Date:         Sat, 9 Mar 2002 11:28:46 -0800
Reply-To:     Edward Nutter <eanutter@POSTOFFICE.PACBELL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Edward Nutter <eanutter@POSTOFFICE.PACBELL.NET>
Subject:      Re: New mystery. Faint rumble from right side of van
Comments: To: developtrust <developtrust@COX.NET>
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=us-ascii

developtrust wrote:

>This is a serious inquiry since it seems the Friday humor came early on
>Thursday with over 200 plus messages that shut down the server. Incredible!
>
>Today I noticed a new but faint rumble from the right side of my van. I
>can't quite determine its location. Front, middle of van or rear? Right
>front might mean wheel bearing? Right rear might mean a CV joint going bad.
>
A CV joint "going" bad will click.  A CV joint "gone" bad will click and
rattle.  Nice thing about the VW design is that bad, irrepairable CV
joints will run for hundreds or even thousands of miles if fed some
grease occasionally.  They''re noisy, but they won't fail and strand
you.  Another nice thing is that you can replace just the bad joint, not
the entire half-shaft.
The point here is that a "rumble" will not be a CV joint.

>
>
>The sound is very faint and seems to occur between 45 & 60 MPH and not
>always present.
>
>If it isn't one thing it is another.
>
>The good news is that my oil pump replacement has fixed the oil leak there.
>
>But now this new mystery rumble. CVs were service 4,000 miles ago. Could the
>new springs and alignment have put different pressure on the wheel bearings?
>Could 1/4 inch of height on the rear end have affected the CVs?
>
No.  CV joints can absorb with aplomb angular changes far greater than
that generated by 1/4" of ride height.  One of the things I like about
my van is the way it handles the rough back roads in Mexico vs. any
other vehicle I've ridden down in, including some 4wd SUV type critters.
 That treatment is a far tougher test of a CV joint than the 1/4" you
mention.
Wheel bearings are a different matter as the camber will change
slightly.  However, 1/4" is VERY slight.  Put a couple of people in the
back seat and the suspension will deflect that much.  Couldn't hurt to
check the bearing grease and torque on that big axel nut.

>
>
>Any ideas?
>
>William Polowniak
>1989 Vanagon GL
>1988 Mercedes 300 SE
>