Here is the bottom of the disassembly. Things went relatively smooth except ONE nut and bolt combination on the case was stripped. I couldn't get it off until I cut through the nut with a metal bit. What did I find inside?


Yep, the cruciform -- or shifting cross as it is also known -- has worn edges. That is not good. Thankfully, I have already purchased a replacement. You can see the new one on the left and the damaged one on the right. But, it didn't stop there...


The reason the shifting cross was messed up was because the inside teeth of the gears were also worn. First, second and third gears had obvious damage. Only gear four seemed to be fine.

Well, I reckon I had better place my order! The good news is that what we thought was the problem was indeed the problem. More good news is that these Vespa parts are not very expensive.