Been there done that. The only = tool that is needed other than a few wrenches and a hammer is a press. I = looked at what was in the manuals, but they make it too difficult. To start = with, you need to remove the wheel, and rotor. to remove the rotor, you = will have to remove the brake caliper. Remove the bolt on the lower = half of the upper ball joint, the two bolts on the back side of the brake caliper = and remove the caliper (no need to disconnect the brake line). Take rotor off = as per manual. Unbolt the lower ball joint and tie rod end. Loosen = the adjusting bolt on the tie rod end. Now here is the part that may = have everyone screaming, but it worked for me. Break out a good heavy = hammer, though not too heavy don't want to accidentally break anything. = Start tapping the bottom side of the tie rod end until it is loose then remove = it. now do the same with the upper ball joint and lower ball joint = except tap the lower ball joint from the top, the bottom will come later. = That should have gotten the steering knuckle off for you. Now since you = are at this point, I did a few "might as wells" I replaced the = upper control arm bushings and did the brakes. Figured it couldn't = hurt. Now that you have the steering nuckel off lay it on the floor and start hammering on the bottom of the lower ball jont until it comes out (which = was rather easy for me). Now it is time to put everything back = together. This is where you need a press, but you can take the lower ball joint = and the steering nuckle to a shop and pay for that part, you are sill saving a = lot of money still. If you have access to a press then take a pipe or = something that will fit over the top of the lower ball joint (no need for = expensive VW tools here!! :>) I used a large deepwell socket! now press the = lower balljoint home. Everything now bolts together the opposite way it = was removed. The only difficulty I had here was torquing the ball = joint bolts, couldn't get the torque wrench to fit, but I am sure that there are = special expensive addapters that will fit. What I did was tighten = the life out of the bolts.. they are probably large enough to handle alot. = Even if they were a little loose, the way they are set up, your front end won't = fall off. Now if you get the new alignment and it doesn't drive = straight, look at the sheet the shop gives you and make sure they did all of the adjustment. Don't let the service people tell you that a part = wasn't adjustable because they all are (Camber, caster and toe). Better = yet, have them check the alignment machine before the service and get a print out = of your van to see if the machine has the updated informaton including all of = the ajustments and how they are done. I took mine to Sears and they = did that for me. The printout had pictures of all of the adjustment points = and how to adjust them. Only one of their alignment machines had the = information correct for the vanagon so make sure to check if you want it done = right. If you still can't drive straight after all that, check your tires, mine = were out of alignment so long that they decided where they wanted to go!!