Restorations Forum

For removing the screws try an impact screwdriver, one sharp blow with one of them is usually enough. If not that, I always go for heat to get stuck bolts out. I can measure the flywheel nut tomorrow on my spare engIne if nobody else knows. A small chisel or large screwdriver is fine for opening or closing the locking washers.

Wow! That's not bad at all.

They sell the outer section of the wheelwell as a repair section, some welding required. If you could use those, it would save some shipping.

The flywheel nut is 36mm if I recall. And yes, just bend the tabs back with a screwdriver or chisel. The nut is very tight. You will need to bolt something sturdy to the flywheel to prevent it from turning as you loosen this nut.

After you take the flywheel nut off, you'll need two 14mm bolts to pop the flywheel off of the taper. just thread them into the two threaded holes in the flywheel and pop! off it comes. Using a puller attached to these holes would be gentler on the main bearing, but it pops off pretty well using bolts only.
I forgot the pitch but it's probably 1.5mm. I happened to have some at work when I took mine off, I could check the size and pitch.

With the flywheel off, there is a wave washer behind it. Don't lose it. Behind the flywheel is the seal retainer, held on by three slotted head bolts. You will need an impact driver to remove these, just like the door bolts.
Behind the seal retainer are two large conical washers oriented with the small side towards each other and the large sides bearing against main bearing on one side and the bearing retainer on the other.
The tension on this spring will push the bearing retainer out as you loosen the bolts.

Удачи!

or something similar.

In use:


or with another tool:


If you want to build your own flywheel-puller:




In German shops, it's called "Viertelschale". To imagine how it looks before and after, see http://pf31.pappenforum.de/board117-technik-pflege/board11-technik-allgemein/17624-viertelschale-oder-halbschale-601/

I love the idea of using part of a ring gear from an old flywheel as a locking tool, I don't know why I've never come across that idea before.

I am getting half's for the front and full rear ones because there is a bit on of rust on the insides of the rears.... better be safe then sorry...

still waiting to hear back from Andrea from Danzer, she told me to email her personal address as she was going on holiday for the week, but it appears to block every email except white listed email addresses... so will have to wait for her to get back to find out shipping costs and process the order...

If you don't get an answer via email, just try to contact them by their contact form, by phone or fax: http://www.danzer-autoteile.de/Kontakt:_:7.html

For international calls just put +49 and leave the leading zero - f.e. +49 371 2 80 39 70

Just got an email back from Danzer. Andrea was very helpful.. but the shipping cost, as expected is pretty high. But it is a lot of big heavy parts so I am not going to complain too loudly other than on this forum

350euros for shipping if you were wondering... there goes all my overtime cash... not to mention that 350 euros is more then the cost of the parts I am ordering and I have to add NZ GST (VAT/Salestax) when it arrives in NZ...

Anyway that should be on its way shortly and then I just have to save up for the repairs... everything has to be certified, and I can't weld... so hi ho and off we go to the panel beaters.

You can't weld?
Here is you golden opportunity to learn!

It's really easy*... You merely cause two pieces of metal to become one. They even have childishly simple and easy to operate MIG welders that are easier to use than a sewing machine.
Plus, you get to say you have operated a MIG**!
A spot welder is even simpler.

It just demonstrates the Pure Genius of Our Comrades In Zwickau.....
They gave us a car that increases our skills on many levels!

You couldn't pay for training like this... Literally! :lol:


* "Easy" is relative. The big trick on a Trabi is not burning holes through the metal with too much heat.
** We can't help it if people might assume we flew an airplane rather that sticking bits of metal together, can we?

I do plan on learning... but due to the strict requirements here regarding repair certification/entry certification, its safer to pay someone to do this... otherwise I could end up with a trabi that can not be registered.

Are there any tips/special tools I should be using to remove the steering components?
I have the steering rack off... but a bit lost on how to remove the connecting arms...

Shouldn't be any special tools. I did this on one of mine. Take a picture exactly where you are stuck then i can kind of walk you through it, if you don't mind

Sorry I don't have a photo

but the theses are the parts I am trying to separate... highlighted in red

Ah....
You wish to cause the tie rods to separate from the steering rack and from the steering arms on what we in America call the steering "knuckle".
The nut comes right off, but the tierod end stays stuck fast.
This is because it's a taper fit.

There are several ways to accomplish this, all having some risk.

First way, and the safest, is to obtain a specialized puller which screws down on the protruding threaded end. This should cause it to pop off, hopefully without mushrooming the end.
You could use an extra nut to bear against to minimise this risk, but don't re-use nuts that have been used with pullers or hammers!

Second way is to rap the side of the part that the tierod fits into. This causes the bore to distort momentarily and release the tierod end.
This can bend the part you're striking, so it works best on a fairly well-supported and strong part, or when the part is held against an anvil.

Third way is to rap the end of the threaded section with a heavy hammer, at very great risk of mushrooming the tierod end. This is OK if you're replacing the joint anyway. Putting a spare nut on the end will mangle the nut but probably leave the threads intact on the joint.

Fourth way is to use what we call a "pickle fork". This specialized forked chisel is guaranteed to destroy the tierod boot and may also damage the tierod end. It's fast and OK if you're replacing the joint anyway....


Method # 2 is easiest and cheapest to try so long as you have the parts off the car and can hold them to an anvil. You could easily bend the steering rack or steering arm doing this unsupported and in the car.
An air hammer sometimes works wonders too.

Good Luck and
Welcome to the Wonderful World of Auto Repair!

Just ordered a puller from the local auto parts place, will see how it goes tomorrow when it arrives.

I couldn't separate the balljoints from the steering arms on mine without a real fight. I did it in the end by taking the castleated nut off and putting it on the other way a couple of turns to protect the threads then gently heating the arm and clouting the nut. They were properly seized in there and that was the only thing that shifted them. Admittedly my balljoint splitter is one of those fork type jobs that's basically just a glorified chisel, and doesn't seem to work even in the ideal circumstances. I'm not convinced heating the arm is recommended but if you're gentle enough with it and use a propane flame (not a savage oxy acetylene flame) and don't go mad it should be fine.