Given there was still some light after I'd finished work, I decided to start on replacing the idler pin. I (eventually) got the split pins off the drag link and removed the nuts...however I don't have any tool to split the joints. I guess I'm going to have the same issues removing the tie rods from the relay arm. Given it was cold and I couldn't do much more, I stopped. What's the *correct* tool to use - and what is a good substitute (by which I mean what's not going to knock out all the grease, I guess)?
You want a ball joint splitter like this: http://www.tooled-up.com/product/se...oductlisting&gclid=CIGP27beu7YCFe7MtAodZ2oAUw Alternatively you can hit the pitman arm on either side of the joint with 2 hammers at the same time... it'll shock the joint and cause it to pop out... I prefer to use the splitter
I thought about the hitting method...but I couldn't feel my hands and there's not much space under there...so I'll be off to buy a splitter tomorrow. Cheers
In lieu of the correct splitter tool..............remove the nut, and using two hammers, tap reasonably hard, each side of the relay arm. This should be done simultainiously, from opposing sides of the boss the rod end protrudes from, the rod end will miraculously detatch. If you dont understand what I'm on about, practice by "clacking" two hammers together, then get under the bus with the hammers, and continue with the relay arm in between them. This method WORKS a treat, as practiced by shade tree mechanics in Africa!! Tony
I know that, lesson 1 in metal work at school!! I didn't know a better way of describing the technique!! Tony
I'll fork out for a splitter...not very dear in the great scheme of things and I don't really want large bits of mechanism falling to pieces!
A scissor type splitter's best, or you'll be doomed to ball joint misery. The clapping with two hammers does actually work (mostly)! They don't shatter - see Mythbusters vid on the very subject...
If its being a pain try a bit of freeze release. Tip top stuff. When I got my 1st can of the stuff from my local auto fitters they had to give me the HSE low down as a bunch of idiots where they fit things quick had pinned a guy down and sprayed his jewels! It gets to -35. Horrific
They dont shatter but i have had a chip come of the corner of a hammer when i missed the piece i was working on and hit the anvil Id say it would take a fair whack to do any damage though Some joints are that seized in over time that you need to give them a tap with the hammer aswell as using a splitter Stay away from pickle fork type splitters as they knacker ball joint boots easily
Or put the nuts back on, save on the splitter and do what did only this afternoon. Haynes/Bently made a meal of this IMO. disconnect the steering damper - the wheel end is easiest as it's a bolt into captive nut. I assume you have it jacked up! Remove the cap from the bottom. Jack under pin to take pressure off the arm bolt, undo and remove bolt. Jiggle about and the pin will fall out. Push the arm/steer the wheels and move the arm out of the way. Carry on as normal. More encouragement. By twiddling the steering coupler to and from while jacked up, I could barely see the arm moving up and down and the wheels were quick to react as well. If you do the same with the wheels on the ground, the movement would be more pronounced. It's made a big difference. Once done I still had a clonk though, about half the play had gone. The other half then showed up as drag link ball joint on the steering box arm, luckily it was the adusting end and I had a spare. On the way to work I had ooooooo about 4" of nowt to rubbery reaction. 45 degs on a windy day! On the way home nothing at all. Magic.
I saw the movement (very pronounced) at the MOT...so I need to fix it. The slack is better for a new damper too...but I've got the kit from coolair so the bushes are being done too I'll get the bus properly stable on stands first. So far, I've been crawling in dirt...a neighbour has a pit in his garage, but the doors are about 6" too low for me to get in
You'll need it on axle stands however you go about it. It's worth the trouble. My point was that even barely perceptable up/down was causing lots of slack so by the sounds of it's yours is worse = even better improvement. Well worth the effort.
Have been investigating changing my idler pin and found these - a quite detailed write up with lots of pictures of how to change the idler pin: http://www.itinerant-air-cooled.com/viewtopic.php?t=3164 - part 1 http://www.itinerant-air-cooled.com/viewtopic.php?t=3165 - part 2 Thought it might be of some help to you if you haven't seen them already. Makes it look nice and easy - which I'm sure it isn't!! Nick...
Cheers for the links - all information is useful! Routing around here somewhere I saw mention of someone on ebay selling a kit to wind out the bearings without any hammering - and therefore less potential for damage to the beam...so I bit the bullet and bought one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-T2-swi...ZsDbKnCFLT51xaJWA6N2g%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc The instructions which come with it are very clear - and I'll let you know how easy they are to follow once I've followed them!
Assuming that tool works well, once you are done with it I'll be happy to buy it off you so that you can recoup some of your costs and it'll help me do mine! Can anyone recommend which is the best pin kit to get - VWH, JK, CoolAirVW, somewhere else? Leaning towards CoolAirVW as have been impressed with everything I've had from them so far.
