Modern Vespa

With my Rally project on pause momentarily, I thought I'd catch up on some basic maintenance on my Allstate… adjust cables, R&R leaking rear hub seal, brake pads. Some nice, lite, easy stuff…. Well after two unproductive nights, I figured I might as well start a thread.

First night I made it as far as the rear hub nut; with my brakes full of oil, I couldn't figure out how to immobilize the rear wheel. So put everything back together.

Second night, put a rather large human on the buddy seat, was able to get the hub nut off. Found the shoes and drum an oily sludgy mess.

Shoes just GOOEY

Brake drum damaged

Back plate junked

I figured I need to replace the back plate and the drum,?but at least I could replace the seal… WRONG…

I found this video, I'm guessing from our very own Chandlerman, but this technique did not work for me.

So I ended up putting all the shoddy parts back together and guess have another crack at it on my next day off.

How bout taking the clip out before trying to undo nut?

This clip?

That be it.

I removed that clip before attempting to remove the retaining nut.

I can't recall if that has left handed threads or not. Also, ScooterWest sells a custom deep socket made specifically for removing that thing....

Yeah it's reverse threaded

The only tool I found over at scooterwest was this one

https://www.scooterwest.com/vintage-rear-seal-castle-nut-tool-gs160-ss180-toolcastle.html

Yeah, I just went over there and looked myself. I'll take s picture of it tomorrow. It allows you to get to that castellated nut without taking out the axle.

Oh, thx man.

I'm gonna give it another shot tomorrow, this time lay it down, pull the exhaust so I can get a better angle of attack. Maybe try heating it w/ a torch.

I can't be getting bogged down w/ this Allstate, I need get my Rally finished, so I can start working on my OTHER Allstate

How's your Spanish?
"Always, always, always use the tool."

Here's the tool...

I wonder why it's not on their website?

Those seem impossible to find these days. Who's the manufacturer?

I haven't found, and have yet to see on the market, a dedicated rear axle nut tool like the one used at the 2:05 mark.

I'm guessing it's a steering/fork nut wrench?

It's a good little video, I've not dealt with this type yet but it's a good explanation of why not to bash it out with a screwdriver.

Well… laid the bike on its side, pulled the exhaust and the rear wheel, hit the housing the nut sits in w/ a torch for about 20 seconds, tried it again w/ chandler's method, and it wouldn't budge. I'm gonna be pretty dismayed if I end up having to truck it up to the scooter shop for this stupid nut.

Buy the tool?

Buy the tool that only works with the driveshaft removed? Then split cases to remove the driveshaft? Then use the tool i bought? And then start reassembly?

That just doesn't sound like the way I want to go with this.

The scooterwest tool is on sip…

9 prong, 46.9mm seems the same size.

Towing it to the garage, then paying them for their time. Dunno which works out better for you. And you have the other vbb to work on right? At least you have the tool to deal with that too.

Could you add 2 flats on outside of tool, so you can turn it with a spanner?

This one:

https://www.scooter-center.com/en/castle-nut-wrench-rear-wheel-bearing-vespa-oe-49mm-slots-9-vespa-vna1t-vna2t-vnb1t-vnb2t-vnb3t-vnb4t-vnb6t-vba1t-vba2t-vbb1t-vbb2t-vespa-super-125-vnc1t-super-150-vnb1t-153261-gl-vla1t-gt-vnl1t-sprint-vnl2t-30001-76107-gt-1800018

This one looks like the axle can fit through the tool. Very nice!

Sorry if I came across a lil snarky, I was really approaching my limit of frustration last night. I measured the nut, and it looks like it's 49mm at the outer diameter. It does indeed have 9 slots. Not sure if that SIP tool would work. Maybe the 46.9mm is the inside measurement?

I have actually considered buying a tool and modifying it.

AWESOME! Thanks dude! How did you even find that? I did HELLA google searches…

At about 1am last night I pretty much gave up on that castle nut and decided to just carefully pry out the old seal with a screwdriver. Got the old seal out intact. Put the new seal in place. Used the old seal as a buffer between the new seal and the metal sleeve from my crank too (which was pretty much a perfect fit), and tapped it into place.

Super awesome idea. I'm glad I thought of it. All by myself. Without it having been suggested by a longtime member in good standing here. Who lives in the Seattle area. And whose name rhymes with "who do". Cough cough. Yep.

And in with the new

Nah, all good.

I just know that using the right tool can save the stress. And usually you'll need the tool in the future (that's unless you don't own the bike no more, or any vbbs).

Yes.

I am 100% on board with this line of thinking! I'll definitely be acquiring the tool in the future.

Got a package today from our boy Voodoo… the man of the hour!

Looks like I can start getting this bike back to a rideable state. With brakes that actually work!

Got the drum voodoo sent me cleaned up, then hit the braking surface with some sandpaper. Had a little trouble getting it seated properly on the hub, but found that putting the drum on the hub then putting the wheel on and torquing down the lug nuts did the trick.

The inside surface of the hub that makes contact with the seal was slightly scored in a couple spots, so I spent about 30min polishing it with a rag and some grinding compound. Nice and smooth now. New brake shoes installed.

Got the rear hub buttoned up, and proceeded to replace front brake shoes, or attempted to, I should say. Lot of corrosion up front. PB blaster and some heat got the lug nuts off, but the screws that retain the drum to hub were a whole other breed of obstinate. Soaked em for a couple hours with PB Blaster, heated the beejesus out them with a torch, and gave em a couple whacks with a hammer, after which ONE of them surrendered to my efforts. The other screw wouldn't budge. It was getting a little late to be pounding and cursing in the driveway, so that's where I left it.