The way that I did mine was to disconnect the tie rod end.  Doing that
allows the wheel to move over it's full range of motion and allowing you to
get to the nut with an open end wrench.  It is torqued on pretty tight, so
it will take a bit of tugging.  After that is done, remove the two bolts
that hold the calipers on and the whole assembly comes right off.  When
done, make sure to torque everything back to specs, don't want anything to
fall off while driving :,>

Pete
peterz@gte.net
83.5 Vanagon
-----Original Message-----
From: Ian Cameron <ianc@UVIC.CA>
To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM <Vanagon@VANAGON.COM>
Date: Thursday, July 23, 1998 7:04 AM
Subject: Wheel bearings or brakes

>I posted a question to the list a couple of days ago asking how to remove
>the nut that joins the upper control arm to the steering knuckle so I could
>remove the caliper and get at my wheel bearings.  I talked to a local
>mechanic who does a lot of VW work (he had 15 on his lot or in the air when
>I spoke to him) and his advice is to take off the brake line.  The nut is a
>bear to get at.  "Besides," he said, "You can't change the fluid too
often."