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How do I get this lower control arm assembly off so I can change my side cover gasket? I sure could use some advice since I never took apart a vw split axle before. The side cover gasket was definitely leaking. It came from Chuck Beck with four gaskets & some silicone sandwiched together. I'm now trying to get the lower arm assembly off where the rear shock is connected to so I can get the new gasket on. Is this the correct route? Do I disassemble the axle from the rear end??

Also, can I buy a better gasket other than this thin paper gasket I bought? It's know wonder it was quadrupled up with silicone.

Help Please.

Tony

Tony,

This isn't going to completely answer your question but I think it's worth saying.

If you don't have a GOOD VW manual, you need to get one before you do anything else. Bentley Publishers has one called the "Official Service Manual" for the '66-'69VW model years. It has great illustrations and tell the proper procedure for disaaembly and reassembly.

The manual I have shows two paper gaskets and an o-ring between the final drive cover and the retainer assembly for the rear axle tube.

There is also an o-ring between the final drive cover and the case.

Taking the rear axle apart is nothing compared to getting it back together properly. Be particularly careful with the differential and fulcrum plates during reassembly. Again, a good manual can be your best bet here.

Good luck.

TMc

Tony--why are you having so much trouble? Our cars came off the line side by side. Maybe you're trying to put extra stuff on?

If you've never done this by yourself, I'd suggest you have a shop perform the chore.

You have to remove the drum/spindle, then remove the three bolts holding the axle tube to the torsion trailing arm, remove the shock. remove the brakes line, remove the inner bearing (take note as to the order of disassembly of the inner seals) Take a rubber mallet and tap on the axle tubes until the slide off of the axle. Make sure they fulcrums don't shift otherwise your car won't move.

The 4 gaskets are a necessary item as they are shims. If 4 gaskets came off, then put 4 gaskets of equal thickness back on.

Another easier way to solve the problem is to loosen the cover, and squirt some silicone between the machine surfaces.

Good luck

What Larry said...And again, get a manual. If nothing else, it will give you an very good idea of the things you can do and the things you need to let a shop do. Hint: Any task that requires a "special tool" usually needs to go to a shop...At least that's the case in my little world.

TMc

Hi Vicki. I don't know why the cover was leaking. It was an easy fix just hard to get to. I took the advice of the others on the board and I didn't take the axle apart. I traced out on a drafting board two gaskets from the cheap paper one on some good gasket paper and cut them out. I used all three with some black permatex and all is fine. I cut them all at the top next to where they go through the studs to bypass the axle removal.

I drove it all week!!!

Tony