Damaged flywheel question

[furgo]

I initially posted this on the stupid questions thread, but I thought I'd move the post and ask here instead.

I had a type 4 flywheel (228 mm, from a bus) with a couple of broken teeth and some other gnashed ones. I eventually replaced the flywheel with a healthy one, so that's fixed.

I'm simply wondering what to do with the old one. This is what it looks like:

I have no use for that damaged flywheel as it is, so I'll either throw it away or sell it if someone can have a use for it.

Just to have an idea though, can such a damaged flywheel be repaired? Are they commonly fixed by e.g. replacing the ring gear?

To be honest, I'm not expecting to make money out of it, I just find it always a pity to throw away OG parts if they can be salvaged at all, hence the question.
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'79 Westy, P22 interior, FI 2.0 l Federal, GE engine (hydraulic lifters)

Decode your M-Plate

[66brm]

The ring gear can be replaced, and the surface reground to restore it to working order
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Aust. RHD 66 Type 1
Aust. RHD 57 Type 1 Oval

[gt1953]

For the price of a german flywheel replace it.
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Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

[raygreenwood]

[jsturtlebuggy]

Yes the ring gear on the flywheel is replaceable.
Mater of fact all VW flywheels can have the ring gear replaced. The 228mm is easier to do as it already a separate part of the flywheel.
The others have to have the ring gear machined off and a new one can be install.

You heat up the ring gear and and slips on and when it cools down it a shrunk fit to the flywheel.
Gene Berg sells ring gears for both 6volt (109 teeth) and 12volt (130 teeth) flywheels with and inside measurement of 9.900".
The 228mm flywheel uses the same size, 130 teeth ring gears as other flywheels using 12volt starters.
I have not measure the extra 228mm flywheel I have to see if it is the same inside dimension as the one Berg sells.

It use to be a common practice years ago to just replace the ring gear on many vehicles flywheels.
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Joseph
Fair Oaks/Orangevale, CA
Elrod Motorsports
Motion Tire Motorsports
Having fun with Dune Buggies since 1970
Into Volkswagens since 1960

[raygreenwood]

[modok]

I can see in the picture that that is a separate ring gear.

As a general rule, only STEEL flywheels have integral ring gear teeth.

Most type-4 flywheels are iron, but there were a few steel ones as well in certain models.

[raygreenwood]

[modok]

If it welds like steel, cuts like steel.....good enough for me.
When making a lamp stand you want a steel one, so you can weld the tube right on it.

Unfortunately the flywheel in question.... nope. Not lamp stand material.

[raygreenwood]

[furgo]

Thanks everyone for the replies, I thought this would be a simple answer, but as usual, I've learnt quite a lot.

Here's the recap as far as I understand it:

• Type 4, 228 mm flywheel ring gears would seem to be replaceable. In that case, the old ring gear is removed and the new one is installed. Both are a press fit.
• Type 4, 210 mm and 215 mm flywheels have integral ring gears and are thus not replaceable per se. However, as an alternative, the teeth can be machined off and an aftermarket ring gear can be fitted.
• Type 4 ring gears have 130 teeth (the "How to rebuild your Volkswagen air-cooled engine" book mistakenly states they have 132 teeth)
• Type 4 ring gear replacements are available from Gene Berg in the US and VW Heritage (out of stock) in Europe. They don't specify clearly which flywheel diameter they will fit to, though.

To complement Ray's pictures of his 215 mm Type 4 flywheel, here are some more pictures of my 228 mm damaged one:

Front:

Back:

Unrelated, but I thought I'd mention it, there is a stamped VW "recycled" logo on the flywheel. I've seen such logo stamped on replacement cases, so I'm guessing the meaning is the same and the flywheel was reworked by VW at some point:

I'm not sure if the pictures show it clearly, and even looking at the flywheel on my hands makes it difficult to tell, but it would seem that the ring gear can be removed from my 228 mm flywheel. Unlike Ray's, where it's clear even from the picture that they are an integral part of the flywheel.
_________________
'79 Westy, P22 interior, FI 2.0 l Federal, GE engine (hydraulic lifters)

Decode your M-Plate

[66brm]

Here's a quick how to, on changing the ring gear, you will need an oxy acetylene set, a good solid cold chisel, a bfh 'big f-------n hammer', and of course a replacement ring gear. Use the oxy set to heat a section of the damaged ring gear to near cherry red, hit the cold chisel between the teeth of the ring gear parallel to the friction face, the bfh is your friend here, you don't have to cut the ring gear but stretch it out till it's loose. Do that 3-4 times evenly spaced around the circumference and the gear should come loose. Then use the oxy set to evenly heat the replacement gear and slip it on the flywheel like you would a cam gear on the crank, give it a tap while hot to ensure its home before letting it cool.
_________________
Aust. RHD 66 Type 1
Aust. RHD 57 Type 1 Oval