Where it all begins...........

[mwh986]

OK, I've started the reubild on Vee Dub Nut's past (Silver Sparkle Beetle) buggy oddly enought back in San Antonio where it 1st began.

I have four different projects running simultaneously, not being able to finish any of then due to mishaps or knowledge deficits.

1. Rebuild rear axle at the hub. Going great until I attempted top drive the seal in without a seal driver......Crushed it and the spring. Off to Harbor Freight for a seal driver, and a new seal kit at lunch!

2. Shifter assembly. Going well until I found I'm missing the two bolts that attatch the shifter to the tunnel. Off to Lowe's for bolts and washers........

3. Best for last! The pedal assembly. Went well except the brake pedal falls to the floor. The rounded hook on the spring in attached to the boss on th pedal and the 90 bend on the other end of the spring is forward of the pedal assemble resting against the floor. What stops the pedal from falling backwards to the floor (the pushrod is not yet inserted into the master cylinder, waiting on a part, of course.......).

4. Brake Lines. All are absent, have a kit (three pair of shorter lines ranging about 12" to 18", a 24" piece, and a longer piece) but no instructions...... The longest runs to the rear, but how? Looks like inside the buggy, drivers side, along the base of the tunnel, ther are little tabs and holes in the firewalls (I originally thought inside the tunnel, but there is no way to secure it mid run). So at the front firewall does the brakeline run under the pedal cluster, 90 to the left, the 90 thru the hole in the fire wall? The pan was replaced and very robust, so there is very little clearance under the pedal assembly for the brake line to pass.

Not sure how much work (real job) I'm gona get done today.......looking for all these parts!

[GregR]

#3 There is a small "L" shaped piece that bolts to the floor. It has a slot in it that allows some brake pedal adjustment and keeps the pedals from falling toward the seat. I made one from a piece of angle. A Bentley book should have a picture.

#4 brake line runs outside the tunnel on the driver's side. But hey, it's a buggy, run it where it's convenient, protected and won't get stepped on.

[BrianB]

#2, I found ACE has the best selection of Metric fasteners if you have one close.

#4, If the brake line appears too long dont cut it as you will have trouble finding a place to properly bubble flare it. Just make a couple of extra loops.

[Fred]

With the rear brake line I made a loop on top of the torsion tube and GENTLY Cinched it down with a rubberized hose clamp, Dont kink it!!!

[mwh986]

Awesome help from y'all!

Great ideas making it possible to mark items off my list, one by one.

More to come I'm sure!

[mwh986]

OK, wheel bearings and seals all done.

Any insight on why the paper gasket (of which there are 2 in the seal kit, apparently the VW Bus uses both and we only use one), contacts the large O ring when assembled? I would think that should be a metal to metal seal.

Brake lines are in and need to be tightened up, then bled.
New E Brake cables are in.

On to the pedal cluster. Ready to instal, but not sure if both the brake and clutch share the same little pedal stop tab on the floor, just forward of the cluster, or does each pedal have their own stop? Any one know? I olny have 1 in my bag of parts.

I gotta say Ferdie was a crafty little German when he designed VW! I'm really growing to appreciate the engineering involved in make several body styles, that have shared parts over the span of decades. Originally I thought that was cheap european style, I now that I have a new appreciation as I try to rebuild a 38 year old vehicle with new and old parts.

[Bryan Porter]

One stop for both.

[mwh986]

One step forward, 1/2 step backwards. Man am I bummed, thinking I did a great job on the axles. But then again.........

After replacing the rear wheel bearings and seals, the seals held the gear lube without leaking (for over a week) while the axle was almost level, well at least when attached to a tire. However to install the brake hardware, I bought the wrong spring kit and the studs that hold the shoe on were too long and I needed to make a trip the the parts store, so I left the alxe on a jack. I must not have had the valve on the jack tight and the jack slowly lowered the axle down, maybe 6 inches, and when I returned there was gear lube leaking out around the axle seal.

Am I missing something here? Why would the seal be tight with the wheel on, but leak when not level. So what do I do next? replace the seal or will it be OK once the drum is back on and the axle nut tightened to the proper torque?

Thanks,

Mark

[mwh986]

OK moving much slower than expected.......

Rebilt the entire brake system, put the rear drums on and tightened down the axle nut only to find the brake cylinder diameter is too big! When I spun the wheel, the inside of the drum rubbed the cylinder and tore both boots, fubring the new cylinder.

Comparing to my old parts in a box..........looks like the old cylinder was only 25.5 mm wide not the 30 mm replacement part. So what part is correct for a 67 with type II axles? Any thoughts? If I ordered a 67 type I, and it does not fit, what model is the smaller cylinder?

Thanks,

Mark

[BrianB]

Can you take the old one with you over to Buggy Warehouse and have them match it up?

[Jack Duncan]

It is common practice to put the larger wheel cylinder from the rear on the front. It gives greater braking ability on the buggies. The front wheel cylinders will go on the rear. I did that on mine and it works great. The weight distribution is different on buggies.

[mwh986]

Still dealing with a pesky swing axle oil leak! I have replaced the axle seals three times and still have a slow leak at the bearing cover. I thought I had it beat until I torqued the axle nut, the next morning there was a pool of gear oil on the floor.

Since the car came in pieces, in boxes, with no disassembly to reference, could I be inserting the oil seal backwards? The spring side of the oil seal point towards the tranmission (the lube side) or does it point towards the wheel?

Thanks,

Mark

[KIM-P]

The lip points toward the trany. Is the o-ring that goes between collar and bearing the right size and in good shape?

[mwh986]

New spacers stopped the leak dead!

Rear driveline all reassembled and braked bled, but noticed the rear driverside axle does not spin freely once the bearing cover is torqued to 43 ftlbs. If i loosen up the bolts. the axle spins easily. What would be out of place in the assemby that would bind up? I know it is not the brakes dragging as I have flipped the drum backwards so there is no contact with the friction surface. If the bearings are not fully seated against the axle tube, would they bind up? Would it help to place an extra paper gasket in the assembly to allow some room?

Mark

[KIM-P]

Yes, if the bearing is not fully seated to the shaft it will bind. I'd try just puting the brake drum on and torq the nut down this should seat the bearing. If the binding is still there try another gasket.

[mwh986]

Great idea witht the axle nut! But no luck with the torquing the axle nut down. I can still spin the wheel with some resistance. Guess I'll try an extra paper gasket.

Mark

[aztec]

I live in the woodlands but have a place in Castroville. I have several VW cars and parts of cars, several motors none complete and other parts if any one needs parts I will let you have them but you will have to pick them up. My projects are a pickup DB, rail buggy and as my name says a Aztec GT kit car, the flip top model. I will try to help any one I can..