Classic VW Tech Help

How to Adjust the Gear Lever Stop Plate

The stop plate beneath the gear lever sets the sideways position of the 1st/2nd gear gate and also provides the reverse lockout. Correct adjustment can make a surprisingly large difference to gear selection.

The principle: the gearbox determines the selector's available side-to-side travel towards the 3rd/4th position. The stop plate is then adjusted to establish the correct stop for the 1st/2nd position. Pushing the gear lever down allows the lever shoulder to pass the raised section of the plate and move into reverse.

How the reverse lockout works

The drawings below are deliberately simplified. They show the relationship between the gear lever shoulder and the raised edge of the stop plate rather than the exact shape of every VW component.

Normal first and second gear selection Simplified cross-section showing the gear lever shoulder stopped by the raised lip of the stop plate. Raised lip Lever shoulder Normal position: shoulder cannot pass the raised lip
1st / 2nd gear gate
The lever shoulder comes up against the raised edge of the stop plate.
Reverse selection Simplified cross-section showing the gear lever pushed down so its shoulder can pass below the raised lip of the stop plate. Push down Reverse: shoulder is lowered enough to pass beneath the lip
Reverse
Push the gear lever down so the shoulder can pass beneath the lockout lip.
Worth remembering: the gear lever pivots in its housing, so sideways movement at the top of the stick produces movement in the opposite direction at the lower end. This is why stop-plate adjustment can initially seem back-to-front.

Before you adjust it

Adjustment cannot compensate for badly worn linkage parts. Before altering the stop plate, check the following:

Gear lever and stop plate are not badly worn or damaged
Front shift-rod bush is in good condition
Rear shift-rod coupling has no excessive play
Coupling/grub screws are secure
Moving parts at the lever are clean and lightly greased
The stop plate is fitted the correct way round

Setting the stop plate

  1. 1
    Select 2nd gear.

    Leave the gearbox in 2nd throughout the adjustment. This gives you the 1st/2nd selector position to work from.

  2. 2
    Loosen the two gear-lever housing bolts.

    Only loosen them enough to allow the housing and stop plate to move. Do not remove the bolts.

  3. 3
    Position the gear lever correctly.

    With 2nd gear fully engaged, allow the gearbox selector to establish the position of the lever. On a Type 2, the straight lower section of the lever should be approximately vertical to the floor when viewed from the side.

  4. 4
    Bring the stop plate up to the lever.

    Using a flat-bladed screwdriver through the side of the housing, move the stop plate until its raised edge just contacts the gear-lever shoulder. Do not force the plate hard against the lever.

  5. 5
    Tighten the housing.

    Hold the adjustment in position while tightening the two mounting bolts.

  6. 6
    Check every gear.

    Make sure 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th all engage cleanly. Reverse should only be available after pushing the gear lever down to pass the lockout.

Understanding the adjustment

Still difficult to select gears? If the stop plate will not adjust correctly, or the gear lever remains vague after adjustment, check the linkage for wear before assuming there is an internal gearbox fault. Worn shift-rod bushes and couplings are common causes of poor gear selection.

Model note: This guide describes the conventional stop-plate arrangement used on classic VW Type 1 and Type 2 vehicles. Later T25/T3 gearshift linkage uses a different adjustment system.