Shifter pivot pin bushing question

My shifter quit working last night (stuck in 3rd gear). I opened it up and the centering spring was off and the bushings had disintegrated. Anyone got a part number for the two bushings for the pivot pin on a 98 Beetle. Thanks.

You mean this one below? You'll need two of course:

http://www.idparts.com/shift-lever-bushing-a4-p-2600.html

Check out Dieselgeek as well. They have some really need shifter repair (and upgrade) parts for all those plastic bits that wear out and rot.

Rembrant said:

You mean this one below? You'll need two of course:

http://www.idparts.com/shift-lever-bushing-a4-p-2600.html

Check out Dieselgeek as well. They have some really need shifter repair (and upgrade) parts for all those plastic bits that wear out and rot.

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That's the problem I am encountering. When I enter my vehicle info, it says it does not fit my vehicle. Thanks anyway.

Where you talking about, on top of the transmission or inside the drivers compartment?

The bushings in the shift box of the console. It's the two bushings on the pin that has the plate connected to it that the centering spring connects to.

Might be something useful here: http://www.dieselgeek.com/Dieselgeek_Shifter_Parts_s/1894.htm

If you call Jim I'm sure he can get you fixed up.

UhOh said:

Might be something useful here: http://www.dieselgeek.com/Dieselgeek_Shifter_Parts_s/1894.htm

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Don't think that style will work, I think he has older style the one before this.
This is newer style shifter

are these the ones that you are looking for, the black one and the white one?

Thanks for the picture. Yes, those are the ones.

Searcher2 said:

Thanks for the picture. Yes, those are the ones.

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I wish I could give you the part #'s but I couldn't find any thing online.
A few years ago there was one website that had excellent OEM parts diagrams with the numbers, but it disappeared.
You have 2 options. All VW parts have the part number on the part, if you can, you can remove the 2 parts to get them.
The other option is phone your local VW dealership and give your VIN and try to explain over phone what your looking for.
Good luck

I got the parts on order from Moffitt VW Audi. Tuesday morning projected arrival time. It looks like the same bushings were used through the 2000 model year (at least I see a 2000 Beetle from Argentina that has the same bushings being replaced). Part # are 357-711-124-A for the spring bushing that returns the stick to center, 357-711-590-B for the white bushing, and 357-711-590-C for the black bushing. The other visible bushings for the shifter and cables seem to be OK. I will change them all later, but I am considering upgrading to the newer shifter if that is possible on my Beetle. Anyone know if I can use a shifter from a 2001 or later. The ability to get aftermarket bushings would pay for it from the U Pull It. These 3 bushings were almost 20 bucks.

I put a B&M shift kit in my Beetle, as it is older and can't use the short shifter that goes on top of the trans.

All the parts went into the console under the shifter. It replaced the OE parts including those bushings. The older Beetles had a different system and not really interchangeable with the other MK4 cars.

It looks like the kit I got is no longer available except maybe ebay.

I would try ECS tuning and see if they have something to fit the Beetle. Just be aware that these are unique to the Beetle and probably different than the Golf and Jetta of that same year.

Thanks PB. I'll call around and see what they say, but all the web sites show nothing for the Beetle on their pages. I could have gotten the bushings cheaper from other VW dealers but since I only needed 3 (and I wasn't 100% sure I had the right part #s) the shipping made the price equal to what I paid locally. If I order all the bushings it would be better than my local dealer. The shifter was satisfactory until it totally failed. I would have expected some warning (sloppy or unable to stab the gears), so changing all the bushings is probably the way to go. I was surprised that I initially found those part #s on a Golf site, and then googling the #s found the ref. to the Beetle rebuild in Argentina.

Searcher2 said:

I will change them all later, but I am considering upgrading to the newer shifter if that is possible on my Beetle. Anyone know if I can use a shifter from a 2001 or later. The ability to get aftermarket bushings would pay for it from the U Pull It. These 3 bushings were almost 20 bucks.

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The Beetle, Golf and Jetta are all made on the same platform, the MK4.
I bought a 99.5 jetta to get the 5spd and other parts not knowing that throughout the MK4 platform, 99.5-2005, that 3 different types of shifter and shifter tower are used.
99.5 and very early 2000 used the type that you have.
mid 2000 to ? used the ball and socket type. OK type
And the last type is pin and clip. BETTER type
I got the pin and clip type for my 5spd.
I don't know if the fire wall is in a different position between the beetle and jetta, eg: closer to engine, but if the same then you can use the slave cylinder high pressure line.
Back to the pin and clip or the ball and socket type, if you had them laying beside each other and that choice between the 2, I would chose the pin/clip.
Can use from a diesel or gas engine


Here are some useful info if you are going to do the swap.
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=459001
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=462156
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=426179
http://forums.tdiclub.com/search.php?searchid=18302186

The kit that I have in my Beetle is:

B&M 45106

This will cross over to some MK3 cars. It seems that VW was messing around with the early Beetles trying to get something to work.