Hi,

My new (to me) Fabia has been very badly neglected in it's previous ownership. One of the issues is the amount of side to side play on the gear lever, it's driving me mad.

I searched on here & found lots of threads regarding similar, so I thought i'd take the center console out & have a look.

The first thing I noticed was that the pressure spring ( I think that's what it's called) had broken. Not too big a problem I thought, into the garage for my T20 bit & ratchet to take the 'L' shaped lever off, when hard as I looked, there was nowhere  or nothing to unscrew!

Now, all the images & vids show this T20 screw being taken out.....well, my shifter linkage does not have one. On passenger side it's a flush round end, & on drivers side it's similar but thicker, thick enough to get mole grips on. It just twists round but I can't get the pin/bolt out. Surely VAG didn't make this intentionally tamper proof, or is there something I don't know.

P.S. Thanks to members who helped me sort out the BLT stutter it's a lot better.

Cheers.

 

Yeah, I think there are later ones that don't have the T20 screw.

 

I have read on VW forums that it is riveted and is not meant to be removed. So seems like they want you to replace the whole mechanism for a broken spring. Madness.

 

See where he mentions the rivet at the bottom of post number 3 here....

 

https://www.golfmk6.com/forums/index.php?threads/side-to-side-shifter-slop.312758/

 

They go on to talk about an aftermarket pin called 'Super Pin' that somone designed to take the place of the riveted pin which you drill out, but it's an American forum and I don't even know if the pin would fit the MK1 Fabia, even if you could get hold of one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 1 November, 20205 yr by TMB

Hi Lee,

Many thanks for your research & time. This was NOT what I wanted to hear lol. It's an interesting read on the golf forum though. The pic posted is exactly the same as mine, & yes, you are correct, rivetted!

I'm thinking, maybe I will go for a used box off fleabay (several on offer) with the screw-on link & then grind/drill out mine & simply swap out. Will probably need a suitable sized washer under the torx screw though. I can't imagine vag would have altered the physical size of the pin (fingers crossed). I will also buy new pin bushings when I find out the part no's.

All other bushings seem ok, first gear-getter bush is very tight. What a carry-on just to change a broken spring! Anyhow, will keep you updated.

Just to add.... i've just finished taking the centre console out from my Son's vRS (2004). That shifter has the torx screw + circlip thing at other side, so design was changed somewhere between 2004 and 2006. Looking at the cast pin housings they appear identical apart from rivet v torx fixing.

Strangely, there is a small cloth Skoda label inside the box of both cars both with the respecive manufactor year, most importantly?? they have exactly the same part #

6YO 711 113 P 2L3. Bottom of my label also states >perfor, 6G RS<, bottom of Son's label states >perfor, 4G RS<

All this leads me to believe there is no difference in the shifter boxes apart from the bell crank method of fixing.

Can anyone let me know the part nos. for the pin & bushes.

Part numbers here ......

 

https://skoda.7zap.com/en/cz/fabia/fab/2005-453/7/711-711030/

 

 

Cheers for the link Lee! I'd already found it, though in retrospect, I think i've jumped the gun & ordered bearing pin & both end bushes. I re-watched the vids of the 'super-pin' and noticed after he'd drilled out the bell crank rivet, the original pin he removed was same circumferance from end to end, just like a rod, as is the 'super' replacement pin. This is giving me the impression that the inner bore of the casting would also be smooth, i.e. not stepped if you get what I mean.

The bearing pin on the 7zap site looks stepped. Anyway, after long deliberation, I am leaning toward just drilling out the flat rivet (as in the super-pin vid) & removing the pin then drilling a pilot hole & tapping a thread to match the hex bolt i've ordered to refix the bell crank. All i've got to do then is try to find someone who can supply/make end bushings (a tall order I know).

Top & bottom is..... the rivetted set up (unserviceable) v torx screw set up (serviceable), the bearing pin is different also assuming bushes too. Super pin looks like a fix to my problem, but not at that bl**dy price.

Yeah, the Super Pin is expensive.

 

Let us know how you get on with a workaround.

Will do!

Well....today I completed my gearshifter repair, and without shelling out mega-bucks for the 'super-pin'! Total cost was around £24. Been for a 30 min test drive & fingers crossed I think it's been successful. Gear changes nice & tight & no sloppiness to speak of.

Been a bit of trial & error, but eventually it worked just fine. The only thing now , is to see if it lasts, but I think it will. As soon as I get some time, i'll put up a thread on how to repair the broken pressure spring on the 'supposedly' unserviceable rivetted bearing pin shifter box.

Hi, I would be interested.
Does your fix cure ‘sloppiness’ or ‘ stiffness’ ?  I have a problem on a fabia 1.9 where the front to back gear stick movement is ok , but the side to side movement is stiff.

thanks

13 hours ago, digital-des said:

Hi, I would be interested.
Does your fix cure ‘sloppiness’ or ‘ stiffness’ ?  I have a problem on a fabia 1.9 where the front to back gear stick movement is ok , but the side to side movement is stiff.

thanks

 

I once experienced similar, turned out it was the nut on the gear selector above the gearbox had become loose so the teeth of the selector couldnt bite/grip the pin. The teeth had worn themselves down so even when tightened up, left and right movements of the gearstick were sloppy.

 

You might be able to get away with just tightening the bolt.

 

EDIT: Sorry, miss-red your issue is stiff not sloppy.

Edited 20 November, 20205 yr by trickstargee
Edit: must put on glasses before replying.

Thanks for that I will have a look

20 hours ago, digital-des said:

Hi, I would be interested.
Does your fix cure ‘sloppiness’ or ‘ stiffness’ ?  I have a problem on a fabia 1.9 where the front to back gear stick movement is ok , but the side to side movement is stiff.

thanks

Not sure whether it helps, but the front to back does not involve any movement in the bearing pin, but the side to side does! Just pull the leather gearstick gaiter up from console & all will be visible. Eyeball/finger touch the pivot arm/bell crank where its rivetted on to the bearing pin, whilst moving the gearstick side to side.

Only thing I can think of, is, maybe the bearing-pin bushing has broken up inside causing stiffness, or it could just need some suitable grease on the ball & socket.

My original post was really to find a way with replacing a broken pressure spring on the 'rivetted shifter', that caused my gearstick to flop around.

Sorry can't be of more help.

Thanks for your reply, wheelie1 I will have a look at that tomorrow.

hopefully it’s just a bit of lubrication as you say! 

Just an aside Lee, it seems there isn't a particular date of change re rivett v screw, as my donor shifter box is from a 2001 1.4 fabia & mine is 2006! Maybe they used whatever was on hand at the time of manufactor. Anyway.... the pins are both exactly the same.

After some research, although the bearing pin is not available, you can still order the relevant long full length plastic bushing from Czech/Latvia. It doesn't make sense really, why sell a bush for a pin that's supposed to be 'non-seviceable', as you say, madness....!

I'm just making another little mod before putting the console & bits back in & then all done. Will explain how I did it shortly.

3 hours ago, Wheelie1 said:

Just an aside Lee, it seems there isn't a particular date of change re rivett v screw, as my donor shifter box is from a 2001 1.4 fabia & mine is 2006! Maybe they used whatever was on hand at the time of manufactor.

 

So the 2001 shifter has a riveted pin too?

Well, the one I bought had, hence why I think there was no actual change-over. Look on fleabay, there's loads of vag shifters, from 2001 through to 2007, some has screws, some has rivetts, there's no pattern!

One thing is sure though, there's no such thing as an 'unserviceable' bearing-pin. Not anymore

Edited....

 

 

Interesting stuff. Luckily, mine is the non-riveted type should it need sorting any time.

 

Quote

One thing is sure though, there's no such thing as an 'unserviceable' bearing-pin. Not anymore

 

Nice one. Looking forward to seeing what you did

Edited 22 November, 20205 yr by TMB

Hi sorry to drag up an old thread but did the original OP create a how to fot the unserviceable shifter mod as i now have this exact issue with the riveted bearing pin.

 

Damen.

Hi Damen,

Sorry I never completed instructions on how to do this, but at the time I got rather ill. Is it the bush that's worn, or the spring that's broken?

Either way, it's quite an easy fix. I notice you're not far from me ( i'm in Ryhill/Havercroft). I could quite easily show you how to do it, also I could maybe find a new bushing & spring to help you out. I'm not sure you can pm me or not but if not, you can reply to this post.

Malc.

2 hours ago, Wheelie1 said:

Hi Damen,

Sorry I never completed instructions on how to do this, but at the time I got rather ill. Is it the bush that's worn, or the spring that's broken?

Either way, it's quite an easy fix. I notice you're not far from me ( i'm in Ryhill/Havercroft). I could quite easily show you how to do it, also I could maybe find a new bushing & spring to help you out. I'm not sure you can pm me or not but if not, you can reply to this post.

Malc.

Hi mate thanks for the reply, its the pressure spring thats broken on mine, ive ordered a new spring but then realised the pin has the rivet rather than the torx screw which is annoying other than that everything else is as new selector wise. Did you end up using a different pin in the wnd with a screw in or did you drill an tap your existing one?

 

Drilled & tapped Mate! but I do have a spare already drilled & tapped pin. You're very welcome to it free gratis.

It's easy to do yourself if you prefer, but a pillar-drill is a must, to get the hole true. Give me a shout if you want to collect.

1 hour ago, Wheelie1 said:

Drilled & tapped Mate! but I do have a spare already drilled & tapped pin. You're very welcome to it free gratis.

It's easy to do yourself if you prefer, but a pillar-drill is a must, to get the hole true. Give me a shout if you want to collect.

I thought a pillar drill would be needed only thing we don't have at work. I may take you up on that offer mate it would be much appreciated i shall be in touch shortly to arrange something with you if thats ok.

That's fine mate! I've found a full kit for you, drilled & tapped pin + screw, pressure spring + bushing if you need. I'll pm you my number tonight.

Damen, check your messages mate.