TheSamba.com :: View topic - supplier for early link pin shims/Correct shim thickness??

Mon Apr 26, 2004 2:46 am

anyone know a supplier that sells just the shims? Nobody lists them in their catalogues that I have found so far, just $150 sets with link pins. Is there a difference in the late 60's shims and early shims? What about type1 shims? never compared them.

Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:16 am

I got some from Bus Boys about 10 years ago. Just make sure they send the right ones, on later ones the id and od are larger. When you get them measure them as the thickness varies and you may need to add one to get the stack right. The ones that go between the torsion arm and spindle are the critical stack to be as close as possible.

Mon Apr 26, 2004 7:16 pm

I think the T1 link pins are smaller so the shims would be too. Busdepot lists the T1 shims @ 0.32/each
http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=111405527

The bus part number is 211-405-527 for a 21.5mm shim (20 mm pin)
or 211-405-527A for a 23.5mm shim (22 mm pin)

Unless you're talking BD and then the part # is 211-401-405.

Wed May 05, 2004 5:07 am

Thanks dstefun, and toolbox.
I do have 2 more Q's for you or any other knowledgeable person.

I looked at my VW microfische and its saying the july 63 and earlier linkpins are 20mm and the august 63 and later link pins with the later part number (rev A) are ALSO 20mm? Yet my parts manual says what you said, 20 and 22mm pin. Hmm one of the two has a misprint, im guessing the microfische. Thats encouraging. The microfische does agree with the parts manuals for the I.D. shim size callouts, being 21.5mm I.D. of the early shim (and 23.5mm I.D. of the later one).

What i really want to know is how thick were the washers when they are brand new? Does anyone know that? Anyone with a NOS set? Couldn't go by the chart using used shims unless you knew the correct thickness. I measured all the ones that came off my bus and they were about .020 to .021 on the avg. I recently aquired a stack of 55-63 link shims and they ranged from .018 to about .025. which if you do the math, can throw your correct stack thickness off if you werent paying attention to thicknesses and had to add 7 per the chart.

Which brings me to my other question, why do all the shim charts ive seen say the shimming table is for either 59 and earlier, or 60 and later?The link pins changed in july 63, they changed spindles in sep of 62, and torsion arms in july of 63. Thats all i can think of that would effect it. I dont see any changes for any front axle parts occuring around the '5XX XXX' end of 1959 time frame (at least on my lists) besides an adjustment screw on the steering box. Where did they come up with this split for the chart and why?