'97 Passat TDI Build

[Caddylackn]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

Wow you went deep.

On the VW Vortex forum, somebody joked but its true:

"They put the heater core on the assembly line, then built the car around it."

[freebeard]

The mechanics I used to employ said the New Beetle has the same problem compared to the Jetta.

[oil pan 4]

That sounds like how a lot of cars are built.

[Caddylackn]

Got interior buttoned up, but then the heater fan wouldn't work . So back apart to troubleshoot. There was a single power wire connector that wasn't hooked up. After 3 hours wasted, all good. Put in a "new" JVC bluetooth unit and redid the wiring. So, I have at least 3 working speakers now. Upgrade from 1 working speaker and sometimes 2.

[Caddylackn]

My front driver's wheel bearing was going out. Too much wheel play.
So I ordered new front wheel bearings, new ball joints, rotors, a new sway bar end, and new front brakes.

This was a tough job. Every single bolt was frozen on and my impact which goes to 300 ft lbs, wouldn't budge but one. The caliper frame bolts were almost impossible to get off. I could not get the tie rod end out of the spindle (completely frozen on), so I spray painted the tie rod threads (to keep track of where it was so I didn't have to get a new alignment) then just backed off the tie rod end off the tie rod to get the spindle off.

I got the spindle off and hammered off the hub. Of course the wheel bearing split apart and left the race on the hub and ball bearings rolling all over the shop floor. So I had to cut the race mostly off, since I don't have the factree $300 tool to do this. Then hit it with heat and since the race is cut super thin here, it either breaks or expands enough to come off easily.



It cleaned up nice, but the scoring on the hub, means I should have replaced it. Too late now.



I pressed in the new bearing easy enough, and pressed the hub into the bearing.

Now install. New rotors. Now, where are the brake pads I ordered? Rock Auto stiffed me on these
So, leave old pads on. Didn't need to use the brakes much anyway, I coast now.

All done.



The driver's side took over 6 hours to replace. The passenger side, just over 3 hours. Learning curve.. Of course it was 93 - 95 degrees out the whole time I was doing this.

[Caddylackn]

Of course you may ask, why the spindle had to come completely off the car? Just remove the hub with a puller and press the bearing off and on with the spindle in place like most front wheel drive cars. I have the bearing press tools to do this.

On the Passat, there is a big spring C clip on both sides of the spindle on either side of the bearing. It would be impossible, (or close to impossible) to get this C clip off the inside of the spindle with the spindle on, even if the front axle was pulled. If I had a lift, I might have been able to see this and get it off. There is not really enough meat on the bearing to use a bearing press that clears the C clip, so pressing this off through the back side of the spindle would not be possible without destroying the C clip.

With the spindle off the car, both C clips are removed and the bearing can be pressed out and on from either side. These C clips were thick and a total PIA to get off. I broke my C clip pliers doing this, they couldn't handle the force required.

[oil pan 4]

Yeah I moved up to a 3/4 drive impact.
It breaks them loose or breaks them off.

[Caddylackn]

With the maintenance done, I could now install the undertray. This will be in four sections.

Previously, I had installed some "framing" for the coroplast to screw to. It was framed on 48" centers and held away from the exhaust and moving components. The undertray will not cover the cat, but will cover the exhaust. I will install a diverter in the tunnel to deflect air from going down the exhaust pipe tunnel. The framing is steel firring framing pieces. They are straight and easily take sharp screws.





The four sections of undertray are:
From diffuser to the rear side of the sub frame,
from the nose to the front side of the sub frame,
then the sub frame cover (two pieces- one on either side of the cat.

I took the undertray 4' by 8' corroplast and sandwiched some metal sheet rock corner beading on both edges. Now I can screw the sides of the undertray to the framing and there is no danger of it pulling out of the coroplast.

Finished rear piece tied up under the diffuser. Attached to the metal support bar I previously installed.



and the front undertray tied to the bottom of the bumper neatly. The seam taped with Gorilla tape.



Now I can remove my hokey air dam made with 6" lawn edging. It would scrape.

[freebeard]

I took the undertray 4' by 8' corroplast and sandwiched some metal sheet rock corner beading on both edges.

It's a good write-up that might be helped with a detail illustration of the corner beading. What overlaps what?

The coroplast flutes run the length of the car?

[Caddylackn]

The sheet rock metal corner is folded over the edge of the coroplast and pinched/hammered flat. Like I did on the skirts, see the skirt bottom edge. Then this metal edge is screwed to the framing. I will take another picture under the car when I get home.







I used some contact cement on the edge too, but not really needed. When the metal wrapped edge is screwed to the framing it tightly grips the coroplast and can't pull out or pull the screw head through the coroplast.

The rest of the undertray is screwed to the framing with 1/2" truss head sharp pointed screws.