Front Beam Removal and Replacement

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LiveonJG
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Front Beam Removal and Replacement

Post by LiveonJG » Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:46 pm

I'm currently knee deep in replacing my front beam and have hit a brick wall with the servo. It looks like I need to remove the master cylinder to get the servo out but the 11mm nuts that hold the brake lines to the master cylinder are rounding rather that loosening. Anyone been here? Anyone have any helpful suggestions?

-John
Keep it acoustic.

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RSorak 71Westy
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Post by RSorak 71Westy » Sun Jul 13, 2008 9:22 pm

You need to use line wrenches or vice grips to get those loose.
Take care,
Rick
Stock 1600 w/dual Solex 34's and header. mildly ported heads and EMPI elephant's feet. SVDA W/pertronix. 73 Thing has been sold. BTW I am a pro wrench have been fixing cars for living for over 30 yrs.

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LiveonJG
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Post by LiveonJG » Sun Jul 13, 2008 9:27 pm

I tried vise grips and that didn't work, would it be the end of the world if I shot some PBBlaster on them? Haven got any line wrenches, might be time.

-John
Keep it acoustic.

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RSorak 71Westy
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Post by RSorak 71Westy » Sun Jul 13, 2008 9:33 pm

PB wont hurt a thing. On the vice grips, clamp them twice before you try to turn. i.e. clamp them down, then loosen them and turn them half a turn or so tighter and clamp them again....If the vice grips get a good bite before you try to turn, they will turn the part if it's at all possible.
Take care,
Rick
Stock 1600 w/dual Solex 34's and header. mildly ported heads and EMPI elephant's feet. SVDA W/pertronix. 73 Thing has been sold. BTW I am a pro wrench have been fixing cars for living for over 30 yrs.

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LiveonJG
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Post by LiveonJG » Sun Jul 13, 2008 9:37 pm

Thanks for the responses Rick, I'll give her a try tomorrow

-John
Keep it acoustic.

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Sun Aug 03, 2008 7:10 pm

LiveonJG wrote:Thanks for the responses Rick, I'll give her a try tomorrow
If they still won't loosen, you can sometimes manhandle the master cylinder backwards to clear the servo, the lines will bend some, just stay clear of kinking any of them. The rear line is the most resistant, the one that goes to the proportioning valve. You can see if that line will loosen from the proportioning valve.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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LiveonJG
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Post by LiveonJG » Sun Aug 03, 2008 8:04 pm

Amskeptic wrote:
LiveonJG wrote:Thanks for the responses Rick, I'll give her a try tomorrow
If they still won't loosen, you can sometimes manhandle the master cylinder backwards to clear the servo, the lines will bend some, just stay clear of kinking any of them. The rear line is the most resistant, the one that goes to the proportioning valve. You can see if that line will loosen from the proportioning valve.
Colin
Thanks Colin, I ended up getting an 11mm flare wrench and that worked like a champ. I did end up cutting the line between the upper and lower reservoirs as I didn't want to possibly damage the res. The strange thing is, per Bentley, the master cyl and servo are two separate parts, but, mine are either fused together or are a singe assembly. They wouldn't come apart and I couldn't find the mate point between the two.

-John
Keep it acoustic.

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Sun Aug 03, 2008 9:19 pm

LiveonJG wrote:The strange thing is, per Bentley, the master cyl and servo are two separate parts, but, mine are either fused together or are a single assembly. They wouldn't come apart and I couldn't find the mate point between the two.
When you remove the 13mm nuts on the master cylinder flange, it should pop off (pry off) easily from the servo sheetmetal. There is a rubber o-ring between the two that maintains the vacuum inside the servo. Keep this area very clean and nice to enhance the sealing at reassembly. Yes Virginia, you can burn your exhaust valves right here.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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LiveonJG
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Post by LiveonJG » Sun Aug 03, 2008 9:52 pm

Amskeptic wrote:
LiveonJG wrote:The strange thing is, per Bentley, the master cyl and servo are two separate parts, but, mine are either fused together or are a single assembly. They wouldn't come apart and I couldn't find the mate point between the two.
When you remove the 13mm nuts on the master cylinder flange, it should pop off (pry off) easily from the servo sheetmetal. There is a rubber o-ring between the two that maintains the vacuum inside the servo. Keep this area very clean and nice to enhance the sealing at reassembly. Yes Virginia, you can burn your exhaust valves right here.
Colin
I couldn't get it apart so I just pulled the whole damn thing out. I took those 13mm nuts off and it wouldn't budge. Sounds like the better alternative as my driveway is a dusty grimy mess.

-John
Keep it acoustic.

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hambone
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Post by hambone » Mon Aug 04, 2008 7:07 am

Is this for the purple bus? Or that other hulk you have lying around?
http://greencascadia.blogspot.com
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat

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LiveonJG
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Post by LiveonJG » Mon Aug 04, 2008 5:46 pm

hambone wrote:Is this for the purple bus? Or that other hulk you have lying around?
It's my other bus. She's may be green, but she's hardly the Hulk.

-John
Keep it acoustic.

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hambone
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Post by hambone » Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:28 am

It's like your secret hidden other wife. Are you restoring it?
http://greencascadia.blogspot.com
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat

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LiveonJG
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Post by LiveonJG » Tue Aug 05, 2008 5:22 pm

hambone wrote:It's like your secret hidden other wife. Are you restoring it?
Getting her ready for sale.

-John
Keep it acoustic.

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Gypsie
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Post by Gypsie » Wed Aug 06, 2008 1:33 am

LiveonJG wrote:
Getting her ready for sale.

-John
Haste to break it to you John, but you can't sell your wife.

You just can't.
So it all started when I wanted to get better gas mileage....

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hambone
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Post by hambone » Wed Aug 06, 2008 7:11 am

What year? Erin is thinking of selling the Beetle for a poptop. I'm partial to the 73-75 era with the big bed. Plus no DEQ, I don't want to deal with that again...
We'll see, the jury is still out on this one. The Beetle is running like a champ and gets really good gas milage. I really need to learn the type4 though.
http://greencascadia.blogspot.com
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat

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