Noobie w/914
 

I just picked up a 74 914 today! It's a 1.8 that needs some work, but is fairly solid and complete. It's been 20 years since my last 914, so I'm still pretty lost at this point!

The car desperately needs front wheel bearings, and I've sourced some locally, but I dont yet have a service manual, so I've got a novice-type question: how does one remove the bearing cap to access the bearings? And, where can I get a service manual?

TIA!

You can get a service manual, as well as most of the parts you need, here at Pelican Parts!
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/9144/POR_9144_documt_pg1.htm

I use the Haynes manual most of the time. It is dirt cheap (<$20) and has about 85% of the material from the $300+ factory manuals. In fact, most of the text and pictures are lifted directly from the factory books.

Frankly, the Haynes isn't the best automotive manual in the world (I've seen much better ones for modern Hondas, for instance) but it doesn't get a lot better than that.

Other people like the Clymer manual (now reprinted as the Lash manual) but I prefer Haynes.

You remove the front bearing caps by using any methods you can, short of explosives. Usually some form of pry-bar is used. On my car, I am lucky enough to be able to grab the cap with my biggest pair of channel-lock pliers, then wiggle and wiggle them back and forth until the cap lets go. That method has not worked on too many 914s or 911s that I've tried it on--probably only a quarter of them--but if it does, it's a lot easier than trying to pry them off.

--DD

Congrats on your new toy. They're a lot of fun to drive...but they do require some TLC, of course what car wouldn't that's 30 + years old. I have a 74 914 1.8 as well that I recently picked-up and am working on. It had been 25 years since my last 914.
The dust cap concealing the wheel bearings is just pressed into its cavity. Behind the cap is a clamping nut fastened by an allen bolt. After removing the nut and thrust washer, remove wheel hub/brake disc assembly. "To do this, lay the wheel hub assembly over a clean cloth. Tap the lower bearing out from the inside with a hard-wood stick and a hammer. Turn the wheel hub over. Tap the other bearing out in the same manner. Do not mix up bearings. Note: In some cases it may be necessary to separate the hub from the disc to remove the bearings. Mark the relationship between the two, then remove bolts joining them."

Manual: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6968907147&category=26 8

Thanks guys!

Dave, I'm sure I'll be calling on you guys for alot of stuff in the future (this car is gonna need it).

Dave you crack me up... I can just see Wyle Coyote sneaking away from a 914 with a dynamite plunger in his hands, while coiled wires dangle back to the TNT attached to the bearing caps...