[T3] Front Axle Beam & CV Joints

[Gary Forsmo]

On 13 Jul 2011 at 8:27, Gary Forsmo wrote:

> 1)  Are NEW (complete, ready-to-bolt-on) Front Axle Beams available for my
> 1969 VW Squareback/Variant, from some source?  Approximate cost?  Or am  I
> going to be relegated to "searching" for the best, minimally rust-free,
> used, beam that I can find?

I think the only source is used.

> 2)  A VW bus owner, and (BTW) is a "passionate" VW bus owner, like us Type
3
> guys, gave me a catalog from Mid America Motorworks (Effingham, IL).
> www.mamotorworks.com   They are a "newly-known-to-me", VW supplier of
> (mostly) Bug, Super-Beetle, Ghia, & Bus parts.  They seem to have a small
> amount of Type 3 stuff.  Do they sell GOOD quality parts?  Their prices
seem
> a bit on the high side.  ???

Their quality is pretty good, but no one has really good quality Type
3 parts. Stick with what you've got, or good used OG parts, as long
as you can.

> 3)  Are the upper ball joint arms (by themselves only) replaceable?  It
> seems that the ball joint on the right-side has excessive "play" in it.
> Both top-to-bottom and right-to-left.  Left-side is just OK (not great)
but
> OK.  If I could find a good quality Front Axle Beam, I would buy it.

There are quite specific instructions in the Bentley manual for
measuring wear in the ball joints. Their method requires special
tools, but you can generally make do with something equivalent. Is
that what you've done. Otherwise, this is a really hard determination
to do.

Yes, any of the ball joints are individually replaceable. It's a bit of
work, but it's easier than replacing the beam. I have new ball
joints, but I've never had to replace one.

> 4)  Do any other VW models or years, Front Axle Beams "fit" our Type 3
cars?

No

Thanks, Jim for the answers.  Not exactly what I was hoping for ... but
helpful.

1)  Unless I can find a "good, used" axle beam, that has been sitting, but
not "run" in the salt, for years, I guess I'll have to look at NO-SALT
states along our return to Texas, in the fall.

2)  Point taken.

3)  The guys at the tire shop who have a qualified, certified technician who
does "front-end" work and alignment and works with the VW Bus-guy, was able
to tighten up the left-upper ball joint (using the instructions in my
Bentley book) and grease the axle beam.  It took a lot of grease so it must
have been very dry.  After the adjustment and grease, we took it for a test
drive.  A lot of the 55 mph "wiggle" in the steering wheel was gone.  There
still is a good deal of "shudder" when you apply power at highway speeds.
We first suspected engine mounts, but they're OK.  They think there's too
much end-to-end "play" in the IRS Drive Axle CV Joints.

4)  What are the years of the Front Axle Beams for a given style?  Or did
the VW factory make changes throughout the production of the Type 3's?  Does
one Axle Beam fit ALL years?

Gary "Frito", '69 Variant, FI, MT
Lake Geneva, WI
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