Hey, does anyone know the best way to get the centerlink out and or replace it? Do you need to remove the track control arm(the "t" thing) and then remove the idler arm or mount and the steering box or arm?
Can you just remove the arm off the steering box and pull the idler arm mount down then rebuild? Thanks Bill
Center Link Removal??
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raygreenwood
- Posts: 11912
- Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2003 12:01 am
The easiest way is this:
If you are replacing or rebuilding the centerlink...and don't care about the seals on the pins.of the centerlink.....then, unbolt the steering damper from the opposite end where it mounts on the "T" piece, take the nuts off of the inner tie -rod ends, the idler arm centerlink pin and the steering box centerlink pin.
Get a pickle fork...put it on an inner tie rod end...ramped(slanted) side against the center link...and whack it until the tie rod end pops out. Repeat for the other one. Now the only thing holding the centerlink in...is the pitman ram connection and the idler arm connection. Use the pickle fork...ramp side against the pitman arm...and ramp side against the idler arm to remove those. Use a small sledgte hammer and a pickle fork. The cneterlink will fall out with the sterring damper attached to it.
or.....
(1)unbolt the steering damper from the center link...leaving it attached to the "T" piece.
(2) remove the bolts from the idler arm bracket in the wheel well, because the pin in the idler arm will not move up high enough to pry the arm over the end of it. Do not try to move the idler arm out of the way yet...it will get caught on the brake lines attached to the body. If you are replacing the outer tie-rod ends...sinply pickle fork them losse from the steering knuckles..and leave the tie-rods attached to the center-link for now. Next....use the pickle fork on the pitman arm pin of the center link...ramp side against the pitman arm. At this point...the centerlink will come out nicely with the tie rods and the idler arm bracket attached. At this stage...since its all in your hands...its best to replace all four of the tie rod ends, the nasty rubber idler arm bushing...either rebush the center link...or install a new one...and put the whole thing back in...in exactly the reverse order. Thats 50% of a new front end ya got there. Ray
If you are replacing or rebuilding the centerlink...and don't care about the seals on the pins.of the centerlink.....then, unbolt the steering damper from the opposite end where it mounts on the "T" piece, take the nuts off of the inner tie -rod ends, the idler arm centerlink pin and the steering box centerlink pin.
Get a pickle fork...put it on an inner tie rod end...ramped(slanted) side against the center link...and whack it until the tie rod end pops out. Repeat for the other one. Now the only thing holding the centerlink in...is the pitman ram connection and the idler arm connection. Use the pickle fork...ramp side against the pitman arm...and ramp side against the idler arm to remove those. Use a small sledgte hammer and a pickle fork. The cneterlink will fall out with the sterring damper attached to it.
or.....
(1)unbolt the steering damper from the center link...leaving it attached to the "T" piece.
(2) remove the bolts from the idler arm bracket in the wheel well, because the pin in the idler arm will not move up high enough to pry the arm over the end of it. Do not try to move the idler arm out of the way yet...it will get caught on the brake lines attached to the body. If you are replacing the outer tie-rod ends...sinply pickle fork them losse from the steering knuckles..and leave the tie-rods attached to the center-link for now. Next....use the pickle fork on the pitman arm pin of the center link...ramp side against the pitman arm. At this point...the centerlink will come out nicely with the tie rods and the idler arm bracket attached. At this stage...since its all in your hands...its best to replace all four of the tie rod ends, the nasty rubber idler arm bushing...either rebush the center link...or install a new one...and put the whole thing back in...in exactly the reverse order. Thats 50% of a new front end ya got there. Ray
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vwbill
- Posts: 970
- Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 12:01 am
You the Man Ray!!
Hey Ray, I did the first part but had to go it alone since I couldn't access the forum thursday morning though I knew someone replied from my email notice,lol! I've been working on trying to rethread one of the damper bolts that someone stripped replacing it. I Need to look at the idler arm to see what you're talking about with the bushing; I can see the rubber above the arm but dont know how it comes apart. Does the shaft come out of the top when you take the nut off the shaft? I think you were saying in the second part that there is a pin in that fourth hole in the idler arm mount and you need to pull it to the side to get it out.
Should I do the bushing now? Is it going to be a nightmare to do it now trying to find a bushing and getting it back together? I think I just want to get the car back on the ground but I dont want to mess up the center link doing it later. LOLOLOL! I just want to move forward,lol! I should have been trying to find that bushing already before now!! Anyway thank for all the great help!!! I couldnt do this without it!! Wahoo, Bill
Should I do the bushing now? Is it going to be a nightmare to do it now trying to find a bushing and getting it back together? I think I just want to get the car back on the ground but I dont want to mess up the center link doing it later. LOLOLOL! I just want to move forward,lol! I should have been trying to find that bushing already before now!! Anyway thank for all the great help!!! I couldnt do this without it!! Wahoo, Bill
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raygreenwood
- Posts: 11912
- Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2003 12:01 am
Do the idler bushing now. It is a large part of all of the evils of the 411/412 front end. It is very easy to get. It is the exact same part # used in the late superbeetle. But...look around. The verye last two years...they made a solid bronze version of this bushing. It is the same cost (about $50 for either one)....but is a 100% improvement in handling and does not work loose like the stock one. The rubber on the stock verson was too soft and cruched to easily. You cannot remove the bolts from the bracket while the bracket is installed. You can only lift it about an inch...due to the gast-tank behind it. Keeping it in the pulled upward position to wrangle the idler arm away from the bracket...is what makes taking the whole unit out...a little simpler in some respects. Ray