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Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation
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wcfvw69 Premium Member
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2016 3:33 pm    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

I used a German made Febi pin kit. The parts all mic'd out perfectly. I was happy with the kit with the exception of the bottom grease cap. It wasn't even close to fitting correctly. It was WAY too loose. Thankfully, I was careful when I removed the original cap. I simply cleaned it up and reinstalled it.
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aeromech
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2016 3:34 pm    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

Same kit here Bill but my cap worked okay
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Tcash
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2016 3:45 pm    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

The cap that kept popping out was a Febi as well.
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Wildthings
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 2:54 pm    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

Any more I put a block of soft wood between the cap and the jack when I lift the front of the van to grease it. This keeps the cap in place without deforming it.

Saving and reusing the old cap would be a good way to go IMO.
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SGKent Premium Member
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 2:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

if you look at the factory pin the head is flat. If one looks at the Febi pin the head is round and is taller. I suspect that is part of the issue. While I have a factory pin in it now, the cap was put in when the Febi pin was installed. I stopped at a light down the street and watched the cap roll thru traffic. Damn, there goes my center pin cap.... Maybe when I find a factory cap I'll see how it fits with the factory pin.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 9:01 am    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

Very Happy Thanks for all the great information and updates. I completed this task last weekend - and if you can, make and use the all-thread press. It was WAYYYYY easier to push out those bushings than trying to pound them out. It really took no time at all. Use silicon spray as lube instead of never-seize - That stuff gets everywhere and on everything... Shocked

I used a low profile (relatively) 36mm chrome socket as the cavity to push the bushing up into. It had just enough room to place the G8 nut on top and seats nicely on top of the thrust washer location surface.

I waited a long time to do this job and now I wish I would have done it sooner. Seems like the steering is "like New."

Using the bottle jack to push up on the pin is key and made the alignment part (inserting the new bolt) of the job a breeze. I used the old bolt to lightly work the pin and arm into alignment. The bottle jack also works well for the removal of the old bolt at the start of the job and then you dont need the C-clamp at all. Wink

Hang loose Samba - See you at Kelly Park

Oh and no issues with the cap in my Febi kit - had to tap it in with my rubber mallet...
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 10:24 am    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

Yeah, using the press with the threaded rod and then the jack to align and compress at the end is definitely a good way to do it, i put pictures up in the "Weld Busler" thread in my sig.

I didnt have a low profile 36mm socket handy so i ended up pulling out the front of the shift rod. I have to do the bushings anyways
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2018 10:04 am    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

I am getting ready to do this job, just curious if I can do it with the draglink, tie rods and torsion arms off. My concern is I will not be able to get it aligned back to normal without those components. Or am l mistaken and the pin and pitman arm type part that holds the draglink to tie rods, only goes in one way? Thanks guys.
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2018 10:29 am    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

A bolt goes thru the swing arm, making it like a clamp that grabs the pin. The pin has a relief ground into it that the bolt goes thru. That keeps it from ever falling out. The swing arm has essentially 3 attachment points - the draglink and the two tie rods. The only thing you can't do is drop the old link in from the top to help guide the bushings then pull it out. It will drop in fine with the bushings out but once they are in the pin won't come out because it hits the top torsion tube. I did that once and had to grind the pin in half with a cutoff wheel to get it out. Falls under one of those never do that again categories.
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2018 7:04 pm    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

Thank you everyone on this topic, especially Tcash and SGKent. I just finished this up and with your excellent instructions I got it done in a few hours. I ended using a mixture of the different ways people mentioned. To remove them I just went to town with my BFH from the bottom up. It got a bit tough once they met up. To install the new bushings, I installed the bottom one from the bottom with a hammer and the old bushing. The top, I removed the shift rod and used a slide hammer to install from top to bottom. Oh and almost forgot, to keep that pin nice and tight while I removed/ installed the bolt I used my floor jack. Worked like a dream. Thanks again Samba folks, very helpful always.
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'74VanOrange
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 8:17 pm    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

Logging in late to this thread. I need to do this to my Bus. One of the few remaining VW techs (there used to be dozens) in town has told me that I will need to ream the installed bushings with a 24mm reamer, but I haven't read anyone in this thread speak about doing that.

I did find this link, but I note that that the tool is for a Splitty. https://jogrusa.com/products/24mm-straight-flute-hand-reamer?variant=315455431

I have no experience with vans other than mine. Was there something different about the bushings in earlier Type 2s that required the new bushings to be reamed after installation?

Thanks.
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:35 pm    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

'74VanOrange wrote:
Logging in late to this thread. I need to do this to my Bus. One of the few remaining VW techs (there used to be dozens) in town has told me that I will need to ream the installed bushings with a 24mm reamer, but I haven't read anyone in this thread speak about doing that.

I did find this link, but I note that that the tool is for a Splitty. https://jogrusa.com/products/24mm-straight-flute-hand-reamer?variant=315455431

I have no experience with vans other than mine. Was there something different about the bushings in earlier Type 2s that required the new bushings to be reamed after installation?

Thanks.


get ahold of Colin - ( amskeptic ) he is wintering in N. Fl as I recall. He can assist you.
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:48 pm    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

We folks in rust country have to inspect the welded box holding the swing pin carefully to make sure it is structurally soundly attached to the axle beam.

It isn’t pretty if it comes off
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 10:49 pm    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

'74VanOrange wrote:
Logging in late to this thread. I need to do this to my Bus. One of the few remaining VW techs (there used to be dozens) in town has told me that I will need to ream the installed bushings with a 24mm reamer, but I haven't read anyone in this thread speak about doing that.

I did find this link, but I note that that the tool is for a Splitty. https://jogrusa.com/products/24mm-straight-flute-hand-reamer?variant=315455431

I have no experience with vans other than mine. Was there something different about the bushings in earlier Type 2s that required the new bushings to be reamed after installation?

Thanks.


The early bushing required reaming whereas the later bushing does not, however there is potentially less slop in the early set up. I have never tried using the early bushing, but will do so next time I rebuild a swing lever, as it's the sh!!s to go to all the work to replace the later style bushing and find out you still have excessive slop you your steering.
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 11:34 pm    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

'74VanOrange, your mechanic might be of the same mindset as Bob Hays:

http://haysvwrepair.com/how-to-make-your-bus-swing-lever-bushings-real-tight-no-play/

I don't always agree with him, but he presents interesting info. There's more than one way to skin most cats like this one, for sure.
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ccpalmer
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 5:13 am    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

Abscate wrote:
We folks in rust country have to inspect the welded box holding the swing pin carefully to make sure it is structurally soundly attached to the axle beam.

It isn’t pretty if it comes off


I got lucky, I had one come off from rust right after a 2 month cross-country tour. Shocked Luckily I was going 5mph in a parking lot when it did happen. It was a '69 Westy that had been in Ohio for 20 years... I was 18 and didn't know of such issues. Bus did make it cross-country with the only issue being a broken accelerator cable! Laughing
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 7:40 am    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

I just recently did this with the help here, on my 70. I did not have to ream anything. I purchased my kit from WW and it all went on just as it should. I don’t have the rust issues so that might make a difference but I do not believe reaming is required. Also what year bus are you working with?
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 10:26 am    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

I did this on my sons 69 and there was no reaming involved. Mine was a NOS febi kit from the samba classifieds though
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'74VanOrange
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 6:58 pm    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

My thanks to all that replied. In summary, then, it was the bushings in the previous kit that were oversized and needed reaming for a perfect fit. Which I can appreciate; that was a skill that was up there with the routine rebuilding of Solex carbs. All gone, now; machine shops here have disappeared at the same rate as VW Techs/mechs. There used to be six shops in town, now there is one - and I wouldn't take ANYTHING to them to be machined.

asiab3, while perfectly tight steering would be wonderful, anything will be better than the 1/8 revolution of the steering wheel I now have. It took a long time for it to get this bad. You can actually watch the arm rise and fall as someone rotates the steering wheel.

The kit I bought is in a Febi/Bilstein box, part # 01633. "Assembled in Germany from components of: GERMANY,THAILAND"

Thanks, SGKent, but I don't think I need an outside shooter; Greasy Joe is a quite capable mechanic (When did mechanic become an unacceptable term? I have always had a lot of respect for them.) I think Joe just got some bad scoop from someone; he deals mostly with Type 1s and 3s. Plus, he has access to a lift; I, myself, have done too much work under the van on my back. I certainly wouldn't want to do this job that way.

Abscate, ccpalmer, I, too, have had the steering box rust and break off the original front axle beam while driving. Like you, I got lucky; I had just turned off a steep hill into the parking lot of my wife's office. All I had to do was step on the brakes. And call a wrecker. And find another front axle.

The van is a '74 Westfalia camper; I have owned it since 1987. My kids named it VanOrange; the name stuck, even though my little girl (then) has since given me a granddaughter. It has made 29 trips from here to the Smithsonian in DC and to Colonial Williamsburg, not always without problems. It's an old friend, almost as old as my best mechanic who once told me, "your Van wants to die but you won't let it". Since I've had it, it's on its second front axle beam, second transmission, third engine - but one of those was a 2.0 L, a mistake. It got me slightly better acceleration, no better top speed; mostly it just drank gas faster. I still have the 2 liter in my shop - anyone want to buy it?
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 4:08 am    Post subject: Re: Swing Lever Shaft Kit, Center Pin, Center Link, Installation Reply with quote

Happy Summer(?) all!!

Anybody have this "tool" put together and would like to either loan or rent to me??

As always, I appreciate everybody's attention to detail and pictures to share with the community. I've been sitting on this bushing kit and I'm going to replace on my 1978 Westy. I'm in the Boston area so if anyone around me wants to come give a hand that would be fine too Smile
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