Defect perhaps in gear, item fixed (8)
I believe the answer is:
emigrate
'defect perhaps' is the definition.
(in sense of abandoning one's country to another)
'gear item fixed' is the wordplay.
'fixed' indicates anagramming the letters.
'gear'+'item'='gearitem'
'gearitem' is an anagram of 'EMIGRATE'.
'in' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for emigrate that I've seen before include "Leave homeland" , "Leave one's country to live elsewhere" , "Leave the country to settle abroad" , "Settle overseas" , "don't come back!" .)