Volkswagen Club of Pakistan (VWCOP)

[au]

all.

during the past week i had my beetle rims re-done. de-rust, total paint off, buffing and then re-painted. the issue that i would like some input on is wheel balancing. since there was a fair amount of rust on the insides of the wheels and behind, i took the previously attached weights off.

with the advent of modern technology, machine wheel balancing has taken over and most wheel walas now work with this modern machinery. most rims have a 2 inch diameter hole in the middle, to which the machinery is meant to work with. the beetle hole in the beetle rim is quite huge and doesnt fit any of the new machines. the older ways of balancing wheels are hardly done anymore i dont know of any place where i can get this done.

i talked to khalid saab in rawalpindi, he told me of a manual way to do it at home. it is simple but not very accurate to say the least. there is a shop called abid alignment in pindi who has had a steel mould made specifically for beetles, but that is because he gets many to work on.

has anyone in karachi, more specifically, gotten their stock beetle wheels balanced? and where exactly from? if someone also knows of where i can get beetle wheels balanced, it would be a great help.

pardon me for the long-ish tirade, but a little back story never hurt anyone.

[AsadIshaque]

@ safeershah

Please check the thread and contribute, you can place any for sale VW parts info there.

https://www.pakwheels.com/forumreply_az_TopicID!66661~ForumID!10~pw.html

@ Psyborg

Thats a neat animated version of the faithful flat four!

Where did you get it from????

@ au

Good to note the progress. I like detailed descriptions just like the one you posted. Keep it up. Gives good info.

As far as I know, no one is offering balancing for the 5 lug rims in karachi. Its funny and sad at the same time since all it requires is an adapter plate for the balancing machine.

I suspect your particular car's rims were balanced in Pindi on the same machine you mentioned. Your bug was rebuilt in Pindi isnt it?

I have yet to see any balancing weights attached to the Karachi based bugs' 5 lug rims. Good 5 lug rims are getting hard to find, thanks to the tire puncture shops who hammer the living crap put of rim edges while getting the tubes out.

Lets see......I think we all should ask around and hound all tyre shops in our reach for this service. If anyone has any luck please post here.

Btw, have you tried Akbar road, the wholesale area of tyre sale??? I think that could bring some luck. In fact it may be our best bet!

Have you had any luck finding the front beam parts yet??? Please visit the link given above and post your wishlist there and contribute to the thread.

It would be nice if you can tell us of your future tinkering plans on your bug in advance here. For example had you told you'd be painting the rims, I would have advised you against taking the current weights off until and unless you had a local balancing shop in sight.

Please share Khalid ustaads home brewed method of balancing the 5 lugs here with us.

Best regards to all.

[romano]

@Asad, AU took off the weights to get a neat paint finish. Besides, the weights are put on to balance any imperfections in the tyre (usually), not the rim... Perhaps we should start buying up all good 5 lug rims from the market before thay become as rare as .. what.. the term escapes me Fridges in Eskimo land?

[AsadIshaque]

@ romano

I gathered that! I think weights are for BOTH the tyre and rim imperfections which is why the process is done with the two together and not individually.
Tyre imprefections may compensate or worsen rim imperfections, depends on your luck which ever way the tyre is put on the rim.

Buying the 5 lugs is a good idea!! Already on it since I need a good set of solids for the ragtop. Pops planning to kick me out of the house is another story!!

[psyb0rg]

@romano, did you think the doc isn't collecting 'em already?

[au]

romano. true that. couldnt have got the "factory look" without taking everything down.

asad. basically what khalid saab told me was to put the wheels onto any one of the more free-er front drums and roll the tyres by hand. when the tyre stops rolling, the point that is due south will be the heavier. this wasnt very easy to put into practice, because first of all, the wheels arent that free to begin with and secondly, i did not get any exact point due south that was same more than once. so i couldnt really work that one out. the tyre galli that you mention was what i was thinking of myself aswell. will have a look there, lets see what transpires.

[psyb0rg]

@au, I think my mechanic once mentioned a guy who balances VW wheels. Will ask him and let you know.

[Storm]

oval window type 1's, twin delorto carbs, 1303's, safari windows it's like VW thread heaven

[romano]

@All, will be looking to buy parts for a 64 bug soon, so give me your lists of 'for sale' stuff..

[safeershah]

@Asad

I think its time to sell your bug to me, your denter is not intrested to complete the job anymore thats y he ran away
jokes apart did you spare some time to search the bug I think sajid can help u

[AsadIshaque]

@ all

Since au was 'in the market' looking for a tyre shop that would balance the earlier pre 1967 5 lug rims, I asked Mr Sajid a famous VW mech about some leads.

He had told me that the best/only place to go to would be Lawrence road.

Communicated the info to au who went there but had no luck. Au please share your experience here.

@romano

Please post your wishlist on the thread 'VW spare parts'

https://www.pakwheels.com/forumreply.asp?TopicID=66661&ForumID=10

@ safeershah

Newsflash!! My denter is back!! And to make things 'interesting' for me HE is now more keen than myself to finish the project!!

Met him today and InshAllah we will dive into the work full steam after the Muharram holidays.

The ragtop will be 'not for sale' for ever!! As discussed with you on SMS it would go to my kids! The idea of adopting you is under consideration!!

I did not get what you said about sajid......are you suggesting I ask for parts?? Not clear on this.

Best regards.

[funkycapricorn]

For all Beetle fans and especially Asad Bhai:

My Beetle can be viewed on this link:

https://www.pakwheels.com/forumreply_az_TopicID!67026~ForumID!1~pw.html

[AsadIshaque]

An interesting ad indeed!

A notchback!! Not something we see everyday.

https://www.pakwheels.com/xt_details.asp?CarId=31865

[AsadIshaque]

@ au

Where are you?? Please post your expereince with the 'balancing act' and also update us on your bug.

[AsadIshaque]

Before the advert disappears Ill take the liberty of posting the pics:

For full details check this:
https://www.pakwheels.com/xt_details.asp?CarId=31865

[Storm]

@asad
indeed it's nice but the guy seems a little confused,.. he states the exterior colour as grey????

[romano]

@Asad, I have seen this car at the Dawn car show 2004. Its a piece of #$%@. Originally red, someone has gone and painted it this hideous yellow. The black accents are new. Mechanically its a -5 and just about EVERYTHING needs a total redo, including the frame (no floor to speak of) and, wait for this, its got a non original carb!
Nuff said?

[Storm]

so what's he asking all that money for? dried/cracked filler isn't worth it's weight even as scrap...

[Haider53]

[romano]

Hello all, Posting these pics as info. I had a frame off done on the Beetle, put in a new body to frame gasket, painted/repaired the floorpan, and then made the mistake of applying the (then new to the market) black rubber(tar?) sound deadening panels. They looked ok for a while, but hardened rock solid later. The underside of the car got bruised by a rock some time last year, cracking the panels. I didnt think much of it then, however, lately, I realised water was getting trapped underneath, killing the floor. So, here you see Babar hammering away at the panels (they shattered much like a broken saucer), the car was then cleaned and repainted in Red Oxide. A coat of black paint will go on later this week, but meanwhile the interior looks like a ZibbaKhana!
The other project (Aussie) Beetle is visible in the shot, awaiting a frame off.