Aircooled VW South Africa

Im getting axles back on a gearbox, but I am not sure about the spacer gap. Also searched online but cant seem to find an answer.

With everything installed there is a gap between the top of the inner spacer and the lip on which the bearing sits. Which means that this spacer will move around freely once the bearing is pressed in.
Is this correct? These are short axle shafts.

Without spacer



With the spacer

some bearings have a center piece longer than the width of the bearing. Check yours.

I might be wrong but just looking at it, are you sure it isnt actually correct and once you have installed everything else and tighten up the castle nut, the tightening of the nut pulls it all together??

Hopefully someone who knows your answer will chime in soon

There is nothing wrong with what you have there Donovan.

The bearing is held captive by the recess in the end of the axle tube and the bearing end cover. As you start tightening the axle nut, the axle will be pulled up, through the bearing, until the inner spacer comes into contact with the bearing. Don't install the small o-ring seal, until the bearing is seated onto the inner spacer, just to avoid damage to the o-ring whilst drawing in the axle through the bearing.

One thing to watch out for, is to ABSOLUTELY NOT lift the axle out of the gearbox until the bearing is drawn down onto the inner spacer, and the back plate and outer bearing cover bolted in place. If you lift the axle too far from the position shown in your pics, you run the risk of the fulcrum plates sliding out of position, and dropping to the bottom of the gear. You'll need to strip and install the fulcrum plates again.

Are the sealed bearings good to use ? Got a set of axle bearings from Goeie Hoop and when I opened the package I realised they are sealed bearings.

You can quite easily pull the dust covers off the bearing using a small screw driver. The sealed bearings are packed with grease, which can be washed out, or just left to mix with the gearbox oil. You can drain and fill with fresh oil after a few hundred km's.

It always helps to stop oil leaks if you only take out the inner seal, leave the outer in place and do not wash the bearing as the grease is of high quality, and will only lengthen the life of the bearing and gearbox.

Herman

Will do thanks !

Ran into another snag.
Before getting the bearings in and tightening everything I wanted to see if the inside of the drum presses against the cover plate.
The drum does not fit over the brakes on the backing plate with everything assembled. I was hoping to get the gearbox fully assembled over the holidays.
These rear drums were made up to take the 130pcd for the replica Fuch wheels for the beetle.

are you sure you cant loosen the adjustment slightly?
Take the setup to a brake and clutch place and ask them to skim the liners to match the drum - thats standard procedure anyway, that way you get full liner contact with the drum, not just partial

As Tony Said.

I would take the drum for a light skim as well just to ensure round, as these engineering works sometimes get it wrong.

When you get the shoes back, see that they have cut a slight angle on the leading edge to stop noise chatter.

Herman

The star adjusters are in all the way. Also looks like the inner center lip of the drum does press up against the bearing cover which is good.

Phoned three brake and clutch shops yesterday, all three said their machine is broken and will only be running from 8 Jan 2018. Seems like everyone is in holiday mode.

Two things I would do first remove the brake shoes put them in the drums and see if the shoes make contact all the way round.Doing it this way is the best next thing to the Brake and clutch shops
Second thing is leave the break shoes off and put the drum over the hub make sure the drum surface butts up against the drive shaft surface.
If the brake shoes are not making full contact with drum go get some course emery tape put the brake shoe in the vice and sand all the high spots off the try the shoes in the drum push the shoe against the drum and move the shoe left and right check for high spots.Dont mix the shoes up so do the first 2 and 1 drum keep those as one set,

Sure Grand Slam will help, you know he has a Brake Shop ??

Herman

Donovan D wrote: ↑Thu Dec 21, 2017 9:00 am The star adjusters are in all the way. Also looks like the inner center lip of the drum does press up against the bearing cover which is good.

Phoned three brake and clutch shops yesterday, all three said their machine is broken and will only be running from 8 Jan 2018. Seems like everyone is in holiday mode.

Have you tried West Coast Clutch and Brake in Montague Gardens, on Montague Drive?

That adjuster on the left... is it just an illusion or could it be in the wrong way around/180 degs out? Compared to the other side.

Dawie wrote: ↑Thu Dec 21, 2017 2:54 pm That adjuster on the left... is it just an illusion or could it be in the wrong way around/180 degs out? Compared to the other side.

Well spotted Dawie...

Bigger gap between shoe and adjuster...compered to right hand side.

May just be whats needed to get the drum on....

Herman