Bringing my 70 back from Hibernation

[tolstoy]

I’m replacing the E-brake cables and the cam/guide on the front of the bus was covered in rock hard grease and junk. Got that all cleaned up. What is the appropriate grease to lube up this area?

Tolstoy
_________________
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older. Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.
'70 Westy

[tolstoy]

Got the rear brakes buttoned up along with new shocks.

Started in on the front brakes and found all four ball joint boots torn. Was hoping to save the OG joints and just reboot them. After fighting to get the driver’s side torn down, I found them to have too much play. Going for the T3 Technique Vanagon ball joints. Also going to clean everything up, along with fresh paint, new tortion bar seals, new sway bar mounts, new tie rods, link pin, and a good greasing.

Going to be a minute while I collect parts. Going to try to press the old joints out with the OEMTOOLS C-clamp style press kit I have. Fingers crossed.

Tolstoy
_________________
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older. Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.
'70 Westy

[3am]

Good methodical work here. I for one would love to see some general pictures of your bus to see what you're working with!
_________________
1979 Devon Moonraker


Luxuriously slow. Reassuringly expensive.

[Bobs67vwagen]

I would be interested to hear about how the ball joint removal/install goes with the c clamp ball joint tool. I tried that years ago on my 71 bus and had no luck so I took the arms off and took them to a shop with a press.

[tolstoy]

I bought this bus from a guy in Utah sometime around 1998. It was a pretty rust free bus sporting a terrible Earl Schibe paint job. I had it painted and did the interior in 2000. It was my daily driver until the paint job, then it became my weekend cruiser/camping machine. Got married in 2008, and the bus got garaged after a not so smooth family road-trip in 2012. While it sat, the brakes rotted away and it gathered some bumps and bruises from life being shoved in a garage with the yard tools, kids toys, and everyone’s bikes.

Here are some pics from 10 years ago.

Here is how it sits right now:

The instrument cluster was cracked, so I found one in the classifieds, installed some LED’s, and transfers all my gauges.

This is the current state of the driver’s side front suspension:

Tolstoy
_________________
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older. Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.
'70 Westy

[3am]

Fantastic bus! Love the colour combination. Really smart looking machine.
_________________
1979 Devon Moonraker


Luxuriously slow. Reassuringly expensive.

[tolstoy]

I think I’m going to give up on the C-Clamp press. I have gotten it terrifyingly tight, wracked the arm with a hammer, and heated the arm with a torch. Haven’t gotten a one to budge.

I may try to cut off the flange, but I don’t own an angle grinder. You think a dremel with a cutting disk will cut through the flange on the ball joint?

I may have access to a proper press at my FIL’s farm.

I might call the local machine shop to see if they’d be willing to press the old ones out. I’m minutes from having all 4 arms out of the bus.

Is it easier to press the new ones in, or should I have the machine shop do it?

Tolstoy
_________________
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older. Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.
'70 Westy

[Abscate]

Press out , press in …

The presser…..

Or go to Harbor Fright and buy one
_________________
🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🍊 🍊 🍊

[Ceckert64]

When I did my ball joints I had to take them out with a grinder/ sawz-all. I had a 20 ton harbor freight press and it maxed it out and still wouldn’t come out. Honestly, just see if a shop with a huge press will do it or cut them out carefully.

There is a strategic method to removing them with a grinder and sawz-all that’s posted on YouTube somewhere and is pretty easy and it took me an hour or so. If you do it right it doesn’t damage anything, maybe better than pressing them out since it doesn’t wear out the trailing arm bore

Unless you want to be there for a whole day, I wouldn’t use a dremel
_________________
1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Yellow Tin Top Westfalia -Sold
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop EJ22 swap
“Rome” 91 Syncro