Front End Rebuild

So it has been a long time since I last posted on this blog. Since the last post over seven years ago, I've done many updated on the Type II and basically got it back on the road. Engine, clutch, completed rear-end work, welding a new floor in cabin, reupholstered seats...the list goes on and on.

After jacking the front end, I saw there was tremendous resistance on the the front driver's wheel. Bearing or a frozen caliper first came to mind. So a simple bearing replacement was in line for the transporter.

But nothing is easy on a fifty--year-old vehicle. I pulled the wheels, removed the hubs and discs, and after talking with my mechanic, figured why not dig a bit deeper into the repairs.

So what started as a bearing replacement quickly evolved into replacing bearings, races, seals, brake calipers, lines, ball joints, tie rod ends, regreasing the torsion bars - basically rebuilding the entire from end. I'll try to post its progress periodically.

The first step was to remove the road wheels, The dust cap, remove the retaining nut (driver's side has reverse threads) which requires loosening the 7mm allen head.

This also required (for me, at least) removing the caliper (to be rebuilt), backing place (to be cleaned up and painted). Ziploc bags were useful for both old parts and those to be cleaned and reused.

There are five parts to be services on the hub: the out bearing and race, inner bearing and race, and the inner seal. The bearing popped up; the seal came up with tapping it with a wooden dowel and rubber mallet; the races I took to my mechanic and be removed and replaced these in short order.
Since I stripped one of the disc to hub bolts, I purchased four new ones from JBugs (part 98-4372) for the reinstall.

More later, but this is the first step in the lengthy project.