Shifter hard to move left and right (sourced problem to shfter arms on top of tranny)

So the shifter in my VR4 was getting difficult to move left and right before I parked it last year. I'm getting ready to get it back on the road again and wanted to sort out the shifter. The front to back motion of the shifter works just fine, but side to side is really stiff, so stiff that the spring on the shifter can't help place the shifter in the right spot.

I took the cable loose at both ends and if moves freely, as does the shifter, so the issue is not the shift lever that is in charge of actually engaging the gears I guess. Does this part ever need maintenance or lube? Or could this be a sign of an internal tranny issue? Can needing new transmission gear oil cause something like this?

Check by the shifter on the trans and see if there is something hitting it keeping the assembly from moving up and down (which is what the side to side motion of the shifter arm makes it do).

well it's not something external rubbing against it and making it bind. It's got no obstructions right now. I just grabbed the counter weight and pulled the shaft up and down, it's pretty tight. Does this need to be lubed? I mean what the heck....

It doesn't need to be lubed. You can buy a new one for ~$80 shipped...

Mine tore out the seal on the shaft and was leaking all over the place. An hour later I had no more tranny leaks and a much tighter feeling shifter.

If it's tough to move, then yes, you probably need a new shifter selector for inside the trans. They aren't bad to swap... just need to watch out for the spring at the bottom of the shaft. Put grease on the spring when reassembling. That will keep it from falling off the shaft and into the abyss of the trans.

I actually have another one here from my other 6 speed that is current out of the tranny so I can see how it operates. Wonder why the existing one is so stiff now...

So since it's on the top of the tranny what are the odds I can get the old one out without losing the spring off of it?

The spring on mine slipped off easily but stayed sitting in the bottom of the trans where it belongs. Just pull vertically straight up when you take it out and it should stay still.

do I need to remove these those two spring loaded things on the side of the transmission that interact with the shifter mechanism? I know the insides of the top one aren't going anywhere, but I know the bottom one could come apart?

I removed both. The lower one the ball stayed in the transmission, IIRC. It was an easy swap. Just make sure to remove the one bolt on the side of the transmission (it's a normal bolt, I forget and I don't have any pictures handy) that locks the mechanism from being removed and remove it in neutral.

so it wasn't actually that assembly after all! It was just the small lever that the cable attaches to that then moves that assembly around, it's practically seized up. This is a MUCH cheaper and easier fix haha.