1984 Rebuild

Doing a restoration or putting the car back to stock, post your builds here

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84Vert
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:03 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1984
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Avon Park, Fl

Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by 84Vert »

This past weekend turned out to be pretty good for the Rabbit. I was able to get the axle nuts off without breaking anymore tools. What I did is put my impact wrench to it and just let it hammer on it for a while. Then 1/2 inch rachet with 3 foot cheater bar and wa la it borke free. Yippee! Now time to clean and paint everything and order bushings, tie rod ends, bearings and put it all back together. Pictures will be posted after cleaning and painting
84 Rabbit Convertible
84Vert
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:03 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1984
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Avon Park, Fl

Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by 84Vert »

Update time The windshield is in! The new one is so nice, no pits, nicely tinted, and best part we did not break it putting it in.
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New Windshield 6-2013.JPG
Old Windshield 6-2013.JPG
84 Rabbit Convertible
84Vert
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:03 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1984
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Avon Park, Fl

Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by 84Vert »

More updates. The lower control arm, and hub are off and painted on the drivers side. Now I just need to order new bushings, clean up the wheel well and install the new axle and other parts. It is getting closer to being on the road. Below are the before pictures
Attachments
Befroe New CV Axle 2.JPG
Before New CV Axlw.JPG
Before New CV Axle 3.JPG
84 Rabbit Convertible
84Vert
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:03 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1984
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Avon Park, Fl

Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by 84Vert »

One more before picture and some after ones
Attachments
Hub After 6-23-13.JPG
Lower Control Arm After 6-23-13.JPG
Lower Control Arm Before 6-23-13.JPG
84 Rabbit Convertible
84Vert
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:03 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1984
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Avon Park, Fl

Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by 84Vert »

Hopefully soon more parts will be here and I will make some progress
Attachments
Hub After 2 6-23-13.JPG
84 Rabbit Convertible
84Vert
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:03 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1984
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Avon Park, Fl

Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by 84Vert »

Update - Since I posted last my time has been mostly spend taking care of my parents, and cleaning/painting aor rental house that the tenant was too nasty to go into here. I now have my dirt bike for sale, if anyone wants a 2008 KLX 140 let me know :D Once that is sold those funds will go to finishing the Rabbit and getting it on the road!
84 Rabbit Convertible
84Vert
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:03 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1984
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Avon Park, Fl

Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by 84Vert »

Dirt Bike sold and some parts have been ordered! Tie Rod Ends, Control Arm Bushings, Ball Joints and Exhaust Donut Gasket. Already have the new axles now just put it all together and it will be the first time the Rabbit has moved under it's own power in 12 years!
84 Rabbit Convertible
CalAltaDubber
Frozen Guy in the Northern Country
Posts: 2012
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:10 pm
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Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by CalAltaDubber »

84Vert wrote:Dirt Bike sold and some parts have been ordered! Tie Rod Ends, Control Arm Bushings, Ball Joints and Exhaust Donut Gasket. Already have the new axles now just put it all together and it will be the first time the Rabbit has moved under it's own power in 12 years!
You must be getting excited.
Phil

'87 Cabriolet, "Topless Bunny"
'88 Cabriolet, "Posh Bunny"
'04 Golf
'12 Golf Wagon TDI
'69 Manx type Dune Buggy (New Toy)

Image Image
84Vert
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:03 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1984
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Avon Park, Fl

Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by 84Vert »

Yes. It will be the first time off of the jack stands in 4.5 years. It was great just ordering parts for it. The good part is Autozone had free shipping on orders sent to your home over $75 and for orders over $100 you got a $25 gift card!
84 Rabbit Convertible
84Vert
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:03 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1984
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Avon Park, Fl

Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by 84Vert »

No pictures but I was able to work on the Rabbit this past weekend. I got the sleeve and seal in the transmission on the drivers side now I just need 2 big C clamps to compress the spring to put the shaft in then the new axle can go on. On the passenger side I got the new axle on :D Once i get my drill and bits back from another project i have been doing I will put the new ball joints on.

Now let's talk about the tie rod ends :shock: You should be able to hold the tie rod with a pair of vise grips, loosen the locking nut and unscrew the tie rod end. Oh no, not on my little piece of German hell :twisted: It required 2 pairs of vise grips as tight as I could get them, heat the tie rod end with a torch, a pair of water pump pliers with a cheater bar on them. Heat up the end, turn about one turn, heat it again turn it a little again and so on until over an hour later and worn out the tie rod end came off. Now on to the other side, hopefully it will be easier but I am not expecting it to be.
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Briano1234
Whats that smell?
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Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by Briano1234 »

84Vert wrote:No pictures but I was able to work on the Rabbit this past weekend. I got the sleeve and seal in the transmission on the drivers side now I just need 2 big C clamps to compress the spring to put the shaft in then the new axle can go on. On the passenger side I got the new axle on :D Once i get my drill and bits back from another project i have been doing I will put the new ball joints on.

Now let's talk about the tie rod ends :shock: You should be able to hold the tie rod with a pair of vise grips, loosen the locking nut and unscrew the tie rod end. Oh no, not on my little piece of German hell :twisted: It required 2 pairs of vise grips as tight as I could get them, heat the tie rod end with a torch, a pair of water pump pliers with a cheater bar on them. Heat up the end, turn about one turn, heat it again turn it a little again and so on until over an hour later and worn out the tie rod end came off. Now on to the other side, hopefully it will be easier but I am not expecting it to be.
Yep, been there done that... But wait. They make a Impact Tie-rod remover, it looks like a o2 sensor socket on steroids, 250lbs of impacted torque spins them right the hell off now, let me tell you what.

HINT... Never-seize the inner rod, and the taper... next time Piece of cake.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
CalAltaDubber
Frozen Guy in the Northern Country
Posts: 2012
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:10 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1987
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Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by CalAltaDubber »

Briano1234 wrote:
84Vert wrote:
Yep, been there done that... But wait. They make a Impact Tie-rod remover, it looks like a o2 sensor socket on steroids, 250lbs of impacted torque spins them right the hell off now, let me tell you what.

HINT... Never-seize the inner rod, and the taper... next time Piece of cake.
You got that right!
Phil

'87 Cabriolet, "Topless Bunny"
'88 Cabriolet, "Posh Bunny"
'04 Golf
'12 Golf Wagon TDI
'69 Manx type Dune Buggy (New Toy)

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84Vert
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:03 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1984
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Avon Park, Fl

Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by 84Vert »

I must find one of these, that sure would make life a lot easier
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Briano1234
Whats that smell?
Posts: 4105
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
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Location: Duluth, Ga
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Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by Briano1234 »

Did you see my thread on how I replaced the seals on my Cabbie, I used a Ford Steering wheel lock tool or a 3 fingered pulley bass ackwards and a piece of all thread that I welded together.... It worked great.

Image

Image

How I dude it.
http://volkswagenownersclub.com/vw/show ... ntial-Seal

What the Tie-rod socket looks like:
http://www.sears.com/search=sunex%202in ... irect=true
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
84Vert
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:03 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1984
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Avon Park, Fl

Re: 1984 Rebuild

Post by 84Vert »

I will be getting one of those sockets, the other side tie rod end is the same way. I have the new boot and tie rod end on the passenger side. The weekend after Thanksgiving I should be able to do the ball joints and the other side tie rod end. Things are looking up.

I like the tool you made, I will look into that
84 Rabbit Convertible
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