T3: Re: Ball joint free play

[Steven Ayres <comwest@well.com>]

DavidLandsman=> inspections allow no more than 1/4 inch play in your 
     => ball joint. My fastback measured 30,000ths on all four. 

If you meant to say 30 thousandths, and if Maryland really allows 1/4 
inch(!!), he didn't fail you for the joints. 1/4 inch = 250 thousandths.

My experience isn't huge (five or six frontends), but I've never seen 
free play in a good balljoint. If it's loose, chuck it right away and 
get new. But you also say that the car handles well, and this would be 
pretty well impossible with bad balljoints.

[Just in case: balljoints are where the torsion arms connect to the 
hub assembly. Are we talking about the same thing?]

=> if I really should replace them now I would like any help on locating 
=> parts and I need to know if the ball joints on my 69 type III 
=> fastback are standard with other front disk VW's

I can't say with real authority, so check me on this, but I'm pretty 
sure they're the same for all Type 3s '67-'69 at least and probably up 
to the end of production.

And on another thread ...

NedG=> T34 squareback for sale

Some folks here might be surprised to hear that VW built at least one 
T34 fastback, but no squarebacks that I've ever heard of(If by some 
bizarre chance it *is* a T34 squareback, I want it!) In any case, yes, 
please get the phone number, I can pass it to the T34 club and we might 
find a home for it.

Steven Ayres, Prescott AZ
'66 KGhia 1600
Southwest Rep, VW Type 34 Karmann Ghia Registry