Bearing, year ?

apears to be a pinchnut. with the washer built in...not sure if that is typical of the older vw's or not....the later models have a washer(with protrusion that goes into keyway to keep from spinning) and then a pinchnut... not sure, but at some point the older cars had ballbearings in the front instead of the tapered roller bearings....i *think*....

If in doubt, replace bearing(s). Remember to replace the bearing races too. (Duhh, I don't need to tell you this)

The shims are there to correct the caster angle. It'sa matter of taste, if you want to use them or not. Cars that are lowered a lot usually need it, especially if the rear was not lowered.

All I've seen are double nuts (slim) that are common in ovals for example, and the later model steel locknut that resembles that one a little, but it certainly is not that. is that aluminum? if so, I'd junk it and get a later model locknut that has the same basic design, only the washer is not one piece with the nut like it is on that thing. I see that it is marked "R", so the threads on your spindles are probably mirrored. (counterclockwise on the other side, I can never remember which...). I am not sure they were counterclockwise in the older models where the double nuts were used. Somehow I seem to remember they weren't in 56.

Jan

Correct. 56 had ball bearings, and double nuts in place of the pinchnut.

Jan

On Sun, 11 Jun 2006 18:22:13 -0400, "Joey Tribiani" scribbled this interesting note:

Correct. At least our '59 had ball bearings when we got the car. They have since been replaced.

-- John Willis snipped-for-privacy@airmail.net (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

I didn't expect to find it on a '58, but maybe the front end is not original.

Anywho, I removed the drum and the inner and outer bearings are wrecked. Races galled, chips of steel all over the balls and grease. Sure glad I didn't try to take a trip in it.

Think I'll just sit back and take stock of the situation, check out aircooled.net for parts for both wheels, maybe consider discs. It's got

Ahem! This is MY car. It has BIG balls. :) True, ball bearings, but uses the nut you saw, plus a washer, plus a tab-locknut that doesn't seem to do anything, really.

No locktab on that aluminum nut, Jan. The capscrew just jams it closed.

I maybe messed up the year. It's a '58, not '56.

The Aluminium lock nuts where available as replacements for the stock double nuts..

Just make shure to get bearings that fits your spindle and drum..

J.

I just ordered them from aircooled.net by specifying year range. Should be cool. I'm doing both bearings, both wheels, and switching to roller bearings.

Maybe I'll get out of here on vacation yet.

Awwww, s*. Should have checked the rear bearings.

unless you suspect bad bearings, not worth disassembling the bearing assemblies....especially if you are not experiencing symptoms and you don't want to make those suckers leak either...

Don't jump into the rear bearings. It's no picnic changing and they rarely go bad.

Speedy Jim

Thanks, Jim. Joey suggested the same. I forgot about the messy swing arm build. Guess it's good for something.

Anywho the drums are off. Plenty of brake in there. I'll strip the drums tomorrow. Weather is perfect for this - in the fifties. Good old MinneSnowta.

Yes I know.. there isn't supposed to be a locktab, just the capscrew. But if the material is aluminum, it's too weak, IMO. I said the original late model design had a separate washer, that had a non-symmetric hole in it to stop it from turning. This thing you have, doesn't. Is there such a washer underneath it? Can't see.

Jan

Jan