dust cap on left front wheel

[wynnep]

Wierd experience. Last week I was driving around and the speedometer and tripmeter were working fine. Drove into a school zone and looked down to check my speed and my speedometer needle was setting on zero. Spent a half a day looking for speedometer problems on samba and other sites. Finally looked at my front wheel and the dust cap was gone. I don't have hubcaps and I normally look at the wheel when I get in the van. Don't know how it came off, no unusal noises or clanging or banging sounds. Ordeded a new one from Bus Depot $22.16. Has this happened to anyone else or is this a new problem? Also checked with the VW dealer in town and this is a NLA part. They checked by computer and no dealer in the US had one in stock.

[vanis13]

I recently replaced mine when doing bearings. thought $16 from the ind. VW shop was alot

[Krautwagen]

EDIT: My problem was that the center hole on the dust cap had rounded out and therefore was not turning the cable anymore. I should have read the initial post closer. Sorry.

I have recently experienced the same problem. My fix was a little bit strange perhaps. I welded the tip of the speedo cable to the dust cap. I realized this is going to be a problem the next time I need to service my brakes and bearings, but in the mean time I can shop around for a new dust cap and speedo cable.
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Andy
Lakewood, CO
1973 Type 1 Bug
1974 Type 1 Bug
1999 Eurovan MV

[pioneer1]

Hi all; There should be a cotter pin holding the speedo cable through the dust cap and that in turn would hold your dust cap on in the future.
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"Always waiting for tomorrow ruined everything"

'85 Porsche 911 Targa

'76 Westfalia project

[Wildthings]

The dust cap should be a tight fight into the bore in the hub. It needs to be driven in with a hammer to the proper depth. Not very likely to come out on its own if undamaged and installed properly. The circlip keeps the cable in place in the cap and nothing more.

[vanis13]

when I replaced the rotors, the old cap was loose on the new rotors - even though it was tight on the old rotors - so that is why I replaced the cap.

the speedo cable does hold on with C-clip.

My spedo calbe - which goes to the o2 counter pulls out so if you have a loose cap and teh speedo cable C-clipped, you could lose the cap and that aprt fo the speedo calbe.

the welding thing is cool if you have a rounded out speedo punch-out. bu thten you are keeping the same cap/cable for the future 'cause you'll have to replace both of them if either goes.

[wynnep]

The circlip was on the speedometer shaft and the cap was on the axle and did not appear to be loose. I have had the van for 5 years and the cap has not been removed during that time. I guess somebody needed or wanted it more than I did. There is only about a dozen or so vans in my area(Winston Salem, NC). All's well as my new dust cap is due today as well as some other parts I needed from Bus Depot. As stated before this is a NLA part from the vw dealer.

[PDXWesty]

I'm confused. The circlip is supposed to go on the cable after it is pushed through the dust cap hole. It holds the cable in. Wasn't yours like that?
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto

[wynnep]

All parts were in the correct position. The dust cap was on the axle, the speedometer cable struck through the dust cap and the circlip was on the speedometer cable outside the dust cap.

[Wildthings]

[wynnep]

Just got my parts from Bus Depot. Guess what the dust cap and circlips are on back order. Leaving Wednesday for Carlisle PA car show. Made a dust cap from a round piece of sheet metal(washer), filed a square hole in it for the speedometer cable to stick though and used a bent piece of wire to hold the cable. My cable has a hole drilled through it as well as the grove for the circlip. JB welded and scewed to wings to the sheet metal. Bent the wings to attach to the outside of the axle and used a hose clap to hold it and then wrapped it all up in Duct tape. Is this a new use for duct tape? Hope it holds together until I get back. This is about a 900 mile round trip for me.

[Wildthings]