What would cause one axle to lock up?

[MinamiKotaro]

I drove the Bug home from work, parked it, now BOOM the driver's side rear axle is locked up completely. The engine won't even move the car; the right tire just starts spinning on the concrete.

This isn't a brake problem. I backed the shoes off as far as they'd go, still locked up.

[david58]

swing or irs?

[Marc]

...This isn't a brake problem. I backed the shoes off as far as they'd go, still locked up.

May be true, but you won't know conclusively until the drum is off (something could have come apart in there that's keeping the drum from turning even with the adjusters backed off).

Anything special about the differential, or is it all stock?

[MinamiKotaro]

Swingaxle.

4-spider diff.

I'm going to take the drum off tomorrow. You are probably right. Something must have broken inside when I applied the parking brake and gotten wedged between one shoe and the drum.

[Piledriver]

I've had the shoes rust onto the drums/freeze up in wet climates after a week.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

What kind of 4 spider diff? There are two styles as far as I know, the Superdiff and the Beef-a-diff with the latter being more problematic from what I understand. Overly simplified; it is a bolt in conversion adding a second set of spiders to the two spider diff that is stock with most VWs while the Superdiff is a whole new carrier and is stronger. A picture of the Beef-a-diff conversion parts: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/ ... id=1197983

Lee

[MinamiKotaro]

It's a Superdiff from Weddle. Most of the trans is made of Weddle parts.

[MinamiKotaro]

The metallic brake shoes has rusted to the drums. Nice to know my trans is good.