Link pin adjustment

[Who.Me?]

Hi

I've checked the link pin adjustment again as I noticed vertical play in the RH hub assembly last year. With a bit more experience this time round, I noticed that the stub axle assembly did not move when I adjusted the lower RH link pin. In all the other cases, the stub axle moved slightly away as I loosened the link pin and came back in to position when I re-tightened. I suspect something is stuck and that is preventing me from correctly adjusting the RH lower link pin, which may take some or all of the play out of that assembly.

Is there a 'correct' way to free up the assembly so the lower link pin adjustment actually has an affect? Don't want to hammer away at it and risk damaging bushes.

Also, should the link pin adjustment be done with the wheels on (up on axle stands) or off? Muir doesn't mention removing the road wheels to do it. I've tried both, but still have that problem with the lower pin.

Ta

Andy
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Andy


Looking for info on my truck's history. Are you from Campbell California or nearby. Do you recognise it? ... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=636786

[campingbox]

The adjustment is done with the wheels off the ground. You could try removing the linkpin bolt and turning the linkpin around completely to work the grease in, or take it apart and see how bad it is.

[Clara]

Adjusting the linkpins should be done every 6K miles.
Yes, adjust the linkpins with the wheels off the ground. This is important.
Do this when you grease the beam, which should be done every 3K miles, more often if you drive on bad roads.
Do your 3K mile brake adjustment at the same time.
No reason to take the wheels off. This is generally done with brakes and wheels in place.

To adjust the link pins, you need a 17mm wrench, sometimes two.
Loosen the pinch bolt nut. Don't take the nut off, just loosen it so you can spin the link pin. Sometimes you need the second 17 to hold the bolt while loosening the nut.
Push a pump of grease into the zerk by the link pin as you rotate the link pin back and forth. Sure, go ahead and spin it all the way round, why not? push another pump of grease in, and spin it. bathe it in fresh grease. It's like a spa treatment for an athlete. Every time the bus bounces up and down the steering knuckle moves compared to the trailing arms, and that there is the link pin moving in those needle bearings, and the needle bearings moving in the race. It is worked hard, and deserves a bit of fresh grease on a regular basis.
I see a lot of used link pins and the needle bearings can actually get rusted to the the races. Loose adjustment allows the parts to smack around and wear ridges in the link pins and ridges in the races. Keep them greased and adjusted. Not to tight, not too loose, but just right.
yum. grease is good. Those little needle bearings just want to roll around in it. AAAAAHHHHHHH!
Snug the link pin but don't crank it down. The needle bearings need to be able to rotate. I turn it in till I can feel it touch. Then I do the other on that side, then snug both pinch bolts.

Don't beat on it. I mean, unless you are taking it apart, then you have to smack on it.

Yes, the top of the assembly held on by the link pin will tip out as you loosen the link pin and come back in when you snug it up.
This is more noticeable as you do the top one. When you loosen the bottom one and, it is still held in place by the top one, so it doesn't tend to tip.

If the link pin won't turn after the pinch bolt is loosened, then you worry. That means the link pin is rusted stuck.
If the wheel doesn't tip when you adjust the lower link pin, don't worry. It's just that gravity doesn't tip the lower part out.

Hope this rambling helps.

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The Obsolete Air-Cooled Documentation Project http://oacdp.org/

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