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thewagen
Samba Member
Joined: February 06, 2006
Posts: 6
Location: Glen Burnie, Md
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 Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:55 am Post subject: That ever so important cotter pin. |
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| Yup, forgot to install it, (vw rookie) low and behold while on my way to work, with the bosses nephew in the passenger seat, we felt and heard a loud thunk, and the rear sank down on the drivers side. A loud scraping noise followed and the bug vibrated loudly. My first though,besides getting off the highway was that I had a major blowout, I managed to pull off onto the shoulder.We got out and looked at the rear tire, and it was still inflated!! At this point We still didnt know what happened, so I looked under the rear and it was sitting on the backing plate, I was still baffled, I took the hubcap off and the axle nut fell out. We were in total disbelief at what we were looking at! I still cant believe that the wheel had came off and remained under the fender like that, and that I we got safely off the road without spinning out. A state highway van eventually pulled up and he had a jack. Thank god for hubcaps and the design VW gave the fenders, we were able to jack up the bug and put the wheel back on and use a pipe wrench to tighten up the nut and drive (slowly) home. Anybody ever had this happen before? I also wonder if it was VWs intentions to design the fender to help keep the wheel on in case that happened? I certainly know now why that cotter pin is so important! |
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vwluver74
Samba Member
Joined: February 29, 2004
Posts: 889
Location: at the buffet in the fetus room
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 1:04 pm Post subject: |
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your supposed to have a cotter pin!?!?!?  |
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thewagen
Samba Member
Joined: February 06, 2006
Posts: 6
Location: Glen Burnie, Md
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| Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:06 pm Post subject: cotter pin |
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| vwluver74 wrote: |
| your supposed to have a cotter pin!?!?!? |
Evidently, I got em now though. The best part for me about driving a daily driver that barely makes it there , is that every trip is like sailing uncharted seas ,and a danger I suppose , but thats as close to an adreneline junkie as I come. I never know when its going to run out of gas or where , or what may fall off next, but I love driving her! |
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wcfvw69 
Samba Purist
Joined: June 10, 2004
Posts: 13389
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:30 pm Post subject: |
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The only time the nut typically comes loose if it's not torqued to the correct spec. It's hard to do with out a big impact or correct torque tool. I would make sure to get it torqued correctly AND always install the cotter pin for safety.
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15 windowdelux
Samba Goober
Joined: February 06, 2001
Posts: 432
Location: Hastings, Nebraska
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| Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:29 pm Post subject: |
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Happened two weeks ago on our way to the Denver Bugin. One of the guys in our caravan had the cotter pin shear off and the nut worked loose. Wheel was banging around in the fenderwell and the brakes expanded and they did the OH SHIT till it stopped. They had it back on the road in less than an hour. And it was the oldest car in the group, a 50 splitwindow bug.
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bmtx
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2004
Posts: 606
Location: The Lone Star State
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| Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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| 15 windowdelux wrote: |
Happened two weeks ago on our way to the Denver Bugin. One of the guys in our caravan had the cotter pin shear off and the nut worked loose. Wheel was banging around in the fenderwell and the brakes expanded and they did the OH SHIT till it stopped. They had it back on the road in less than an hour. And it was the oldest car in the group, a 50 splitwindow bug.
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That would suck!!!!! |
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roy63
Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2004
Posts: 1338
Location: Mechanicsville Va.
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| Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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I have too have had this happen it is no fun and a eye opening experace when it happens. You will never forget the feeling. A sinking grinding feelling...
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Jeckler
Samba Member
Joined: September 27, 2005
Posts: 2718
Location: Mesa, AZ
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| Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:30 am Post subject: |
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| wcfvw69 wrote: |
| The only time the nut typically comes loose if it's not torqued to the correct spec. It's hard to do with out a big impact or correct torque tool. I would make sure to get it torqued correctly AND always install the cotter pin for safety. |
Neither of those tools mentioned are necessary to get to the correct value. An inexpensive breaker bar, a ruler and your weight is all that's needed. Maybe a calculator too.
A torque tool is awesome for when you need to remove a nut that some gorilla tire monkey torqued to a brazillion foot pounds though.
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'63 Bug rebuild here.
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wcfvw69
Samba Purist
Joined: June 10, 2004
Posts: 13389
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Jeckler wrote: |
| wcfvw69 wrote: |
| The only time the nut typically comes loose if it's not torqued to the correct spec. It's hard to do with out a big impact or correct torque tool. I would make sure to get it torqued correctly AND always install the cotter pin for safety. |
Neither of those tools mentioned are necessary to get to the correct value. An inexpensive breaker bar, a ruler and your weight is all that's needed. Maybe a calculator too.
A torque tool is awesome for when you need to remove a nut that some gorilla tire monkey torqued to a brazillion foot pounds though. |
I don't disagree but...by the time you buy a good socket, breaker bar and pipe, you are close to the cost of the $50 torque tool that you can also utilize on your fly wheel nut. I have impacts, breaker bars, etc and I would always chose to use the torque tool 1st. 
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Contact me at [email protected]
Follow me on instagram @sparxwerksllc
Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.
**Now rebuilding throttle bodies for VW's and Porsche's**
**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored German Pierburg fuel pumps for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche fuel pumps or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche distributors or I can restore yours** |
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eddiemoney
East Coast Scavenger
Joined: April 08, 2004
Posts: 1950
Location: Orlando
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| Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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been there done that.
bottom shock mount became part of the braking system.
dont worry i have them installed now
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Cusser
Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 31362
Location: Hot Arizona
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| Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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Driving my '70 from Arizona to California on Memorial Day 1981 (to go on a cruise with new wife), was flagged down on I-10 in middle of the desert by a barefoot guy with a bug. He didn't have a cotter pin, and his rear axle nut fell off in the middle of nowhere, and on a holiday. He asked if I had a VW jack; unbelievably lucky for him, I also had a 36 mm socket and a large cotter pin for the axle nut. We tightened it up the best we could without a long extension bar, and he went on his merry way. "I remember him being totally amazed I had the stuff, and he muttered "bummer" a lot...
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