412 under new ownership (split from Pretty bummed...)

[raygreenwood]

The corrugated steering column bearing is steel. The brake hoses are either identical to or close enogh to a type 2 part that I have used them before. I will find the part #.more on the ball joints and plates when I get to my computer. Ray

[Tram]

[Tram]

[raygreenwood]

Yup....I'll get a picture probably tomorrow. Gotta find the right bucket!

Ball joints: There is an outfit...i will try to find the link...we were talking about it over on the STF 411/412 forum a while back....that has new repops. They have a thinner flange on them and so do not have threaded holes in the three bolt flange. Instead they have nuts welded on underneath. It makes the flange too thin and in bends when you torque the bolts. You can make a supporting flange rim out of 1/4 steel and pot nuts underneath and they should work fine.

If your ball joints are not rusty or loose....I can post pictures of the mod to add a grease fitting and thin gasket sealer between the steering knuckle and upper strut joint.

This mod works really well and makes ball joints last virtually forever. The gist is....that if you look at your ball joints they all have a 'weep" hole in the flange on the inside. This is there because water seeps in at the joint where the ball joint meets the knuckle and the strut tube flange meets the knuckle....hence the need for a thin layer of stout RTV. You drill a 1/8" hole dead center in the dome inside of the recess in the top of the ball joint. This hole drills into the area in teh center of thespring so you hit and damage nothing inside. Just make sure you use a drill stop. Then.....put a 6mm low profile grease fitting into the weep hole. Once the RTV has dried...pump teh cavity and the joint full.

As for boots...you "may" be able to use a bus or type 3 boot. But....i have one spare set of new joints. I have been meaning to make a mold. I could do so in the next two weeks and cast some silicone boots with chopped aramid fiber added that would serve nicely.

There is a lot to be done with the upper strut bushing plates. There wre three varieties used from 1968-1974.

The earliest one each had three bolts symmetrically spaced at 120*. They had no ball bearing. They had a friction bearing and a shaft bushing. Simple...but a bit more play in steering. The last you you "might" have found them in the US was the early half of 1971.

All later 411's and 412's until 1974...used the same symmetrical strut bushing plate but had a very high quality ball bearing and the rubber bushing was cast/bonded to the plate. They served well......but had a flaw. Even if your car has "0" miles on it.....the bonded rubber cracks and separates. It thrashes the bearing and eventually tears loose from the plate.
Even if yours look pristine (if you have this type)....if you jack the
car up with wheels off the ground...and get a flashlight, take off the wheel and look carefully up from underneath at the bottom side of the bonded bushing....you will see the cracks when the strut is fully extended.

No fix for them.....but they are the same part # as the very earliest super beetle with struts....about 1-2 years.

The last type that came in the 412 of 1974...was the best and easiest to fix. If your strut bushings have assymetrical bolt pattern...one bolt far out front and two closer together toward the rear....it has a replaceable cone shaped bearing cartridge and a replaceable rubber donut....both late super part #'s.

The thinsg you have to keep correct though...and not use from a super ....are the spacer tube that sits around the shaft and fits through the bearing. The length is specific to your strut cartridge. Liekwise...the steel dish at the top with the plastic bearing ring around it that the nut makes up against...shoul be kept. I will have a few more details on replacing that plastic ring later. Ray

[reluctantartist]

I want all the info you can give as far as the 412 varient is concerned. If you need a web site to host I can do that as well. I am still hoping bill on the STF forum will repost his info. I am hoping to have my car drivable soon.
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1982 Westy, 1974 412 Variant... Yes, Aircooled's are great! Oh and I do have modern computer controlled vehicles too, but I just don't care about them.

[Tram]

Hey Reluctant- you have the other Sunshine Yellow 412 with the faux wood siding, correct? I will probably be bothering you for detailed pics.

Ubercrap- Maybe it might be a good idea to split this part of the thread out of the original one- maybe starting with my 9. July 2011 post? Or should we just leave it like this?

And- I will likely make disparaging comments about "the PO" of this car, but make no mistake- Fye is like a brother to me (did I ever mention that I hate my brother? No, my real one) and I have to say he did the best he could in resurrecting the car and keeping it alive. We just have different ideas of how things should be done- he likes to personalize his rides, and I like mine stock. Plus, I have the benefit of years of stealership training, and learning more than I ever wanted to know about fuel systems and engine management on VW's and Mercedes- Benz's dime... not to mention oddball stuff like M100 engines and hydro/ pneumatic suspensions... It's no wonder I'm so focked in the head.

I even told Fye I'd save his flames in a bucket after I Acetone them off the 412 for his new Chebby, but he hasn't got back to me yet.

[Thread split to reflect new ownership-enjoy!]
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Немає виправдання для війни! Я з Україною.

[reluctantartist]

From what I was told and what the restorer said they tried to keep the wood grain stock looking. I have the number of the place that did the body work if you ever want to talk with them on what they did. Plus I am happy to send photos. It looks like the wood siding in one of the options sheets.
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1982 Westy, 1974 412 Variant... Yes, Aircooled's are great! Oh and I do have modern computer controlled vehicles too, but I just don't care about them.

[19super73]

I would love to add woodgrain to my '73.
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1970 Campmobile [url=https://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-47260.png]Click to view image[/URL]
1970 Fastback 1600 TL
1971 Doka [url=https://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-14845.png]Click to view image[/URL]
1973 Super Beetle
1973 Westfalia [url=https://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-31892.png]Click to view image[/URL]
1974 412 Variant
1975 La Grande Bug
1984 Vanagon

[Tram]

[Tram]

[raygreenwood]

I like to keep my 412 basically "improved" stock. There were a few deficiencies in the suspension that were stock...and they eat parts as they wear.

Back in high school....my first car was a 1972 411. I drove it from 1978-1981 when some asshole T-boned me and totaled it. I got it 55,000 original miles. Its struts, centerlink, idler bushing, one ball joint inner tie rod ends and forward radius arm bushings were already shot.

its not that all of those parts have design issues...but during those 4 years ...albeit with about 60,000 more miles....I went through two more sets of struts, two more ball joints and another center link and idler bushing.

Parts were already hard to find even at dealers. I did not find new ball joints until about 1993...and only because traveling for a living in 13 states...I went to every foreign parts store from west Texas to the Georgia coast.

A lot more parts are on teh market now than then.

The things that are reciurrng defects in the front end that keep wearing out other parts...are the idler bushing, center link (which can be rebuilt for roughly $30 in parts and a few hours effort...and corrects the flaw).....and as the car gets up in years....the strut bushings.

The strut cartridges themselves were defective in valving....though the stock workmanship was impeccable.

Its very worthwhile to do the audi strut cartridge mod. It lowers the nose high attitude about 1"...to dead level...which also gives about 1* more in static castor that helps with teh trams lining this car has in the wind.....corrects the valving issue and handles about 200% better....and gives you the ability to now have a cheaply replaceable front cartridge and use better than stock after market strut boots.

If you have the late 412 assymetrical strut bearings.....this is a really easy mod. Its a bit harder if you have early 412 and 411 symmettrical bearing plates. that takes some light fabricating.

I also have patterns to have the control arm bushings (unobtanium) made of delrin to drop right in and the radius arm centering rings (unobtanium at any time in my life) made from delrin.....and the radius arm bushings made from basic rubber flat stock.

I also have a very nice mod for the radius arm friction flange that keeps it from destroying the radius arm bushings and centering ring. Uses bronze tube stock and a shaft lock collar (about $30 in parts and some grinder time).

Rear shocks are available in KYB GR-2 and are excellent for the rear of the car.

By the way...Rockauto.com has front 1974 calipers in stock. A-1 Cardone remans (good stuff usually) for $32 each.

They have Caliper kits (Centric) for $19.

ray

[Tram]

Ray- Thanks for the Rock Auto info- that's the route I'll go. As to your other ideas as to suspension, etc- sure, post 'em up at your leisure.
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Немає виправдання для війни! Я з Україною.

[raygreenwood]

The bearing itself should be surceable after measuring at a dect bearing dealer. The bushing is just a flexible packing. A plastic solid sleeve could be used in place of the metal but would have to be tapered to fit all applications. From what I remember the steering shafts were either not that precise in diameter or they did this so that tghe shaft would not have to be press fit in the bearing....most likely the latter.....as it would make assembly difficult. Ray

[Tram]

Well, I got the steering column issue figured out. The socket I was using to press it on only allowed the shoulder of the shaft in about 1"- not quite far enough. So, it appeared that the collar was jamming dead against something since it LOOKED as if the deepwell socket should have pushed it a lot further on. A blunt screwdriver did the trick.

Next up is brakes and wiring the FP correctly as I get time.
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Немає виправдання для війни! Я з Україною.

[Tram]

So far:

Rear brakes done
Front springs replaced
Waiting on calipers
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Немає виправдання для війни! Я з Україною.

[Tram]

Calipers are here from Rock Auto (thanks for the tip, Herr Gruenwald! ). Getting old frozen calipers off is fun!! Got the left one on last nite, right one will happen today. Then I need to straighten out the FP wiring.

Had gotten some matching black seats for the front, but they need way more work than I anticipated. covers have slight rips that need repair, driver's side slider locks are rusted solid, and stuffing is GONE. Will probably pull the black covers and re- stitch/ repair, then put those on the brown Euro cloth seats I have. If anyone is interested in the Euro covers and headrests, PM me.
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Немає виправдання для війни! Я з Україною.

[Tram]

Both calipers are on and the brakes are bled. Immediately, as if by magic, the master cylinder promptly crapped its Depends.


Of course, there are four master cylinders for sale right now... all for power brakes. Guess what?
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Немає виправдання для війни! Я з Україною.

[reluctantartist]

Rock auto had a deal where you send in your master to be rebuilt by cardonne.
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1982 Westy, 1974 412 Variant... Yes, Aircooled's are great! Oh and I do have modern computer controlled vehicles too, but I just don't care about them.

[raygreenwood]

[reluctantartist]

The 27 deal on rock auto requires you to send in the master cylinder.
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1982 Westy, 1974 412 Variant... Yes, Aircooled's are great! Oh and I do have modern computer controlled vehicles too, but I just don't care about them.