Date:         Mon, 6 May 2002 10:26:30 -0400
Reply-To:     jbrush@AROS.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Brush <jbrush@AROS.NET>
Subject:      Looking for cause of clanking beneath front end
In-Reply-To:  <3.0.3.32.20000826143713.006d3160@mail.bmi.net>

I am aware of how many things it could possibly be, but as I am about to
go spend the day beneath my 81 air cooled, I figure to see if anyone wants
to venture a guess, or has had such a problem. I am thankful that its free
to at least ask this stuff around here. :-)

The sound is more of a clank than a clunk <g> and it doesn't happen on
every bump. I don't "feel" it in the steering, and the ride hasn't changed
at all.

I have had several people ride with me to see if they can detect where it
is coming from, and none of them have pointed to the area under their
butt, which is where I would expect to hear bad control arm bushings, tie
rod ends, etc. Instead, it sounds more like it comes from beneath the
passenger's feet. I could be convinced the spare tire was flopping around,
but I checked, and its not lose. I just went through inspection, so I have
doubts its the ball joints, but of course it could be. I raised the wheels
off the ground and used a long bar to see if there was any slop in the up
and down motions and came up with nothing. A cursory shaking of the
suspension parts showed me nothing unusual, but its certainly there, and
sounds expensive :-)

Its hard to find clanks and clunks just by looking since I cannot move the
suspension like a bumpy road does, so I am just gonna go under there and
check around. Any words of wisdom or experience in what and how to look
for would be much appreciated.

Funny how the van runs great all spring and now that its camping time,
stuff is starting to happen to it. <sigh>

Thanks very much,

John