[Vwdiesel] FW: FW: VW Half-Shaft

Fri Apr 2 10:28:28 PDT 2010

Hello Sandy,

Great picture and simple, step-by-step process.  Thanks.  I will do that work after I find and order the seal(s).  Right now I'm operating that Jetta in my business.  My repair priority will be getting my Quantum Diesel back on the road.  It's hard to replace that 40 to 50 mpg diesel with a gas engine in the 25 to 35 mpg range.  However, it's much easier to operate a gas VW in the 25 to 35 mpg range than something American in the 15 to 25 mpg range.  Besides, VW seems to have better quality, longer lasting parts than American not to mention entire vehicles.

I've located my Parts Place catalog and will have an order in with them by tomorrow.

Sandy, I roughly place my mechanic skills as somewhere between a parts changer and a competent mechanic, straying in either direction relative to my state of health.  Judging from your email and picture, I expect that you range in the competent mechanic area, making your own tools etc.

The owner of the VW Shop I use on occassion, recommends that I operate with gas vehicles.  His logic is good.  He looks at the repairs necessary on a diesel and factors that in.  If I do all of my own repairs, and don't pay for the labor and shop operating costs, then his logic fails.  Double so if I do all the repairs on my own gas vehicles.

Thanks again for you help,

Gerry

Indianapolis

> Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2010 08:48:16 -0400
> To: vwdiesel at audifans.com; ghughet at hotmail.com
> From: scameron at storm.ca
> Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] FW: VW Half-Shaft
> 
> that sort of narrows it down to 
> >someone didn't put the clip on properly AND left off the seal. The seal is
> a big, rubber coated 
> >cap that fits over the whole inset of the flange, about 1 1/4" dia.
> > Loren
> 
> 
> Yes, if you did not find the cap someone has been there before and did not
> reassemble it properly.
> 
> You cant drive the flange in with a hammer, there is a VERY strong spring
> inside the diffy that pushes out on the flange and REQUIRES a compressor to
> pull the shaft stub forward far enough to expose the groove for the circlip.
> I'll attach a pic of how I do it.
> 
> Here's the method..
> 
> 
> 
> Transmission drive flange removal and replacement
> 
> his is easiest done with tranny on bench, but for younger gymnasts, can be
> done on hoist or jack stands.
> 
> The flanges are pre-loaded against the circlips to pre-load the internal
> roller bearings the flange stub runs on..
> 
> While removing the circlips without the tension released is possible, it is
> also very exciting. Not recommended. Safety goggles and hard hat recommended.
> 
> I consider anywere Bentley says "Volkswagen special tool # # # # required"
> to be an outright challenge, so the attached picture shows how I did it.
> 
> Remove the 6 inner axel flange bolts for each axel using the proper 12 point
> bit, (metric) a set of 4 avaiable at any FLAPS (very reasonable).
> .[The largest fits the head bolts, the next fits the starter bolts, the 3rd
> fits the flange bolts, and I have not found a use for the smallest yet]
> (clean out the hole with a screw driver and drive the bit all the way home
> with a hammer before undoing to avoid stripping the internal spline.)
> 
> I find the easiest way to take out the flange bolts is to put the front end
> on jack stands ( it helps to jack the body or subframe so the hubs can hang
> down) and remove the wheels, then you can get at them from under the fenders
> through the wheel wells. I bought a realy cheap 3 foot long 3/8 socket
> extension, (under $10 for a set of 3.) You may need someone to stand on the
> brakes while you break them loose.
> 
> After the bolts are out, to let the axel C/V joints fall free from the
> tranny (they are in the cup-like recess in the flange), turn the steering
> hard over in the direction of the one you are taking out (full right for
> right axel, left for left) This achieves maximum extension of the axels and
> helps set them free..
> 
> Bag the C/Vs to keep dirt out.
> 
> Once the insides of the flanges are cleaned out, you can pop out the rubber
> plug with a small screwdriver or dental pic, and you will see the circlip,
> and under it, a dished washer. TAKE NOTE when you remove the washer, which
> way the "dish" faces, and write it down.
> 
> Now you have to compress the unseen spring inside the diffy unit
> 
> Using my method, you find a stiff steel bar with a hole in (or make one),
> and a metric bolt that fits the threaded hole in the flange stub. If you
> can't find a bolt, borrow one ot the upper bolts that holds the tranny to
> the engine block. That's what I used.
> 
> There is a problem here, as the threaded hole in the stub is not deep enough
> to achieve the full travel required to relieve the spring tension. (sigh, VW
> does it again) If you can get a bolt this size that will take a nut at each
> end, or threaded all the way to the head, so you can use a nut to run it the
> rquired distance to release, you could do it that way. That's why the
> Bentley tool has a nut on the outer end. You could take your tranny bolt to
> the local boltmiester and get a threaded rod about 6" long and a couple of
> nuts, or.... you could do what I did.
> 
> I took 2 of the original flange bolts and cleaned the grease off of them (we
> sure don't want them to slip) and threaded them part way in to opposite
> holes in the flange. I then screwed the center bolt in about 3 turns to
> engage a bit of thread. I then UNSCREWED the 2 flange bolts against the bar
> with small vice grips, untill they seemed tight enough, and took some of the
> distance the center bolt must go before it bottoms in the hole.
> 
> I did this with the tranny on the bench, and it seemed just too easy. I
> don't know what a torture trick it would be lying on your back under the car.
> 
> You could roll the car up on its side on an old mattress like I did once to
> fix the gas tank on a rabbit)
> 
> As you compress the flange, be watchfull about 2 things.
> 
> 1. IMPORTANT make sure the "pusher" flange bolts remain centered on the bar.
> (next time I do this I will drill 2 "pockets" in the bar for the bolt heads
> to fit into, to prevent slippage).
> 
> SAFETY GOGGLES ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
> All usual disclaimers apply here.
> 
> 2. While slowly compressing the flange against the unseen spring, keep
> testing the circlip and washer with a dental pick to determine when the
> pressure has been released. Then fiddle the clip out with whatever you have
> (I managed with 2 screwdrivers , remove the dished washer NOTING which way
> it faces (and writing it down if you are over 40).
> 
> You now release the pressure by unscrewing the center bolt (or its nut, if
> you got one like that). Note that if you did it my way, there will still be
> some spring pressure when the bolt comes out of the stub, so don't get in
> the way as it pops off..
> 
> The flange should now just slide off the stub spline. If it does not, apply
> a puller being carefull not to dammage the threaded hole in the stub.
> 
> I would recommend you not remove the spring and other parts behind the
> flange, as it is possible to forget how they go back together. (someone on
> the group got into that jackpot) When you pull the flange out, make sure
> there are no washers or other parts come away with it. Sometimes the grease
> glues parts to the back of it, and you don't notice until they fall off on
> the floor.... out of order.
> 
> As they say in most manuals (cheerful bastards) "Assembly is just the
> reverse of removal"
> 
> I've done it [on the bench] and it's not rocket science. New plugs come with
> the seal kit, be sure to use them, or tranny oil will get into the C/V joint
> and trash it.
> 
> Since the flange is actually part of the C/V enclosure, it would be wise to
> fill in some more C/V grease to replace what you lost when you cleaned the
> flanges.
> 
> BE SURE TO REPLACE THE RUBBER PLUGS BEFORE GREASING !
> 
> Changing the seals is pry-bar and hammer work. You can drive the seal in
> using a small chunk of 2x4 against it, and hammer gently in the center of
> it, or you can push it in using the bolt from your compressor, and a plate
> bigger than the seal with a hole in the center for the bolt.
> 
> The most tedious part of the job is fiddling the circlip out and back in
> without spreading it too much...
> 
> Sandy

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