3 problems on my 72 Beetle cropped up

[rrb6699]

I have 3/4" and 1/2" 36mms in my "Bug Bag" with a set of cotterpins and cheater tube for the breaker bars if necessary.

[helowrench]

Decent bearings take up the same space and are less likely to leave you stranded.

If they are only emergency spares I guess that's fine, but inner rear wheel bearings is not typically a roadside job unless you are carry a huge breaker bar and 36mm socket.

or the torque tool.......
http://vwparts.aircooled.net/Flywheel-a ... e-tool.htm

[rrb6699]

Well I replaced the bearings and it still makes a clicking noise in the front although not as bad as it was before .

The outer front right bearing was wore out there was a broken spot in it. But could the axle on this car have a race built into it? Reason I ask is because I could not budge what looks like a milled in race. plus I couldnt get the new race to go in past the edge of the lip inside the outer drum. the inner bearing looks fine.

Not familiar with this type of bearing design. although it seems simple, the new bearings came with races but I can't use them.

I put the new bearing in without a race and it seems to fit well. goes down the road without making any noise.

as far as the tapping sound, it sounds like the drum on the axle, but, maybe its the axle. it only happens when I brake and you only hear it just before you slow to a stop.

anyone ?

the car still drips oil. it's not losing oil on the dipstick though. im trying to get a 17mm allen drive to check the tranny fluid. I bought 2 bottles of GS-4 or 5 compatible 80w-90 gear oil. (64 oz). will that be enough to refill it? if not ill top it off if its low and do a change next week.

[Piledriver]

The bearings are just like ~any car built in the last 90 years except for the sealed bearing setups on FWD cars, microstubs etc etc..
Many modern FWD cars still use that style bearing setup for the rear axle, and most RWD cars still use same design for front axle.

The in-drum races need to be carefully driven out and the matching ones that came with the bearings more carefully driven back in.

This can be done in seconds with a good squared off big pin punch and a hammer with a little care ... has been done millions of times. The drums are designed so that the races are accessible to drive out.

If you didn't swap the races you didn't change the whole bearing, and you will get to more practice changing them very soon.

Any auto repair shop could do it for you for a small fee, it might be best just to take it in and have them do it if it still drives, any auto mechanic could probably replace those bearings in their sleep.

[rrb6699]

I can drive them out. I just wanted to make sure what I was dealing with. I assume I take the wheel/drum off a d remove the inner bearings then drive the race out from the opposite side. correct?

I do see it will take some care driving the new race back in. I can probably get it in to a point with a piece of 2x4 to get it in evenly. once I get it in I know it has to go in where the current race is now. ill measure it.

you said a big pin punch to drive the old ones out. how big are we talking here? would the right size wood dowel work to install the new race? or is there a specific tool?

[Piledriver]

Basically, yes.

There are probably a hundred youtube videos on the subject... or should be.

Wood will only make a mess, and will likely not budge the bearing at all.

It takes little actual force to walk races out/in, its a matter of walking both sides (actually usually 4 corners) out evenly and not dorking up the machined surfaces they sit in or the races themselves.

If it gets crooked you must level it out before proceeding. MUST stay straight in the bore.

It's more finesse than brute force, the shock is what makes things shift, tap one side, then the other. You can tell when it moves.
You can walk them out without huge impacts, the main thing is to do so evenly, and hit square.

A 1/4" dia tip pin punch (straight) works best, decent quality, the tip has to stay square or it will just slide off.
A tapered punch can work in most cases but the straight tip usually provides better access angles.

When you walk them back in you will hear the sound change when they hit home.
hit both sides. just to make sure.

Once you do it once, it will be trivial from then on.

Any auto parts store gearhead may be even able to do it for you, or perhaps even show you how.
Many mechanics too, if you want to learn.

You can also make and probably buy tooling to zip them in/out with a air chisel in seconds, effectively hitting both sides at once.

They can also be done with a press.. but I'd bet more have been changed the way i first described than any other.

[Marc]

...I'd bet more have been changed the way i first described than any other.

Yep, time-honored shadetree method.

Once you dig through the grease you'll see that there are 2 "windows" in the casting, 180° apart, which reveal just enough of the bearing race for you to tap it out with a drift punch (work back & forth between the two spots). Around ⅜" diameter works.

Best IMO to avoid installing with a punch, since it can damage the race and/or gouge the hub if you slip.There are dedicated race installing tools, but you don't need one. The races fit too tightly for a wood block, an aluminum or brass block would be better...or you may have a big socket or something like a pipe cap that'll do if you're afraid of damaging the race by striking it directly. The old race actually works pretty well as a driver, too - but before you go below flush, be sure that the old race is oriented so that there's an exposed ledge you can use to knock it back out after you're done seating the new race fully.

If you have a bench grinder, use it to reduce the size of the old race by a few thousandths and it'll knock back out much easier.

[SCOTTRODS]

I use a Brass Drift to knock out races... That way, you get the strength and density of metal, with the safety of a metal that won't ding the seats/bores if you happen to miss. Aluminum would work the same. Both metals are soft and will need constant dressing if you do much of this operation, but it's worth it to have a set of brass drifts . Northern tools sells a fairly inexpensive set that works really well for this application...

[rrb6699]

I have this piece of solid brass about 1.5" in diameter. its solid brass and is about a foot long. it looked like it was hammered on but I should be able to grind it to a good edge again. I could use the old race to punch it past flush, then finish it with this piece of brass.

after all this the right rear drum started clacking the same way. if I put the brakes on it does it but if I pull the Emergency brake it stops. so, now I have to take that apart tomorrow. sounds similar to the front one.

anything I should be aware of on the rears past the obvious?

[Marc]

Sometimes you'll get that symptom just because the brakes aren't adjusted. Back off the e-brake cables before you adjust the rears, and readjust the cables afterwards. There's also a chance that the inner end of the lugbolts are striking the e-brake cable sheath and pulling on the e-brake shifts it just enough to provide clearance...do you have stock lugbolts or aftermarket?
If you take the drums off, check the splines for wear. The last ⅛" or so at the outboard end doesn't engage the stub-axle splines; if you can see (or feel with the tip of a small screwdriver) a step there, the splines are worn and the drum should be replaced.
Check that the backing plate isn't shifting and knocking on the bearing-cover bolts (if it is, there'll probably be red-orange rust trails around the perimeter of the cover). Torque spec on the bolts is 47 lb-ft.
Inspect the outer spacer where the drum contacts it for wear. It should present a flat surface with no ridge.
If you remove the adjusters to service them, make sure that the angle of the slot in the adjuster screw matches that of the end of the shoe frame.
Axle nuts must be tight on reassembly...~250 lb-ft.

You may end up going back in to service/replace the rear wheel bearings, but I'd rule out the above stuff first.

[rrb6699]

ok thanks. yea I have rear bearings waiting in the wings.
to me it sounds more like a drum sound to describe the clanking sound. (better adjective).

[Marc]

Classic symptom of worn splines is a creaking/squeaking noise when rolling. Since the drum's cast-iron it normally takes the brunt of the wear but do also check the inboard end of the splines on the stub axles for a wear ridge.

[rrb6699]

ok. ill let you know what I find once I tear it apart. tomorrow gonna be low 40s windy. maybe Thursday.

oil leak is still happening. drove 500mi over the weekend in the bug. gas mpg dropped some. gonna check it next tank. the leak still happens when I drive hwy, but the oil level barely drops. I used a half quart on that trip mostly at 60- 65 mph. I dont see how to check that run vent next to the fill spout to see if its clogged. or can I just clean it out somehow regardless?

I have a Carter 4psi fuel pump I want to put on this Bug. I dont see a good place to mount it. plus I need a low idle jet for my Webber 32 DFAV carb. if I put the Carter on maybe I can control the idle better with a smaller jet.
I dont know what size to use or where to get one or even the type to get. right now im getting a fuel smell when I slow down. bought one of those fuel odor elim kits but it didnt seem to help. bad fuel cap or is fuel smell from carb coming in thru vents?

[Marc]

Idle mixture shouldn't be impacted by a fuel-pump change - the job of the pump is just to provide fuel to the float valve, which is responsible for maintaining a constant level in the bowl. Too much pressure can force the valve open and cause issues... 4psi is higher than necessary, but a healthy float valve should be capable of handling it.

Electric pumps are better at pushing than at pulling and should be mounted low and near to the tank. There's room atop the pan on the RH side, but consideration must be given to location of the pump & lines so they will clear the tierod throughout its full range of motion with steering and suspension travel.

Electric pumps should always be wired through a "safety circuit" so that power to them is interrupted when the engine quits (even though the ignition is still on). This prevents pouring gasoline all over an accident site if the fuel system is compromised and you aren't awake to switch off the key. A relay dependent upon generator/alternator output is a simple way to accomplish this, but an emergency bypass switch is advisable to ensure that you'll be able to fill the carb should you run it dry.

All things considered, for most applications a stock mechanical pump works just fine - the only liability being the potential for contaminating the crankcase oil if the diaphragm should spring a leak.

Can't help you much from a distance on the fuel smell, but problems with the plumbing of the evaporative-emissions control system that debuted in 1970 aren't uncommon. One thing you could check is the charcoal canister inside the RR fenderwell. It's secured by a strap. If it's saturated with gas it'll be quite heavy.

Older cars used a simple overflow tube off the gas tank filler neck, which was routed upwards and then looped down to end behind the horn. With a full tank, that setup sometimes would drip (especially on a warm day) but rarely enough to cause much of a smell.

[rrb6699]

ok, yea I was thinking the carb runs too rich and may be the cause of the fuel smell. more of a nuisance and probably not healthy.

I wanted the fuel pump for the Weber to keep a steady fuel supply to the floats. this is a single-unit 2-bbl. I read somewhere once that for a bug the stock low idle jet will run it too rich. so far I agree.

I put a new fuel float in the tank too. may check that for good seal too.