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ncpi
Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2020
Posts: 208
Location: TN & FL
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 Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 7:50 am Post subject: Rubber part vendors |
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I recently ordered parts from Wolfsburg West. I'd heard good things about them and thought I'd give them a shot.
I ordered the fuel tank rubber hose kit (supposed to be German hoses), and clamp kit and the rear bumper grommets for my 74 SB.
About a month after installation I smelled fuel pretty strongly after a fill up. Found the overflow hose was split. The tube it is over doesn't seem to have sharp edges, i removed the original cloth cover hose from it.. the clamp didn't really feel sharp either. WW is sending me a replacement. Kind of disappointed it failed so soon.
On the rubber rear bumper grommets, they seem to not be the correct shape, they don't extend low enough, actually seems like the hole is too high for the bumper shock. The old dried out ones fit better.
Is there a vendor recommended that is your favorite for rubber parts? |
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Q-Dog
Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2010
Posts: 8700
Location: Sunset, Louisiana
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baldessariclan
Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2016
Posts: 1379
Location: Wichita, KS
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 8:15 am Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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I had similar issues with some of Wolfsburg West's (and other vendors') rubber parts a few years back. For Wolfsburg West, I just sent them pictures of the failed parts, and they refunded my money for those w/ no hassle.
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1971 Standard Beetle — fairly stock / driver
baldessariclan -- often in error, never in doubt... |
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cjsuner
Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2013
Posts: 474
Location: Bay area CA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 8:45 am Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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| ncpi wrote: |
I recently ordered parts from Wolfsburg West. I'd heard good things about them and thought I'd give them a shot.
I ordered the fuel tank rubber hose kit (supposed to be German hoses), and clamp kit and the rear bumper grommets for my 74 SB.
About a month after installation I smelled fuel pretty strongly after a fill up. Found the overflow hose was split. The tube it is over doesn't seem to have sharp edges, i removed the original cloth cover hose from it.. the clamp didn't really feel sharp either. WW is sending me a replacement. Kind of disappointed it failed so soon.
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Did your overflow hose from the filler to the evap T come pre-bent? I just received mine from them, and was disappointed to find it was straight, and everytime I attempted to install, it would kink pretty bad.
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71' Super Convertible (Orange)
74 Super Beetle (Red) |
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Tim Donahoe
Samba Member
Joined: December 08, 2012
Posts: 11740
Location: Redding, CA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 8:45 am Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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I recently had the “gas fume smell” again, and bought all the hoses and rubber bits once again, and replaced them all. This time, however, I used 4 mm German Flennor braided hose for the vapor hoses. The split rubber elbow that you show was about seven or eight years old. I went ahead and replaced mine, but it was still in great shape. It was purchased from Wolfsburg West.
I have noticed that my Wolfsburg West manifold boots are beginning to crack, and those were replaced about five years ago. My engine has had few miles since replacing these, and since the engine also runs cool, it seems odd that they’re showing signs of cracking.
Also, the short rubber hose from the oil filler to the air cleaner needed replacement. I can’t remember where I bought it, however.
Tim
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VW_Jimbo 
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016
Posts: 9966
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 8:47 am Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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| Q-Dog wrote: |
| Try West Coast Metric. |
I second that statement! Best rubber parts available!
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Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
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ashman40
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2007
Posts: 15985
Location: North Florida, USA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:01 am Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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| VW_Jimbo wrote: |
| Q-Dog wrote: |
| Try West Coast Metric. |
I second that statement! Best rubber parts available! |
Do they still have a lifetime warranty on their in-house rubber parts?
Though, last time I looked for replacement ball joint boots from WCM they were out of stock and after months waiting I gave up and bought some no-name boots which only lasted a year or two before cracking. It made me wonder if they gave up making some rubber parts?
And for those with short-lived cracked rubber hoses... are you running ethanol-free gasoline? There is a well understood problem where it comes to ethanol-based fuels drying up inside pure rubber hoses causing then to prematurely fail. Once ethanol gasoline was introduced all car manufacturers replaced all the rubber in the fuel systems with synthetic replacements. You often see this failure as the exposed ends of rubber hoses cracking after only months. It is especially noticeable in areas where fuel flows but then is allowed to dry up. Cars driven only weekly or less will probably see this happen sooner than daily drivers that maintain fuel in all the hoses between drives. Hoses below the fuel tank often last a long time but hoses at the tank filler go bad sooner as they are only part-time covered by fuel.
Even the black rubber intake boots suffer from this. Maybe good reason to switch to silicone intake boots.
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'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road  }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!}
Last edited by ashman40 on Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:14 am; edited 2 times in total |
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ncpi
Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2020
Posts: 208
Location: TN & FL
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:04 am Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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Thanks guys on the suggestion regarding West Coast Metric.
cjsuner - yes, that hose was pre-shaped/bent as was the one on the other end of the T fitting. The rubber "feels" kind of hard, not really soft/flexible as I would like to think.
FYI...The blue evap hoses are fuel rated tubing I bought from Amazon (not WW) and had installed earlier. |
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ncpi
Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2020
Posts: 208
Location: TN & FL
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:34 am Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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Ashman40 - good question, ethanol is bad in many ways; from absorbing water to breaking down rubber/plastic parts that aren't designed to handle it.
However, I am actually using non-ethanol fuel. I am fortunate that is readily available to me where I live. |
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Tim Donahoe
Samba Member
Joined: December 08, 2012
Posts: 11740
Location: Redding, CA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 12:35 pm Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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Well, Ashman, it was recommended on the Samba to buy the black Wolfsburg West “German” manifold boots, since folks were having premature failure with the orange silicone boots that other vendors were offering at the time. And I’m just now noticing some small cracks, which is odd since I don’t drive the Bug that much, and my engine runs very cool, having all its tins and seals.
Tim
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baldessariclan
Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2016
Posts: 1379
Location: Wichita, KS
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 1:33 pm Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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I've had mixed experiences with a lot of the currently available rubber & polymer replacement parts over past few years, from a variety of vendors. Some seem to hold up just fine, while others will start to crack and/or disintegrate almost immediately.
I've personally had to just keep trying various different parts from various suppliers, until I found example(s) which actually held up. In some cases, I'm still searching (e.g. ball joint boots -- been through 3 sets of those so far, and still no luck). It's aggravating, at best...
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1971 Standard Beetle — fairly stock / driver
baldessariclan -- often in error, never in doubt... |
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fredybear
Samba Member
Joined: March 02, 2004
Posts: 694
Location: Ca
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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WCM  
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OTTO 1303
Samba Member
Joined: March 17, 2020
Posts: 636
Location: Louisiana
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 7:39 pm Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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Let us know how everything fits.
Thanks
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74 Super - DANZIG
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wheel607
Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2004
Posts: 1847
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| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 2:08 am Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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| WCM and Wolfsburg West used to sell parts to each other. Not one person can stock everything so they chose to sell to each other. If this is still the case, you will get most of the same parts by buying from each dealer. I would check and see if this is still the case. |
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VW_Jimbo
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016
Posts: 9966
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:03 am Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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| wheel607 wrote: |
| WCM and Wolfsburg West used to sell parts to each other. Not one person can stock everything so they chose to sell to each other. If this is still the case, you will get most of the same parts by buying from each dealer. I would check and see if this is still the case. |
This is the case.
It is my experience that WW sells WCM rubber parts. Not the other way around. Or even better, they both sell the same Chinese manufacturer parts! That is probably it!
_________________
Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
| TDCTDI wrote: |
| Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
| 67rustavenger wrote: |
| GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
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EverettB
Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69820
Location: Phoenix Metro
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| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:16 am Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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| VW_Jimbo wrote: |
| wheel607 wrote: |
| WCM and Wolfsburg West used to sell parts to each other. Not one person can stock everything so they chose to sell to each other. If this is still the case, you will get most of the same parts by buying from each dealer. I would check and see if this is still the case. |
This is the case.
It is my experience that WW sells WCM rubber parts. Not the other way around. Or even better, they both sell the same Chinese manufacturer parts! That is probably it! |
WW sells WCM stuff for the parts they don't make themselves (or maybe source elsewhere) so it might be hard to know which is which.
I know on some of the Bus seals, they both make some of the same parts... and for some WW are better and some WCM are better.
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ncpi
Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2020
Posts: 208
Location: TN & FL
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| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:38 am Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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Wow... this doesn't make it easy does it. 🙃🤪
Anyone buy super beetle rear bumper grommets that fit well? |
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wheel607
Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2004
Posts: 1847
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| Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 1:13 am Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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| The parts come up on the Samba all the time. The large rear bumper grommets are direct from VW.even has a VW part number and VW on them. Just look and take some time. Not everything GOOD is overnight anymore! |
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ncpi
Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2020
Posts: 208
Location: TN & FL
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| Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 6:24 am Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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| wheel607 wrote: |
| The parts come up on the Samba all the time. The large rear bumper grommets are direct from VW.even has a VW part number and VW on them. Just look and take some time. Not everything GOOD is overnight anymore! |
Buuut... I want it now Just kidding, I'll keep a watch out. Thanks |
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heimlich
VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016
Posts: 6609
Location: Houston, Texas
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| Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 8:20 pm Post subject: Re: Rubber part vendors |
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Those rubber hoses are not meant to fail so quickly. I replaced mine a few years ago and no problems.
You can also try your local autoparts store. Behind the counter they have a rack of rubber hose and tubes. Ask them to let you back there and measure them to find something that closely fits.
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