if I remember correctly ..
going back together ....I get the stub axle inserted/pressed into the
housing thru inner bearing and seal ..
then I pretty much fill that housing area with my preferred grease (
probably more than most people or the book says to use..but I have seen
dozens and dozens of dry CV joints and bearing housings and bearings on
vanagons ) ..
then put the spacer in,
then the inner bearing and seal.

In no case ever has there been an issue about putting the spacer through
a hole too small for it.

as far as I know..there is only one version of 'Vanagon rear axle
housing' ..
whether air-cooled, diesel, waterboxer, Syncro etc..
from 1980 to 1991.
at least every one I've ever touched has been the same.

I've found it to be a potentially very tricky job ..
using a ( cost like 100 bucks at a discount tool store
..made in Taiwan ...about 25 yrs ago ..handy inexpensive Shop Press to
have around ) ..

  I've had the stub axle get a tiny, tiny bit cocked, causing a problem
, and had to back up and start over.
I've seen it hard to get high quality bearings ..
like I say 'not from you know what country' and they still send those ,
lol.

I've read about guys on here replacing the rear bearings and having they
go out in a short while ..like months ..for no reason.
So do very, very careful work ..
it might even be worth it to have a machine shop do the pressing .

Done right with quality parts and good grease...
it can last 10+ years like the originals did.  Many in use are still
original I suspect.

That's another Great Thing about Vanagons ..
you almost never think about Wheel Bearings ..
even if the fronts, for example,  never get checked or serviced in
decades....just amazing.

it's always a fiddly job I think ..
requiring patience and careful work.

On 8/17/2015 7:12 AM, Gene P wrote:
> Scott,
>
> That snap ring is on the inside bearing and it's the outside one that
> Reverend Bentley says to remove first.  Anyway, yes I had that out and also
> the stub axle.  There must have been models where that spacer fit through
> the opening with the inner race (of outer bearing) removed but not mine.
>
> After looking through Alistair's dandy photo essay, I reversed field and
> went after the inner bearing instead.  Still I had to bang at it with
> various SDMs (screwdrivers that don't matter), the only thing I had skinny
> enough to fit.  Eventually I got more movement of the spacer which opened
> enough room for a proper drift.  So problem solved, but it's an ugly job,
> must be a better way...
>
> gp
>
> On Mon, Aug 17, 2015 at 12:37 AM, SDF ( aka ;jim lahey' - Scott ) <
> scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>
>> I don't see mention of a very large snap ring that's in there.
>>
>> did you get the stub axle out first ?
>>
>> On 8/16/2015 3:55 PM, Gene P wrote:
>>
>> How do I disassemble these buggers?  (87 Wolfsburg)
>>
>> I found this puzzle three years ago when I did CV joints, and got around it
>> then by just packing new grease and not disassembling.  Now I need to
>> replace a bearing.
>>
>> With bearing case on the bench, Bentley says: remove seals, slip out inner
>> race of outer bearing, slip out spacer, flip over bearing case and knock
>> out the outer race with a punch.  ... But that can not be done!  Inner race
>> falls out, but that spacer is a wider diameter than the hole in the bearing
>> it would have to pass through, even with the inner race removed.
>>
>> Maybe this could be done on earlier models??? but on this one, that spacer
>> is not coming out without one of the bearings coming out first.  And the
>> spacer prevents a clean shot with a punch.  So I'm looking at a big hammer
>> and ugly destruction ... is there a better way to get these apart?
>>
>>
>>
>>