Do not need to remove the tank.

’82 Diesel.

Obtain replacement bushing. (Vanagain.com <http://vanagain.com/> IIRC Yup. https://www.vanagain.com/product/center-shift-bushing)

Remove spare tire.

Remove shift rod.

Laying on the spare tire tray,

Remove worn bushing if it’s still there. (Mine wasn’t.)

Cut replacement bushing lengthwise so you can roll it into the hole. (it's a reach, but doable)

Roll the new bushing into the hole. Twist it around so the cut you made is on top.

Reassembly is as they say, the reverse of removal.

Did not drop tank!

Worked for me. Took a couple hours, but dropping the tank would have taken 2x that.

Jim

> On Sep 23, 2023, at 6:52 PM, Geoffrey Toye <geoffreytoye@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> The bearing bushing for the gear change shaft that sits above the gas taken
> has come apart on my 81 Westy.  It now clunks during a gear change and
> occasionally hits a resonant spot while in 3rd gear.  Not too bad of an
> issue but one I'd like to solve.
> 
> Looking at the job it seems that I must remove the gas tank to get access
> to replace the bushing.  While reviewing Samba etc on how to remove/replace
> the gas tank it seems there is a wide range of opinions on how much of a
> job that is.  I've never done it myself.
> 
> Currently, the gas tank and its expansion tanks and tubes do not leak
> and perform their job admirably.  I don't know when the seals/tubes etc
> were last replaced.  I've owned the Westy for four years.
> 
> So my quandary is should I put up with the noisy gear shift until I have
> to remove the gas tank for other reasons or is the effort worth the time to
> replace the gear shift bearing bushing just to silence the clunk?
> 
> I realise the answer to this question is a matter of opinion but if anyone
> that has experience in removing and replacing the gas tank has the time to
> opine I would be most grateful.
> 
> I have learny a lot from this list. Thanks in advance.