Drive axel broke. Looking for help.

[Pielhau200]

New to owning VW beetle. Have no knowledge so looking for help. DrI’ve axel broke on my latest trip. I know that needs to be fixed but my question is about the clutch. I can now but car in gear without holding in the clutch. Is that just because the drive axel is broke or do I also need to replace the clutch? It a 1973 super beetle. Thank you in advance for anyone that helps. Parts are ordered for axle. So that has not been fixed yet.

[Cusser]

Fix first what you KNOW is bad. In your instance, replace the drive axle.

Be aware that you likely will need an 8M (8mm) triple square drive. And use a pick to clean out the 12 bolt head recesses (6 on each end) and keep the drive PARALLEL to the bolt.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[SBD]

Are you sure it's a broken axle? You've actually seen it? I'm just wondering if it could possibly be stripped splines in a brake drum.
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"Just $99 down and $64 a month for 36 months buys you a brand new Volkswagen Beetle!"

[Bobs67vwagen]

Maybe the splines in the clutch disc are destroyed? With car running you should not be able to put it in any gear without a lot of grinding, without the clutch all the way down on the pedal. That would also stop your being able to drive the car as the engine would now not actually engage and turn the transmission. Good luck-Bob

[Cusser]

[Bobs67vwagen]

I have thought a little more on this one and I think it's possible that the clutch disc actually broke the rivets where the friction outer portion of the disc attaches to the inner portion containing the splines. Please report your findings on this as I would like to know the cause of your problem. Thanks Bob

[Pielhau200]

The drive axel wasn’t exactly broken. It was the bolts that attached the axel to the transmission. One bolt was missing one broke inside and another one bent. Fixed the axel today and so far thinks look better. Haven’t drove it yet because I’m still waiting on the bolts from Jbugs. I think the transmission is ok. Fingers crossed. Thank you for all your responses

[slalombuggy]

[mikedjames]

You also want to check up on having the correct locking washers under the bolt heads and fish plates between pairs of bolts, and use a torque wrench on the bolts to make sure they are done up tight enough..


If you get it wrong they can come undone quite fast.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=405966
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Ancient vehicles and vessels

1974 VW T2 : Devon Eurovette camper with 1641 DP T1 engine, Progressive carb, full flow oil cooler, EDIS crank timed ignition.
Engine 1: 40k miles (rocker shaft clip fell off), Engine 2: 30k miles (rebuild, dropped valve). Engine 3: a JK Preservation Parts "new" engine, aluminium case: 26k miles: new top end.
Gearbox rebuild 2021 by Bears.

1979 Westerly GK24 24 foot racer/cruiser yacht Forethought of Gosport.
1973 wooden Pacer sailing dinghy

[Bobs67vwagen]

I was just wondering about the clutch problem in this thread. The OP stated that he could now put the car in gear without stepping in the clutch. What was the resolution of that condition? Thanks Bob

[daveblank]