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OEM Euro Short Shift Install Problem

S

sportwagen3

Passed Driver's Ed
I'm trying to install the OEM euro short shifter. I'm having the hardest time removing the stock shift lever. I looked at a lot of the instructions posted in this forum and online and nothing seems to work.

I also attached a photo that shows how much I was able to get the original shift lever off the spindle, but it won't come off anymore than that.

Any tips are appreciated. I tried the hammer method and tried pulling it straight up (to the point where it feels the car is about to lift up). I used PB blaster to get the lever loose from the spindle. Still with everything, I can't get it off.
 
DSC808

DSC808

Autocross Champion
Location
HI State
Car(s)
2016 GTI SE MT
Did you let your car cool down? I waited an hour after coming home before installing and it was still warm. It was a b!tch to get off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
A

AAK1992

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
US
I am a very scrawny asian man and it took me a good hour or so to get it off, took breaks to swear and drink fluids. You will see very little progress as far as backing off the spindles (shown in your pic) it will move maybe 1/8" total before it completely comes off, so don't despair if it looks like it's barely moved- it won't move much before breaking loose.

I recommend you do not use the hammer method, good way to damage/bend the spindle IMO if you over do it in frustration.

Lifting straight up is one method, but I found getting your hands under it wherever you can (front to back or side to side) and rocking it helps too. I used a little grease/old oil to seep into the area where the nut sits, but doubt it really helped much.
 
S

sportwagen3

Passed Driver's Ed
DSC said:
Did you let your car cool down? I waited an hour after coming home before installing and it was still warm. It was a b!tch to get off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Yea did it after the car cooled down. Didn't make a difference.
 
S

sportwagen3

Passed Driver's Ed
AAK1992 said:
I am a very scrawny asian man and it took me a good hour or so to get it off, took breaks to swear and drink fluids. You will see very little progress as far as backing off the spindles (shown in your pic) it will move maybe 1/8" total before it completely comes off, so don't despair if it looks like it's barely moved- it won't move much before breaking loose.

I recommend you do not use the hammer method, good way to damage/bend the spindle IMO if you over do it in frustration.

Lifting straight up is one method, but I found getting your hands under it wherever you can (front to back or side to side) and rocking it helps too. I used a little grease/old oil to seep into the area where the nut sits, but doubt it really helped much.
Click to expand...
I thought rocking it has the potential the break the spindle? I think it's moved about 1/8" so that sounds promising. Just worried about breaking the spindle.
 
golfdave

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
penetrating fluid/oil...& leave to soak for 10mins.....I did also hit mine ..but had a block of wood on the spindle & hit that with a rubber mallet...
 
S

sportwagen3

Passed Driver's Ed
golfdave said:
penetrating fluid/oil...& leave to soak for 10mins.....I did also hit mine ..but had a block of wood on the spindle & hit that with a rubber mallet...
Click to expand...
Did you do it with the nut on? If so, how tight did you put the nut on the spindle? And are you hammering the spindle since the block of wood is on it?
 
A

AAK1992

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
US
sportwagen3 said:
I thought rocking it has the potential the break the spindle? I think it's moved about 1/8" so that sounds promising. Just worried about breaking the spindle.
Click to expand...

No it's doubtful, your hands are not going to have enough leverage or strength to bend the spindle especially if you're just rocking it back and forth, that said yeah hammering (as long as you are careful and take precaution) shouldn't cause any damage either. I'd say the rubber mallet or wood block is a good idea, but a repeated straight hammer to the shift bracket is asking for trouble, especially if you were as frustrated as I was getting hah (not saying that's what you were doing at all)

I think it might have been ever so slightly more than an 1/8" before it broke loose, maybe a bit closer to 1/4", but yeah if you're that far up it will likely be close to breaking loose.
 
eurospek

eurospek

Just finished watching Fast&Fu
Location
Chicago
Saving thread. I have the Oem SS sitting here for the past year from ECS and haven’t installed it yet lol. How much of a difference is it ?
 
A

AAK1992

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
US
eurospek said:
Saving thread. I have the Oem SS sitting here for the past year from ECS and haven’t installed it yet lol. How much of a difference is it ?
Click to expand...

Eh I barely noticed the "30%" reduced throws, but I did notice a tighter shifter with way less "slop". After the SS install it felt like I would always get those super crisp shifts I would get every like 5th throw with the stock unit.

I attribute it to the new end-link bushings more than the slightly shorter end-link mount point.
 
Hammersticks

Hammersticks

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Bay Area, CA
Car(s)
'16 GTI, '18 e-Golf
OP- It’s in neutral right? I followed the ECS instructions below when I did mine. Worked well.

Eurospec, the throw is a bit shorter...noticeable but not extreme. The best combo is this plus the 42 design bushings (and metal relay). Smooth and precise. (Parts in my build thread #78). Undoubtedly one of my favorite mods.

Here’s the video I was referencing:

https://youtu.be/vZnadfI3_jg





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S

sportwagen3

Passed Driver's Ed
Yup it's in neutral. Guess I'll have to keep trying by pushing it down and pulling it straight up. Tried again and nothing seems to work.
Hammersticks said:
OP- It’s in neutral right? I followed the ECS instructions below when I did mine. Worked well.

Eurospec, the throw is a bit shorter...noticeable but not extreme. The best combo is this plus the 42 design bushings (and metal relay). Smooth and precise. (Parts in my build thread #78). Undoubtedly one of my favorite mods.

Here’s the video I was referencing:

https://youtu.be/vZnadfI3_jg





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
 
eurospek

eurospek

Just finished watching Fast&Fu
Location
Chicago
Hammersticks said:
OP- It’s in neutral right? I followed the ECS instructions below when I did mine. Worked well.

Eurospec, the throw is a bit shorter...noticeable but not extreme. The best combo is this plus the 42 design bushings (and metal relay). Smooth and precise. (Parts in my build thread #78). Undoubtedly one of my favorite mods.

Here’s the video I was referencing:

https://youtu.be/vZnadfI3_jg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Thanks I’ll check that out before my install.
 
S

sportwagen3

Passed Driver's Ed
Thanks everyone! I got it finally off. The main thing I did was pull it up and down in neutral. One thing that helped was when I pushing down, don't push it all the way down that the lever goes back into the spindle all the way. Push it down only so you have enough distance to pull it back up with some speed. That seemed to help to get it off.
 
krisprz

krisprz

Ready to race!
Location
Yorba Linda, CA
Car(s)
2018 Golf R 6spd
I’m installing mine hopefully today with my APR intake. I hope it’s not as hard for me to take out the shifter. lol I also have shifter torque solution bushing I’m installing as well. Should make more of a difference. Did you have to do a shifter alignment at all?
 
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