Help! Failed VA Safety Inspection - Link Pin?

[my59]

The whole assembly was made to be rebuilt- the real question is can it be adjusted, or is the side in question too far gone.
I'd have the shop that failed the car take a look and try adjustment.
Maybe it will be within spec for passing after they take a look, make adjustments, and are paid for their efforts ;-)

.
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my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
our79: sunroof bus w/camper interior and 2.0 FI
Other:'12 Jetta, '77 Benz 300D, and a 74 MG Midget.

[raycer60]

[vamram]

3. - The owner's an old timer who worked on ACVWs back in the day. He also has two mechanics - one of them was a VW mechanic in Mexico - who work on a few other Bugs and a Ghia in the area. So yeah, I think i'm safe w/them, i just hate paying for stuff I can do myself.

1. I like it for that idea, just that mentally I thought I was done w/the car after completely redoing my interior over the winter.

So...i'll start w/#3 tomorrow and see where that leads.
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'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
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Save the Supers!!

[bluebus86]

A safety inspection!!! What a load of crap. I wonder what the moron at the inspection place knows about your car, and budget.

glad I don't live there, but I got to deal with repressive smog laws and vehicle taxation. another load of crap
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Help Prevent VW Engine Fires, see this link.....Engine safety wire information

Stop introducing dirt into your oil when adjusting valves ... https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=683022

[vamram]

Yeah, that's VA for you. I'd have to register as a classic or antique to avoid inspection, severely limiting how much I can drive it during the year.

In all honesty, this inspector is pretty lenient w/old VW inspections. I've passed 3 close ones previously, he's even told me as much. But the wobbly wheel was too obvious this time I guess.
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Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[drscope]

DUDE, you're missing the most obvious choice you have. It's SILLY to take the car back and have them adjust the link pins!

Get out that book you have for Idiots. It's a pretty good book, but it don't work unless you READ it!

Go to the section about the front end. It' called SHIMMIES AND SHAKES. have a seat and read that section.

Then YOU go adjust the link pins on that side and maybe the wheel bearings too. If that doesn't fix your problem, then you need to decide to either pull the carriers off and have new pins and bushings installed or take the easy way out and order new knuckles that are already done.
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[vamram]

I did! I also have the big fat Bentley shop manual for '61-65 cars. Based on both, the wheel bearings are good. I also tried the idiot's adjustment and the Bentley. No go. Even after that, the king pin carrier has play on both link pins.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[VOLKSWAGNUT]

Again....

[KTPhil]

[VOLKSWAGNUT]

He was referencing another link with this... and states he has several manuals..

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7166832

[vamram]

I read Muir to start, then Clymers and the page Volkswagnut posted. I have the same huge manual here as well. And yeah, I also tried this 3 separate times yesterday, just to convince myself I'd done it as in the manual. No go.

So...I decided to give a shot to replacing the link pins on own. I bought a set from an ACVW guy about 20 miles south of here for 40 bucks. Yeah, they're probably Chinese crap, at best Brazilian, but it's in what I can do at the moment. If it works...well, I'm out only 40 bucks! If not, we'll see which step I go w/next...

I'll take pics as I go too.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[bluebus86]

you know you might find someone local that rebuilds these things, and they can do the link and king pins for you, not much money if you bring them the disassembled parts, then it will be like new, and you only will do the disassembly and assembly once, not twice (you will also want to get the car aligned)

I found a local shop to me in California that does this, he had the correct tools, press, reamers and did it for me. not to bad a deal, and I am a cheap skate,

It would be uncool for you to do all this work and then find you still need to do the king pin. then you get to do it all over again.

and yes I have done the thing before myself, but my source for a borrowed reamer is no longer around, hence my choice to have it done for me.

While your at it, check the tie rod ball joints for wear, now would be an excellent time to replace any worn ball joints, and make sure the steering gear box is lubed and not worn out, adjust as needed.

your front end will be like new, much better ride.

anyway, good luck!!!!!
_________________
Help Prevent VW Engine Fires, see this link.....Engine safety wire information

Stop introducing dirt into your oil when adjusting valves ... https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=683022

[vamram]

Thanks, Bluebus. I'll search around if where I'm at ends up as a cluster-f***.

Speaking of...I got bit by the Chinese parts bug, I think. The nut holding the tie-rod end connected to the spindle was some kind of a self locking 1-way nut - close only. It wouldn't unscrew for the life of me, only turn and turn out, went about 2 threads and that's it.

I had to cut it out w/my dremel, and, of course, despite my attempt to be careful, I trashed the threads on the tie-rod end ball joint.

I did get the assembly off finally. The link pins look pretty bad to me, scored. I'll let better eyes tune in on that assessment.

I'm uploading pics of what I have so far. I'll post them in a few minutes.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[vamram]

Ok, Samba folks, thanks for sticking w/me here. And here are the pics.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but - are those REAR BRAKE SHOES on my FRONT brake assembly???? G-DAMN PO!!!! :2gunfire:

Bye-bye tie rod end, unless anyone has a great idea on salvaging this. Nothing like a steady hand w/a dremel....

The whole thing before removing the pins and cleaning in mineral spirits.

Outer and inner shims on the bottom pin.

Same on the upper:

Cleaned old pins. Scored?

Spindle view, bushings still installed.

Hmm...steering knuckle looks unhealthy to me...opinions?

Now to ruin a few old sockets getting the bushings out...
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[esde]

Well it does look like someone was careless with a hammer or something and smacked into the surface the seal rides on, 5 or 6 times
If the seal wasn't spewing grease I wouldn't worry too much about it. I see some pitting on the link pins, so they probably weren't greased, and the rust helped chew through the bushings. If your king pins seem tight count yourself luck to have saved a few bucks and finish this up yourself. Like I said, take it slow and you won't even wreck the sockets..
It's easy, you're just putting a round peg in a round hole. The hardest part is getting it apart to where you are now, or reaming the king pin bushings if you have to go that far

[vamram]

I'm going to give it a shot. May end up doing the other side after getting a look at the guts of this one.

Do you have to grease the new bushings when pressing them in?
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[VOLKSWAGNUT]

Link pins are a breeze....lube and press.. shim correctly and follow the shim chart
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[bluebus86]

pins don't look to bad but at least one of them bushings looks a bit oval.

On one car I have, the bushing was worn thru and the pin was wearing out the link pin casting, the pin was well worn too! amazingly the car drove fine, didn't have any handling issue, but now it is all renewed.

Ps you do know that if you do need a king pin, the link pin bushing must be removed to install the king pin bushing

the grease seal surface is bad, I'd get it replaced, you don't want even the slightest trace of grease to work past that seal, cause it will get on the brake pads, drum, and that is a big no, no. that is likely a bigger safety issue than worn link pins, grease on brakes can really increase stopping distance
_________________
Help Prevent VW Engine Fires, see this link.....Engine safety wire information

Stop introducing dirt into your oil when adjusting valves ... https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=683022

[61SNRF]

A few Q's back, no, don't shoot the PO. The brake shoes are inter-changeable front to rear. Same critical dimensions, but when used in the front, you don't use the e-brake slot.

Bad spindle? No, that part with the visible damage is the seal "race". Separate from the bearings it presses on and is replaceable. If it's not scored too deep or jagged, you can dress that with fine emery cloth in a pinch. the only area of real concern is where the seal lip rides.

Speaking of spindles, those are of the dropped variety, so no doubt the bushings are not that old. And, I've never seen brass link pin bushings, so those are new to me. I'd imagine those should have a much longer service life than originals. I also have to say they don't look that worn from your photos, but that can be deceiving. Bottom line is, how much play do you feel when you insert a cleaned pin into the bushings and try a wiggle test? You should be able to move it up and down nearly equivalent to how much play you had under the inspection.

Next, I would suggest you clamp the spindle carrier in a vise, and try to push/pull on the spindle to see how much up/down play there is in the King Pin thrust washers. Again, that is the first place up/down play will show up. Since the fiber washers are a known thickness, VW and the manuals would have you select fit a steel thrust washer of varying thickness to keep the play to specs. The thick steel washer is not in the kits, and you can't just buy those anymore. It is possible whoever installed those dropped spindles did not have a selection of steel thrust washers, and some play has been there from the start.
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-Bruce

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[drscope]

As 61SNRF pointed out those are drop spindles, NOT stock spindles. So if you were to order replacements with new stuff already pressed in, the front of the car is going to sit 2-1/2 inches higher then it did with those!

So if you want to retain your current ride height, you need to have the new king and link pins pressed into these.

Now, to get you through inspection, if you are convinced that your issue is with the link pins and NOT with the king pin, look at your books and look at your parts. Read about the link pin adjustment.

What you will find is that the worm looking slot in the link pin is actually a thread of sorts and turning the link pin threads it in or out (tight or loose) as that worm slot threads itself on the pinch bolt.

Sometimes, you can get rid of that play and not effect anything else simply by placing one or two ADDITIONAL shims under the head of each link pin.

Follow the chart and make sure you measure correctly for the offset of the arms. But place one or two (depending on how much play you have) shims on each link pin before you start your shim count.

This doesn’t always work, but in your case it may be enough to get it to pass through the inspector.
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Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch!