Mk3 cross shaft connector sleeve

Arghhh.... I couldn't engage low gear on my Mk3 and after removing the inner and outer gearbox covers I discovered a broken tooth on the gearbox camplate. No choice but to dismantle the entire transmission to remove the camplate. Of course this also means removing the electric starter, associated gears, clutch, alternator, inner primary cover, and gearbox sprocket. Then I could pull the sleeve gear and finally the camplate. Press off the broken spindle and press on a replacement takes 2 minutes and then put everything back together again.

OK, 2-3 hours and I have everything back together but the gear selector cross shaft and the outer primary and foot pegs. Uh-Oh. that's the cross shaft connector sleeve lying on the lift. Now I realize that before you mount the inner primary case you should start the cross shaft in the inner case and slip the connector sleeve over the shaft.

Do any of our Mk3 experts have any slick tricks for getting that sleeve on the cross shaft without pulling the entire primary apart again?

I don't know any slick tricks but I have held the sleeve in the area and got it started on the end of the long shaft and then used that shaft to slip it over the shaft on the trans. More than once I'm afraid to admit. Jim

Thanks, Jim. Sounds like my best shot. If I can get it started on the over the shaft I'm home free. My hands are too big to get between the engine plates, but if I pull the starter motor I might get some long needle nose pliers in there.