Dumbo question?

DubbyFan Wolfsburg Wizard

518 posts · joined Nov 2010 · 15 Oct 2011, 5:14 am

#867040

Dubbyfan here with another dumbo question, so with these
rat beetles you always see the rear wheels very low, so low
that the wheels camber out at the bottom. I was wondering if this means oil cannot make the axial bearings at the wheel and
therefore they dry out and seize. How do those rat dudes prevent this?

Don't get me wrong I'm not knocking it I am a fan of the rat low scraping down in the weeds look!

robb Officially Full-On Dubber

279 posts · joined Apr 2010 · 15 Oct 2011, 5:49 am

#867041

solid drive shafts grease is the word

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 · 15 Oct 2011, 6:21 am

#867045

Ok I could be corrected here but I think your talking about the erlier swing axle suspension, they.don't have the cv out at the wheel end of the axle and therefore don't need the oil.

I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

Special Air Service Chief "Gunna"

1,769 posts · joined Oct 2004 · 15 Oct 2011, 7:26 am

#867051

I believe they replace the standard bearing with a sealed bearing at the wheel end of the axle. Therefore no oil is needed at this bearing.

Cheers
Brendan

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lou0060 Wolfsburg Wizard

568 posts · joined Dec 2010 · 15 Oct 2011, 9:54 am

#867064

hi Dubbyfan, Brenden is correct. the inclined angle of the axle tube means oil from the gearbox won't easliy flow to the wheel bearing so unless you want to serve around Superv8 warmup lap style then replacing the open bearing at the wheel end with sealed bearings is the way to go. However, a word of caution, sealed bearings have a small amount of grease in them based on what is called the free air volume inside the bearing. Generally it is a third of the air space inside the bearing. This is so they do not run too hot. Also a sealed bearing running contact seals generates more heat than an open bearing, ( a bearing with no seals) so this can be an issue if you are doing long distance at high speed.

1971 karmann ghia Cabrio - Cruising 👍
1963 beetle Sunroof - gathering dust 🥲
1968 race beetle - twin turbo Subaru - stress relief 😁
1960 beetle - old school low & slow 😏

DubbyFan Wolfsburg Wizard

518 posts · joined Nov 2010 · 16 Oct 2011, 5:01 am

#867201

Thanks everyone.