet and stand by the passenger side wing and look down next to the battery box you'll see them on top of the gearbox

[HDIkyle]

13mm spanner will pop the old ones off in seconds, then molegrips if the rubber stays on. Pop some grease in the new ones if they don't have any in already, push on then put the pins in. Be warned they can be fiddly and you WILL drop and lose atleast 1 Lol

---

You shouldn't need to ajust the new ones at all I havn't on either of my sets iv fitted over the years

[Matt]

Think Vaughan was talking about the bbm/miles adjustables

[Tallguy_2]

Yeah I've gotta fit some adjustable a today, set them to the same length before putting them on and definitely from the top down? Cheers guys

[tigerstyle]

I've seen these kits on the 'Bay my gear change is a bit clunky, what would be a better fix a set of these linkages or replacing the lower bush?

I did the gearbox oil a few weeks ago and that has helped, a bit smoother now, but still a bit of resistance on selection. 140K HDi.

[miles]

A linkage refresh can make quite a difference, the rubber goes off with Age so you can get some slop in them or worst still fall off, The linkages I sell are switching over to on car adjustable so you don;t have to remove them like every other one on the market, at the moment it's the 2 shorter rods that have this, longer rod we still have a few of the old type to go yet

[DazzaHDI]

Thread revival
How hard is it to change them on a hdi? As there is no room and the previous owner fitted a quickshift but got standard linkages :/
I have the linkages, any help would be appreciated

[Toms306]

Easiest to get at from the passenger wheel arch on the HDi.

[strictly_perv]

I reached mine from the battery. 11mm spanner for the smaller 2 and I used mile grips to clamp just below the linkage on the gearbox lever then used a 13mm spanner to lever it out

[tigerstyle]

I did all three from underneath, prepare to have greasy arms up to your armpits though!

[Scott]

I changed the linkages on the 6 by removing the battery and going at it from there.

[cully]

on my 6 i replaced 2 from the top and the longer one from under the car as i couldnt get the old one off without wrestling with it
it really did tighten up the changes on the 6 as it was like stiring soup before

the HDI set i bought at pugfest are still sat here on the desk waiting for my clutch to bust

[silverzx]

I changed the linkages on the 6 by removing the battery and going at it from there.

^ This.

A lot easier to do from the top, remove battery & any induction piping that may be in the way.

They should just pop off with a little prying/pulling.

[DazzaHDI]

Thanks for all the replies guys, will try going from the top

[DazzaHDI]

Tom, how you changed them from the wheel arch I will never know
Fitted my uprated linkages by from above (removing battery etc) and below, 2/3 hours later they're done, never again!!!!

[strictly_perv]

It took me 15minutes the way I did it

[DazzaHDI]

What way was that? And where they standard linkages or group n ones?

[Toms306]

Tom, how you changed them from the wheel arch I will never know
Fitted my uprated linkages by from above (removing battery etc) and below, 2/3 hours later they're done, never again!!!!

I'll do anything to avoid removing the battery and losing stereo settings. But seriously, I didn't find it hard at all.

[DazzaHDI]

These were group n ones I fitted?
Those little pins you get with them are sooooo fiddly! When your angry, can't see, can't get your hand around, hands are greasy and sweaty it's bloody hard to get them in!!
And how you did it without it being of the ground, well done lol
To get one linkage off I had to pull on it with a crow bar from underneath!
Never again on a HDI!!

[Toms306]

Wait, what? A crowbar? They usually just fall off these days....

[tigerstyle]

I genuinely chained the longer one to an engine crane to pop it off first time. It was so tight on there, possibly why there was no night and day difference to me, but the shorter ones were loose.

[Piggy]

2/3hrs!!?? woh! if you clean them up and just put grease inside the cups, no need to end up with grease cover fingers/clips.
clips are tricky but I found if its sat right then just pop on.

---

and +1 to using a 13mm spanner. old ones pop right off...used long pry bars in past with no joy...got a 13mm spanner out and pop!

[DazzaHDI]

I got the little ones off easy enough, it was getting the big one off and popping them on, + my hands were getting sweaty, all the oil and crap underneath and those little clips!!
I used everything people have been saying but it's easier said than done.

[tigerstyle]

How noisey are people finding these?
Did everyone pack them with grease too when installing them?

[Mitch1793]

Reviving the theadage!
I've got a HDI and it left me stranded at the side of the road the other day after one of them fell off. There was a mechanic on the other side of the road luckily so he got it on the ramp but wouldn't let me under the car to have a look he said they are abit worn, so would I buy a new linkages or a new bush? And if so where would I buy these vital bits from?

Cheers guys!! :-)

[LewisG]

I don't how you make it sound so easy, I can only see 2 and you can't even see the other end so how do you get the clips in if you can't see the other end

[silverzx]

I don't how you make it sound so easy, I can only see 2 and you can't even see the other end so how do you get the clips in if you can't see the other end

Stick your hand down there and 'feel' for them.