Fixing my 1976 X instead

MSiege

Patience is a virtue
Skipping the sale, jumping back in and replacing both master cylinders myself, after all.

Have a helpful step by step thread from many of you. First step is taking the steering wheel off. Should be simple but it won't budge. Any advice?

Thanks
 
Skipping the sale, jumping back in and replacing both master cylinders myself, after all.

Have a helpful step by step thread from many of you. First step is taking the steering wheel off. Should be simple but it won't budge. Any advice?

Thanks
I don't remove the steering wheel. I lower the steering column, but keep the wheel attached.
 
Yep... a quick and dirty solution...

1. Get some help.

2. Loosen, but DO NOT remove spline nut.

3. Squirt some PB Blaster or WD40 onto the splined shaft.

4. Gather up a good size hammer and a BRASS punch or, back off the but so that it is FLUSH with the end of the splined shaft.

5. Have the helper sit in Driver's seat and PULL on the wheel at 9 and 3 O'clock positions.

6. Whack the top of the spline with a couple of good whacks!

If it does not pop the wheel off (stopping at the backside of the nut and not hitting your helper in the face...) have the helper turn the wheel 90 degrees and try again. The helper can also kinda see-saw the wheel as well. Usually this will work after 2 or 3 tries and I have never had it fail for me. Much easier than a puller and there is NO damage to the shaft spline or the wheel itself.

Additional Tips:

1. After removing the seat, pad the seat tracks with a pillow or blanket.

2. Place on a hoist, or jack stands, or jack up one side only, so the dash is higher and easier to look under.

3. Retain the helper... no mechanical experience needed, to get you tools and drinks and Pizza and to just be there for you. (Beer, only AFTER work is done.

4. If any of the flare fittings are stuck... use the proper flaring wrenches, use a pair of vice-grips OVER the wrench, or use vice-grips themselves... at the FIRST sign of the wrench rounding off the nut. Easy to file down teeth marks later and reuse.

5. If doing both masters, pull the entire pedal assembly and rebuild on a bench.


HTH
 
Phound a foto:

Two studs are shared between the pedal box and the steering column, so lowering the column is required. There are some funny breakaway washer etc. holding the column in place, so take some photos before you undo any fastener.

Removing the wheel is optional, I have always left it on. Removing the column is also optional, a have always left it in place. After dropping the column, I keep it out of the way by suspending it from a stick of wood straddling the targa bar and the top of the windshield. Keep the wheel over towards the passenger side to allow room to maneuver.

DSCN1277m.jpg
 
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Good advice

Thanks very much. Will try without removing the wheel. Used WD40 and a rubber mallet already. Looks like it's never been removed before.

Great work picture, too!
 
You can also undo one of the U-joints and take out the steering wheel while it's still attached to the column (still have to undo the bolts holding the steering column to the dash). One of my cars I couldn't separate the wheel from the column to save my life... removed the entire column any time I needed to go under the dash for years.... Finally got the wheel off (destroying it in the process) when I parted the car, by using a ten-ton shop press to drive the shaft out of the wheel.
 
Ditto on leaving the wheel on. I undo the u joint and you can carefully just move it over the passenger footwell. Mark the u-joint before removal so when you put it back you don't end up with it off center
 
Top or bottom?

Do you guys disconnect at the first (top) or second (bottom) u joint? I'll have to take out the pedals to do both cylinders. Disconnecting closer to the firewall (bottom) seems like it leaves the most room to work on everything...
 
......3. Retain the helper... no mechanical experience needed, to get you tools and drinks and Pizza and to just be there for you. (Beer, only AFTER work is done.......

AFTER the work is done?

How the heck are you supposed to increase your supply of "pesky extra parts" if you don't start drinking beer until after the work is done??!!??!!
 
So far, so good

Plenty of room with steering suspended and no U joint disconnected. Thanks ng.

Royal pain to loosen the first clutch line. I swear it's been untouched since 1976! WD40, vice grips, new special flaring line wrench, finally came off. Thanks, Tony. Some damage to nut but once loose, a 13mm open wrench still slid on and turned nicely from some angles.

Rusted mounting bolts are next.

Oh boy, brake master and pedal assembly removal after that...




 
Wish I could help ya,

I'm not that far away. (2 hours) Looks like you're doing good though.
 
Still plugging away

Thinking about buying stock in WD40. A slow motion project here.

Here's a twist. Can't remove the mounting bolts without removing a side plate - see pictures. When I finally loosen the feed tubes from the brake cylinder will there be enough clearance to slide out the bolts? Or should I remove this plat anyway? It seems to have spring clips. Part of a/c and blower assembly. None of my manuals have a/c details.

Thanks for any comments...


 
Typically you'd remove the whole pedal assembly. Disconnect all brake lines (two to the fronts, one for the rears) and the clutch line. You already removed the nuts holding the top end of the pedal box (shared with the column). Then there are two more nuts holding the pedal box onto studs on the firewall.

This work is easier the higher up you can get the car. A set of ramps is good, high up on jack stands is better, a lift is as good as it gets.

The pedal assembly will hang by the supply hoses from the reservoirs. I drain the reservoirs first, then I unbolt them and move them over towards the middle of the cowl. Then I can pull the brake fluid supply hoses over towards the driver's side, out from the cowl into the frunk and push them through the firewall to get a bit of slack. Make a note of what hose goes where so you get them back in the right place.

This is a good time to replace the supply hoses if they are old. Make sure to use hose rated for brake fluid. Fuel hose won't work, PVC won't work etc. Our vendors sell blue cloth braided hose (EPDM?) that works; you can get the same stuff at VW dealers.

I put down a sheet of polyethylene plastic in the footwell before I start, in order to catch brake fluid spills. Home Depot sells rolls of polyethylene sheathing. You should not use PVC / vinyl, as brake fluid seeps right through.

When you go to put things back together again, don't tighten the bolts / nuts holding the cylinders to the pedal box before you have snugged up the brake hard lines. Leaving them loose allows you to wiggle the brake line connecting blocks a bit so that it is easier to get the flare nuts started. I find hat the clutch line is the hardest, as it binds easily. One trick I found is to leave the forward transverse bolt (the one holding the cylinders to the box) loose, and push the rearward one as far over towards the passenger's side as it goes. This will allow the clutch master to pivot on the forward bolt, and you can move it to an angle where it is easier to get the clutch flare nut started.
 
Anyone ever try Kroil? I've been using it on my old motorcycle projects and am about to dip my (new to me) rusty Scorpion in the stuff.:2c:
 
Yes.

Yes, I use Kroil but man, is it smelly. Actually I think I used it up, now use PB Blaster. Works about the same I think, but doesn't smell as bad.
 
It's all out...

Pedal assembly, both masters. Ended up pulling the junction boxes, too because those hard line connections cooperated better than the mess on top. Had to cut one soft line but I have new lines to put in.

My goal is new hydraulics from one end to the other...




 
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