Date:         Thu, 8 Nov 2001 22:53:10 -0500
Reply-To:     Doug Jones <duge4wd@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Doug Jones <duge4wd@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Organization: Microsoft Corporation
Subject:      Re: bad bearing?  what's it cost?

Joel Walker wrote:

<snip> in all seriousness, try rotating the wheels/tires front-to-back and
> drive 300 miles (doesn't have to be in one day or one week or even one
> trip ... just wait 300 miles to check).

<snip> i didn't believe it, either, when told this by a tire guy ... but i
> did it and it worked. i'd wasted a lot of time trying to find the
> source of the noise and never could. he said it was worse with radial
> tires.

It will work if your tires are wearing unevenly or becoming cupped, can't
remember if it is due to the alignment or tire balance but it can happen to
lots of cars...I did this with my GF's mother's Acura.

I thought it was a bad bearing, but I gave the rotation a try. Got rid of
the noise and the minor shake in the wheel. It never came back, had the
tire/wheel units checked for balance much later and they were fine, the
tires just had some uneven edge wear.

Doug
Almost a vanagon owner, but not quite yet.
I do have 3 '74 SuperBeetles at present to feed my habit.