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Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:11 pm

Over in the split bus forum they have a "So what did you do for your bus(es) today?" sticky. Kind of cool seeing a common spot for folks to dish out what they did in or on their ride that day.

Curious what others think.

tj

Fri Apr 11, 2008 4:54 pm

Tj, I like your idea. I think this forum needs sticky topics like that to make it more alive. I vote for a sticky "what did you do to your Thing today (or recently)". So I'll start. Not today, but this week (vacation for me), I decided to renovate my axles. They were noisy, at least one of them for sure. I had one new cv joint with boot kit. I went to a specialized shop. They installed my new cv joint and boot kit and cleaned the other cv joint fitted with new boot too, new grease everywhere. I had 6 new bolts with the kit and used them to replace the worn ones. Put the axle back in place and I was ready for a test drive : no more noise ! Yeehhaaa !

Pierre

The new cv joint is the wheel side. And yes, I know, next job will be to remove that surface rust and apply some sort of POR-15.

Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:16 pm

I just got back from a joy ride with the front wind shield down. It's around sunset here and man is the temp perfect. I love my Thing. 8)

Tomarrow, I'm removing the paint off the Earmuffs to re-do them. I'll probably reinstall them. I've also removed the Trout hood ornament and now I need to fix the holes in the hood.

Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:18 pm

I have owned my Thing about 3 years now. Since I purchased it, I drove it into town once to get new tires. I then started a tune up and working on it. That summer 2005 I started a brake job. It has been on stilts since. I promised myself I would get the brakes done so I could drive around this summer. Along the way I saw a cracked CV Boot so decided to fix that. Advance now about 3 years later and it is the summer of the Thing. I will get it on the road. Yesterday I pulled the problem axle and removed the CV joint with broken boot. I have the parts cleaned and even posted a video yesterday to ask if this CV Joint looked OK to use. Here it is if you want to see a CV joint dissected.

http://web.mac.com/macsociety/Site2/Summer_2006_Camping.html#7

Tomorrow I plan on putting it all back together and back in the Thing so I can continue brakes. Front end was done 2 years ago. Just have to do rear. If all goes well, I should at least get the CV work done tomorrow. I am slow so we will see. :lol:

tj

Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:07 pm

Pierre181 wrote: Tj, I like your idea. I think this forum needs sticky topics like that to make it more alive. I vote for a sticky "what did you do to your Thing today (or recently)". So I'll start. Not today, but this week (vacation for me), I decided to renovate my axles. They were noisy, at least one of them for sure. I had one new cv joint with boot kit. I went to a specialized shop. They installed my new cv joint and boot kit and cleaned the other cv joint fitted with new boot too, new grease everywhere. I had 6 new bolts with the kit and used them to replace the worn ones. Put the axle back in place and I was ready for a test drive : no more noise ! Yeehhaaa !

Pierre

The new cv joint is the wheel side. And yes, I know, next job will be to remove that surface rust and apply some sort of POR-15.

Looks nice and clean down there on that axle. Nice.

tj

Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:24 pm

How about tommorow?

Snowing here :x

Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:25 pm

I hauled some garbage in mine today. The Thing has more room than the Beetle...

Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:17 pm

amishman wrote: Pierre181 wrote: Tj, I like your idea. I think this forum needs sticky topics like that to make it more alive. I vote for a sticky "what did you do to your Thing today (or recently)". So I'll start. Not today, but this week (vacation for me), I decided to renovate my axles. They were noisy, at least one of them for sure. I had one new cv joint with boot kit. I went to a specialized shop. They installed my new cv joint and boot kit and cleaned the other cv joint fitted with new boot too, new grease everywhere. I had 6 new bolts with the kit and used them to replace the worn ones. Put the axle back in place and I was ready for a test drive : no more noise ! Yeehhaaa !

Pierre

The new cv joint is the wheel side. And yes, I know, next job will be to remove that surface rust and apply some sort of POR-15.

Looks nice and clean down there on that axle. Nice.

tj

Thanks. The other axle is not as clean. I have to do it even though it's not noisy, to replace dry boots. I didn't post any comment about your cv's because I'm no expert and didn't want to give you wrong info. Go ahead, you're close and don't wait too long or you'll have to redo the already done job :wink:

Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:18 pm

Took the front doors off and went for a joy ride with the neighbor. Runnin down the expressway at 95 was awesome.

Sat Apr 12, 2008 5:41 pm

I am happy with what I got done today. Took me all day but I am progressing. Fixed the one axle CV boot that was bad and got that all put back together and on the Thing again. Tip: Once you get the CV Joint boot back on and all together so you can grease it up, while greasing it up, keep those CV Joints straight and not angled. After all my hard work, while greasing the inner boot, the CV Joint was so angled that balls popped out and she came apart on me. I figured there was no way to fix that other than remove the damn CV Joint and redo it all. Many swear words came from my mouth. But I persisted and got it back together again and in the Thing. I then finished my right rear brakes and started on my left rear which is my last. I had finished the fronts last year so now the rears. One brake tube is hosed so I had to stop and hope local FLAPS tomorrow has some tube I can bend into shape. Then I will continue on and see if I can get the rear brakes all done, the rear wheels torqued into place, and then look into brake fluid bleed scenario. My first time so.

Basically since last starting my brake job 3 years ago, all pads will be new, all brake cylinders will be new, all adjusting stars new, all hoses new, a couple metal tubes new but most reused as they looked OK, and walla. Supposedly the master cylinder was new or about new when I purchased it 3 years ago and other than not driving the Thing, it should only have minimal miles on it, but maybe sitting for 3 years it should be replaced??

Anyway, that was my day. I am determined to get this Thing on the road, even if it needs a restore one day. I want to putz with it when I can on nice days.

tj

Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:30 pm

Took German grey Kubel restore and turned it over to the Americans. Not bad in a day's work.
BEFORE:

AFTER

~ Pet Peeves: Four Way Stops and Slammed Things

Sat Apr 12, 2008 9:28 pm

Well in midst of home projects due to up coming sale. Stole today away and worked in the garage with my 15 yr son. We finally got the body officially bolted back to the pan after about 1 1/2 yrs. We had lowered in back on but never finished bolting down. The hitch was the new 3" body lift created all kinds of fun.

So body bolted down with 3" body lift. We then attacked the seat mounts. I had picked up a set of 71-72 high back beetle seats. Love the low backs but want a little more added safety. We cut the slide tracks loose from the seatframes, added 3.5' and welded them all back together. They are sitting in place at this time. Right height now. I can rest my arm on the door without loosing circulation.

And to top off the fun, we set the old horse hair padding on fire during welding. No biggee. The padding and covers are trashed and scheduled to be replaced. My son got a kick out of it.

Not a whole lot but was full enjoyable day in the garage behind welder and grinder.

Sun Apr 13, 2008 5:20 am

I installed a new master cylinder yesterday ... and promptly found a new leak in driver's side rear break hose when I was bleeding the system afterwards. :x

I guess the increased pressure from the new master cylinder was too much for the old hose.

I'll go ahead and replace all the soft lines next week. :?

Sun Apr 13, 2008 7:51 am

Well yesterday I put the thing up on jack stands. Removed all wheels and drums to change all wheel cyl. and brakes and grease wheel bearings. I also pulled the motor to change out the tranny because mine lost reverse. I found another tranny out of a beetle changed the flanges and almost ready to put it back in. I also set my engine on the motor stand going to clean all engine tin and replace all leaking gaskets

and also I plan to clean up engine compartment and undercoat everything under the car till next year when I do the floor pans

Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:16 am

mrafindley wrote:

Can someone tell me why the tranny gets these big blobules of grease. Mine has the same thing. Does it mean in these areas there is a leak of some sorts from the tranny and that is why you get them. I can understand oil drips but these tar pit like goo is new to me. If not leaks in each area, are these areas just good collection spots for all goo and it builds up here???

I was going to wipe mine down, or chisel the crud off but wanted to confirm what it was first.

tj

Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:00 pm

i pulled mine out of the basement, sprayed a wasp nest and pulled it back in.

dog

Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:36 pm

amishman wrote: Can someone tell me why the tranny gets these big blobules of grease.
tj

The axle grease centrifuges out when hot? Some CV kits have a cork gasket, along with new axle bolts, that fits against the hub as an attempt to mitigate this effect. CV's are usually a metal to metal connection.

Sun Apr 13, 2008 4:34 pm

Had only an hour or so to tinker today while watching the Masters for a few and doing other chores. Bent a new brake tube to shape to replace one that was bad. The old one was about 15 to 16" long. The local flaps had a 20" in stock. I had to do some creative bending here and there to make up those inches being too long but got it done and it seems to fit as needed.

tj

Sun Apr 13, 2008 4:40 pm

Some Thing wrote: Took German grey Kubel restore and turned it over to the Americans.

Why?

Sun Apr 13, 2008 8:42 pm

Quote: Why?

Because I am a military Vet and have loyalties to the Boys in Blue. That is what we did. Commandeered occupied country vehicles and made them work for us.