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Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:48 am

Please help me understand or direct me on repairing my front end..
I noticed that I have a ton of play... the area with all the play is were the yellow meets the black.. I have not idea of the tech terms so please forgive me..
Are there bushings that need to be replaced or is the front end trashed?

sorry the picture is not better.

Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:17 am

It appears you have a KING & LINK (kingpin and linkpin) front suspension...

If play is in king pin (where spindle pivots) you need to rebush king pins... Generally this requires new bushings to be pressed into 'Link" and honed to fit kingpin. This is usually a automotive machine shop operation. Kits are available for this

IF play is in link pins you can try to tighten link pins or you may need to replace link pins, bushings and shims... The is also link pin kits available for this and you can usually do this your self and all "precision" parts are premachined...

Pretty good "blow up" picture here. You are interested in parts 11 through 15 in upper image...

13 is King pin (also parts kit)
14 is Link pin assembly (also parts kit)

http://www.1800vw.bizhosting.com/0.suspension_ft.all.htm

IT may be possible to just tighten link pins.... All you may need to do is loosen clam bolts and put wrench of link pin flats and turn them in to they are tight and the retighten clamp bolts...

Only problem may be that if they have been loose for long time and are probably worn and ground up from dirt and gravel entering area, and lack of lubrication may have activated situation...

IF you are going to "rebuild", do both king pins and links pins at same time (in fact you will have to do link pins when you do king pins)

Dale

Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:14 am

Thanks Dale, I will try to tighten them first.. doesn't look good but it is worth a try...
is the other style front end better?

Would it be smarter to get a differnt front end?? I don't know if I can find anyone in my area to do the work on repairing these. Small town.. Any one know of anyone in or near Abilene , TX?

Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:38 am

bowhunter1331 wrote: Thanks Dale, I will try to tighten them first.. doesn't look good but it is worth a try...
is the other style front end better?

Would it be smarter to get a differnt front end?? I don't know if I can find anyone in my area to do the work on repairing these. Small town.. Any one know of anyone in or near Abilene , TX?

The mechanical (disassembly/assembly) you can do your self, its pretty simple. The king pin bushing kit you could take to almost any auto machine shop and have them press in new bushings and hone them to fit king pins...

Dale

Mon Aug 11, 2008 11:08 am

Dale M. wrote: bowhunter1331 wrote: Thanks Dale, I will try to tighten them first.. doesn't look good but it is worth a try...
is the other style front end better?

Would it be smarter to get a differnt front end?? I don't know if I can find anyone in my area to do the work on repairing these. Small town.. Any one know of anyone in or near Abilene , TX?

The mechanical (disassembly/assembly) you can do your self, ots pretty simple. The king pin bushing kit you could take to almost any auto machine shop and have them press in new bushings and hone them to fit king pins...

Dale

Good deal , THANKS!

Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:41 pm

Ok, I loosend the clamps (more) and turned pin,,, it only turns so much each way... It helped a little , but it still is loose...
how do you remove that pin? is it pressed in or is there something on the back side I am missing

Mon Aug 11, 2008 7:35 pm

bowhunter1331 wrote: Ok, I loosend the clamps (more) and turned pin,,, it only turns so much each way... It helped a little , but it still is loose...
how do you remove that pin? is it pressed in or is there something on the back side I am missing

The clamp bolt locks in link pin.... There is a spiral groove around pin that bolt goes into to form sort of a "thread" on pin (interference fit) .... Remove clamp bolt and pin should push (pull) out... But unless you have parts to fix it, its pretty much futile to take it apart...

Remember its also controls the camber of front wheel so keep track on any shims that may be in there.....

Also there is tension on pin from torsion bar through trailing arm.... Be careful.... When pin is removed parts are going to move sort of violently as tension unloads....

Dale

Mon Aug 11, 2008 7:46 pm

Thanks Dale.. thinking of buying a new one... just found one for 250 bucks on this site.. mIght be easier then trying to find parts and machine shop..
?

Wed Nov 04, 2009 7:52 pm

Thanks, Helped me too. Mine were mostly just loose but also may need to be replaced soon. The owner before me didnt keep em greased.