Jim, Eric and List,

Thanks for your help.  This solves the mystery shim/spacer problem.  Like Eric, I also have the spacers on the front axles (inner side of CV of course)  but  from memory, they are slightly differant that the rear ones.  I don't know or care why.   Thanks again!

Andrew Martin
'87 Vanagon GL Syncro
165K
Stratton, Maine
deandrew@tdstelme,com

----------
> Well, after speaking with my contact at VOA, this spacer/shim was obsoleted
> many, many years ago for the rear axles, as the so-called engineers (ha) at
> VW decided it was not needed when serving the joints.
>
> Apparently Wassers from 83.5 through about 88 had them installed originally
> and the pieces were available only in the CV Boot Kit or the CV Joint &
> Boot Kit.  It has since been dropped from the components of either kit.  I
> checked my 84 Westy, but there's no spacer/shims on mine either (trans was
> replaced several years ago by original owner at VW, so they could have just
> left them off when servicing the joints at the time [they were replaced too]).
>
> In studying the film a little closer, it notes that the crescent spacers (3
> of them on one joint) that the CV Bolts go through (211-501-357) on the
> outside of the joint/boot is for models with 14" tires.  Now there's
> another mystery - if the Syncro came with 15" or 16" tires, what would be
> used in it's place?  The film(s), nor my contact at VOA could say.
> Probably for markets outside North America (remember where that is Chris?)..;)

>
> Erik is correct in that there are spacer/shims on the front inner CV's
> (251-407-295 - VW gets $17.45 each).
>
>
> Jim Thompson
> 84 Westy 2.1 * 62 Beetle * 90 Fox Wagon
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