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MsTaboo
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2006
Posts: 4099
Location: East Kootenay, British Columbia
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 Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2024 3:18 pm Post subject: Re: Reviving a Syncro |
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Clever roadside repair, nice job.
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Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec
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joetiger 
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 5078
Location: denver
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| Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2024 7:29 am Post subject: Re: Reviving a Syncro |
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| MsTaboo wrote: |
| Clever roadside repair, nice job. |
Thanks! I was highly motivated to salvage a beautiful Saturday. 
_________________
Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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joetiger
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 5078
Location: denver
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| Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2024 9:15 am Post subject: Re: Reviving a Syncro |
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I finally found some time to install the pretty new Van Cafe shifter kit.
I didn't get a pic of the ball but rest assured it's as slick as this cup.
My hack held up well with very delicate shifting.
I thought getting the old pin out would be a hassle, but it was easy. I just stuck a skinny screwdriver up in the bottom hole and tapped it on the ground a few times. The pin popped out and the damaged cup slid right off.
The new piece slid right on; I used a flattened punch to tap down the new retaining pin.
I got it all back together, tight as a drum, and had no first or second! With the slop gone, the shifter needed adjustment. I went to the shifter base and slid it around until I found the sweet spot.
While this may appear to be a mundane maintenance post, it is the first time I've worked on a vehicle at my new house and garage.
After a year of borrowing driveways and putting off repairs, I have a newfound gratitude for a personal work space. Don't ever take it for granted.
_________________
Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16510
Location: Brookeville, MD
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joetiger
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 5078
Location: denver
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| Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2024 2:01 pm Post subject: Re: Reviving a Syncro |
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Thanks! I need to finish unpacking so I can get to the growing list of car stuff.
_________________
Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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joetiger
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 5078
Location: denver
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| Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2024 7:55 am Post subject: Re: Reviving a Syncro |
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Deferred projects continue...
I replaced my PS rack with a rebuilt one from Van Cafe. The old one was making a terrible knocking noise from the drivers side. The teflon seal inside the rack had broken, I think way back in either Moab or in the mountains, and it was making the steering squirrelly and again making a horrible banging noise over bumps.
The swap itself wasn't very interesting. Straightforward and messy. The U-joint that attaches to the front of the rack and can be a problem on some racks, was not difficult at all on this one. A little heat, PB Blaster, and hammer, and it slid right off.
My Eurovan seat covers have been providing excellent service for a few years now and desperately needed to be de-funked. I found out on the seatcoversunlimited.com website that they're machine washable, even.
Threw them in the washer on delicate then let them dry in the sun.
I also had a stripped nut in one of the transaxle mounting plates. Got that apart and used a riv-nut to secure the one (out of three) bolts. Tight as it can be. (I did this on advice from a trusted Vanagon tech instead of trying to thread a new bolt through the frame rail.)
Now I need an alignment--my thread count was a little off on the new tie rod ends--and I need some time off to get the hell out of town.
_________________
Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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joetiger
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 5078
Location: denver
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| Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 8:04 am Post subject: Re: Reviving a Syncro |
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Welp.
Went to get an alignment Saturday. You know how sometimes you're sitting in the waiting area and a tech pokes his head in and says something like,
"Vanagon?"
"yeah."
"Can you come with me please?"
It's like the long walk to the principal's office.
Pigpen was on their rack with the front end jacked up. The tech took a pry bar and wedged it under the passenger front tire and lifted. The whole assembly lifted about an inch.
"The other side is the same. Your lower ball joints are shot. Like, so shot I legally shouldn't even let you drive this thing outta here."
"Give me my keys, please. I promise I'll go straight home."
Amateur Alert:
When going over big dips and sweet jumps I thought that banging noise was the shocks topping out. Turns out it was my LBJ's banging, getting more destroyed with every bounce.
I noticed torn boots at some point but figured I'd get to it. Now I'm getting to it.
T3 Technique LBJs ordered. And then we'll be ready for summer, right?
RIGHT?
_________________
Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9629
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 8:19 am Post subject: Re: Reviving a Syncro |
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Ouch.
You were "almost ready" for Van season 2024.
| joetiger wrote: |
Welp.T3 Technique LBJs ordered. And then we'll be ready for summer, right?
RIGHT? |
Ball joints ain't so bad.
I would expect the alignments feller to tell you if there was anything else.
Hope there's nothing else.
There is a way to change ball joints without removing the lower suspension arms.
I have a tool for doing the cast arms, I suppose you have the welded arms.
But of course if there are other bushings to change, now is the time.
You will like your van a LOT, again, with the ball joints in order.
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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joetiger
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 5078
Location: denver
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| Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 8:34 am Post subject: Re: Reviving a Syncro |
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| Sodo wrote: |
Ouch.
You were "almost ready" for Van season 2024.
| joetiger wrote: |
Welp.T3 Technique LBJs ordered. And then we'll be ready for summer, right?
RIGHT? |
Ball joints ain't so bad.
I would expect the alignments feller to tell you if there was anything else.
Hope there's nothing else.
There is a way to change ball joints without removing the lower suspension arms.
I have a tool for doing the cast arms, I suppose you have the welded arms.
But of course if there are other bushings to change, now is the time.
You will like your van a LOT, again, with the ball joints in order. |
Those LBJ's are six years old and have been through a lot. I would have hoped they'd last longer than 40k miles, but they've had a hard run.
Everything else in the front end is in great shape. Uppers are new and all the poly bushings are fine. And, I have a feeling that the new LBJ's will do wonders for that imprecise front end feel I've been ignoring!
I might farm this one out. The carrier is bolted into the LCA on older Syncros like mine, so I don't think it's as crappy a job as it is on 2WD. But, I don't have the necessary tools to do it myself and have a great shop right down the way.
_________________
Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9629
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 7:07 am Post subject: Re: Reviving a Syncro |
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| joetiger wrote: |
| Those LBJ's are six years old and have been through a lot. I would have hoped they'd last longer than 40k miles, but they've had a hard run. |
OG balljoints last about 250,000 miles. Hard runs and all.
Be sure to ask for the balljoints back so we can beat them up on theSamba. 
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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joetiger
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 5078
Location: denver
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| Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2024 7:23 am Post subject: Re: Reviving a Syncro |
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More to come on my now extensive suspension and brake repair work, but this is too much fun not to share in advance.
I guess that trip over Engineer Pass did a little more damage than I thought it did.
Link
_________________
Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9629
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2024 7:34 am Post subject: Re: Reviving a Syncro |
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That’s not 6 years nor Engineer Pass.
That’s abysmal quality on a critical part.
If you had 14” rims the extension of the stud (where the nut is) would have been scraping the wheel thousands of miles ago.
(edit---- oops huge brain fart - only slop in the wheel bearing can vary this clearance- its not ball joint related.)
Can you recall the brand of that ball joint?
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb
Last edited by Sodo on Fri Apr 19, 2024 2:24 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16510
Location: Brookeville, MD
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joetiger
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 5078
Location: denver
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| Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2024 7:45 am Post subject: Re: Reviving a Syncro |
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| Sodo wrote: |
That’s not 6 years nor Engineer Pass.
That’s abysmal quality on a critical part.
If you had 14” rims the extension of the stud (where the nut is) would have been scraping the wheel thousands of miles ago.
Can you recall the brand of that ball joint? |
He saved them for me. I'm picking up the van today so I'll provide a closer look. I think they were garden-variety Lemforders?
_________________
Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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4Gears4Tires
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2018
Posts: 3061
Location: MD
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| Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2024 9:04 am Post subject: Re: Reviving a Syncro |
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That is horrible. You're lucky they didn't completely disconnect while driving.
_________________
'87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9629
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2024 10:32 am Post subject: Re: Reviving a Syncro |
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When i replaced my 175k LBJs there was no slop at all, they were tight.
Tom Lengyel told me I didn’t have to do LBJs or wheel bearings until ~250k and I bet my original LBJs had another 75,000 in them.
| joetiger wrote: |
| garden-variety Lemforders? |
Garden-variety refers to “unbranded”.
Or maybe you’re saying while Lemforder is “branded”, it’s now in the league of “the unbranded”?
That happens…... a quality company is sold, then the buyers plunder that consumer value,make their purchase price back by reducing the quality/costs, then re-sell if there's anything left.
Who owns ZF now?
I hoarded some Lemforders awhile ago.
Hmmmm 6 years ago…...was 2018…..
I'm curious to see identifying mfr features…
There must be a way to assess ball joint wear by jacking.
Is the unsprung weight sufficient to change the gap where the bellows resides?
(This is on loose balljoints of course)
Need some assistance from summa you fellers with old Syncros....
....or young "crap balljoints".
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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