Tip for Removing Seized Rear Brake Star Wheel Adjusters

[wrxnofx]

In refurbing the rear drums on my '77, the star wheel adjusters were seized solid in their bores.

I beat the piss out of one of the adjusters with a punch for probably 20 minutes and never got it to move. Then it dawned on me to use leverage.

I found that a CV axle bolt from my 911 is the same thread/pitch as the adjuster that threads into the star wheel.

An impact wrench and literally 5 seconds and each one came out. Essentially you're forcing the star wheel out as the bolt bottoms out and keeps turning. Very similar to what a lot of you guys use to get the brass spacer out for the starter shaft.

Maybe this was common knowledge, but it helped me tremendously. I thought maybe it might help someone else on here in the future.
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1977 VW Type 2 Bay Window Westy FI

[SGKent]

next time put some penetrating oil on it, go have lunch and when you come back it will come out a lot easier. WD40 is not penetrating oil BTW.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[75 Westy FI noob]

very clever! thanks for sharing this.

[SGKent]

[wcfvw69]

I've used lots of different brands of penetrating oil. Kroil penetrating oil is hands down the best I've used. As Steve stated, apply it, have lunch and it will do wonders in loosening up rusted parts.
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[Glenn]

Krol and Gibbs works best.

Oh.. and HEAT.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
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[Wildthings]

Using an appropriate high temperature grease during assembly helps a lot.

[Abscate]

28 seconds of propane would have saved you 28 minutes of tool noise
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.ssS!

[wrxnofx]

LOL, no good deed here...
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1977 VW Type 2 Bay Window Westy FI

[germansupplyscott]

[HoboBus]

It's a good deed, man, dont sweat it. I did it that way also.

I never knew the bit about large rust molecules vs small rust molecules, so your post added value. I'll have to look that one up.

Thanks,
Hobo
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Salt air it ain't thin, it'll stick right to your skin,
it'll make you feel fine. Makes you feel fine.
And I wanna be there. -- Jimmy Buffett

Just a beach-oriented camping Hobo with a bus.

[Bonesberg55]

Good idea but doesn't work when the shoes are locked against the drum as they were on my '78 Bay Window. I ended up breaking off as much of the star wheel as I could with cold chisels and then drilling thru the exposed adjuster stud. No amount of penetrating oil worked. Needless to say I had to replace both backing plates as well as the adjuster studs & star wheels.

[Abscate]

Heat took this crap off, with hand tools. It’s the magic of thermo…..

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.ssS!

[wrxnofx]

[Shonandb]

I was taught to heat the metal housing/nut that the bolt threads into, not the bolt itself. This causes the metal to expand around the bolt while the bolt stays relatively cool or doesn't expand as much as the housing it threads into creating a small gap for penetrating lube to get into and in most cases, lessening/freeing up the seized areas so that the bolt will free up instead of breaking.

So for the star adjusters, I would heat the housing that they sit in and then spray penetrating lube in then heat again and spray and then try to free up the star adjusters. Using high-torque leverage like a bolt threaded in and pushing from the bottom of the star adjuster on the housing cup would work better than using pliers or vice grips on the exterior of the star adjuster.
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76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
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[jlrftype7]

[Bonesberg55]

Another plus for Chicago! It just keeps getting better.

[wcfvw69]