Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2003 00:51:27 -0400
Reply-To: Jason Willenbrock <pooncerelli@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jason Willenbrock <pooncerelli@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: new bearings and ball joints installation DIY
Content-Type: text/html
<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV>
<P>ditto this</P>
<P>i too just did this same exact job on my 87 syncro westy project, new lower ball joints and wheel bearings, all brakes, seals, front and rear cv's etc... very gratifying even when you bang your head or crack your knuckle. it CAN, not always, save you money, but the experience and knowledge gained is priceless (sound like a commercial?). i did not have a press for the bearings or ball joints, but fortunately had a buddy who does, everything else was great.<BR>jason</P>
<P>87 syncro westy project</P>
<P>90 gl daily driver</P>
<P>87 wolfsburg parts van<BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: Thomas Brobst <THOMAS.BROBST@VERIZON.NET>
<DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: Thomas Brobst <THOMAS.BROBST@VERIZON.NET>
<DIV></DIV>>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: new bearings and ball joints installation DIY
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 22:05:08 -0400
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>I just replaced the upper and lower ball joints and front wheel
<DIV></DIV>>bearings
<DIV></DIV>>and seals in my 84 GL . To remove the lower ball joint from the
<DIV></DIV>>steering
<DIV></DIV>>knuckle I had to buy a 12 ton hydraulic press from the local Harbor
<DIV></DIV>>Freight
<DIV></DIV>>store (bless them for opening one nearby) for $100 (but one can
<DIV></DIV>>never have
<DIV></DIV>>enough tools.) Still, it took all 12 tons AND an oxy/acetylene torch
<DIV></DIV>>to get
<DIV></DIV>>them out. But, DAMN it's gratifying when they pop! I blew some more
<DIV></DIV>>$$
<DIV></DIV>>money, too, because I bought the wrong bearing sets. Warning to
<DIV></DIV>>others:
<DIV></DIV>>don't be like me. Read the catalog carefully. There are two
<DIV></DIV>>different
<DIV></DIV>>bearings for early and late 84 Vanagons. Fortunately the Bus Depot
<DIV></DIV>>was only
<DIV></DIV>>45min away. (Thanks, Terry, for the pity-price break.) But it's back
<DIV></DIV>>on the
<DIV></DIV>>road and handling like a piece of precision German engineering once
<DIV></DIV>>again.
<DIV></DIV>>I do my own work because I enjoy it (rationalization??) but I wonder
<DIV></DIV>>how
<DIV></DIV>>much I saved even after buying the press and screwing up the bearing
<DIV></DIV>>purchase. Jeez, I bet a dealer would have charged probably $500 for
<DIV></DIV>>this
<DIV></DIV>>work. And taken longer. AND I wouldn't have the press...or the
<DIV></DIV>>experience.
<DIV></DIV>>Anyway, just thought I'd share my experience.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Tom Brobst
<DIV></DIV></div><br clear=all><hr> <a href="http://g.msn.com/8HMAENUS/2734??PS=">Cheer a special someone with a fun Halloween eCard from American Greetings!</a> </html>
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