US Dollars
Airkewld PRO Guide · #AirkewldArmy
Classic VW Rear Axle Identification
Information. Data. Assumption. Ordering twice. Skip the last two. Before you buy wheels, tires, or a brake kit for the rear of your Classic VW, you need to know exactly which axle, spline, and bearing housing combo your car is running. This guide — and the video walkthrough below — gets you there.
Why This Matters
Order without measuring and you’ll find out the hard way: wheels that won’t fit. Brand-new tires that rub. A disc brake kit that has to ship back. Educate yourself first — then invest in your build with confidence.
Watch the PRO Walkthrough
Full video covering measurement, configurations, and what to look for.
What Year Is Your VW?
Pick your year range to see the stock US-spec configuration. Click to expand.
1949–1965 Beetle Short Axle / Short Spline
Stock configuration: Short Axle, Short Spline.
| Total Axle Length | 26 5/8″ |
| Spline Length | 2″ (53 mm) |
| Bearing Housing Length | 3 7/16″ (87 mm) |
1966–1967 Beetle Long Axle / Short Spline
Stock configuration: Long Axle, Short Spline.
| Total Axle Length | 27 7/8″ |
| Spline Length | 2″ (53 mm) |
| Bearing Housing Length | 4 5/8″ (117 mm) |
1968 Beetle Long Axle / Long Spline
Stock configuration: Long Axle, Long Spline.
| Total Axle Length | 28 3/8″ |
| Spline Length | 2 5/8″ (68 mm) |
| Bearing Housing Length | 4 5/8″ (117 mm) |
Note: These are stock US-spec configurations. Cars get modified, swapped, and rebuilt — always measure to confirm.
Side-by-Side Measurement Reference
Pull out the tape and compare. If your numbers don’t match a stock config, your car has been swapped at some point.
| Configuration | Total Axle Length | Spline Length | Bearing Housing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short Axle / Short Spline 1949–1965 stock |
26 5/8″ | 2″ / 53 mm | 3 7/16″ / 87 mm |
| Long Axle / Short Spline 1966–1967 stock |
27 7/8″ | 2″ / 53 mm | 4 5/8″ / 117 mm |
| Long Axle / Long Spline 1968 stock |
28 3/8″ | 2 5/8″ / 68 mm | 4 5/8″ / 117 mm |
Why These Numbers Matter
Knowing exactly what you have lets you order the right brake kit, the right wheels, and tells the PROs at Airkewld what to spec when you call. No guessing. No returning. No ordering twice.
PRO Tip — Narrowing the Rear for Style
Long-to-Short Conversion
If your 1966–1968 car came with long axles, you can swap to a short-axle setup — axles, tubes, and bearing caps — and pull the rear track in by 1.25″ (32 mm).
Why bother? Deeper-dish wheels in the rear. More aggressive stance. Better visual flow front-to-rear. It’s a PRO-favorite move when style is on the build sheet.
Help Us Build the Non-US Database
Stock configurations vary by market. The PROs are gathering real-world data on non-US-spec Type 1 Beetles — and we need the #AirkewldArmy’s help.
If your car is apart, bored, or you just measured it, send us what you found. We’ll add it to the reference here so the next builder doesn’t have to guess.
Confirmed Non-US Configurations
- 1962 South African LHD Beetle — Long Axle / Long Spline
Got data to add? Email help@airkewld.com with your year, market, and measurements.
Talk to a PRO
Measured your car and still not sure what fits? Send the numbers our way and the Airkewld PROs will spec the right wheels, brakes, or rear-end combo for your build — the first time.
Built on 24+ years of Classic VW rear-end experience at Airkewld. Measure once, order once. #AirkewldArmy