Trailing Arm: Service and Repair

Disassembling




1. Press out rear wheel shaft.




2. Press out seal with a tire iron.
3. Remove circlip. Knock out ball bearing and roller bearing with a suitable mandrel. Openings opposite each other in the wheel bearing housing can be used to make disassembly easier;

Assembling

1. Check rubber/metal mount, bearings, seals, wheel shaft and spacers for wear, damage or scoring, replacing damaged parts.




2. Press in ball bearing against stop.
3. The axial play of rear axle bearings can be adjusted to 0-0.05 mm by thickness of circlip. The following circlips are available.
2.00 mm
2.05 mm
2.10 mm
2.15 mm
2.20 mm




4. Install thinnest circlip (2.00 mm) and drive against bearing outer race with Special Tool VW 415a. Measure gap between circlip and groove upper edge at several points.
5. Install circlip with correct thickness and make sure it fits correctly.

Example:
Initially installed circlip 2.00 mm
0.10 mm feeler gauge blade fits in gap +0.10 mm
0.15 mm feeler gauge blade does not fit
Required circlip thickness 2.10 mm




6. Lubricate ball bearing with multi-purpose grease. Drive in seal with Special Tool VW 433 (with trailing arm on wood support) or with VW 415a, 402, 412 and 441 until against stop.
Pack space between sealing lips with a multipurpose grease

Note: Approx. 80 grams of grease in wheel bearing housing and in wheel bearings.

7. Press in rear wheel shaft (do not forget spacer).




8. Install spacer tube. Drive in roller bearing with a suitable piece of pipe. If bearing has edging on only one side of cage, this side has to face out.




9. Pull in roller bearing inner race with Special Tool VW 454, outer spacer and castle nut.