Date: Fri, 9 Apr 2004 14:59:27 -0500
Reply-To: Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: CV joint noise problem and simple greasing fix
In-Reply-To: <002301c41e65$4edb94c0$0601a8c0@computer>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I hate to let a potential 'one-upsmanship' situation pass me by without
casting my opinions at the group.
Over the past 10 years that I've;
#1) Owned VW Vans.
#2) Done all my own repairs.
#3) Not made any car notes. (Sure hated to see those five cars get
repossessed)
#4) Not purchased other than Liability Insurance.
#5) I have bought and restored / repaired and sold about six VW vans.
In each situation I found opportunities to 'get creative' on solving simple
problems involving lubrication of various bearings. In this process I've
developed simple, cheap, tubing or other devices to allow lubrication of
front wheel bearings, rear axle bearings, front shifter linkage, tie rod
ends, ball joints, rack and pinion steering lube etc. etc.
It's just always been my call as to whether the job was worth the labor time
or a few bucks to eliminate the labor factor.
I've found that most things that work with my VW projects also work on my
Ford and GM projects as well.
If you got a $100.00 idea that only cost $1.00 like to plastic pipe or the $
00.98 hobby tubing you should post it here.
Stan Wilder
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Claudio Cella
Sent: Friday, April 09, 2004 2:03 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: CV joint noise problem and simple greasing fix
Just as an add on to the brass tube solution
................................... i found that some of that grey plastic
tubing used to run your air tools from a compressor works quite well. Get a
piece the length you need, screw in a regular grease nipple in one end and
there you go. I found the tubing to be stiff enough to slide in between the
boot lip and axle shaft without being crushed and pliable enough for it to
gently bend in order to direct the grease where you want it internally.
Claudio Cella
87 Vanagon GL 7 pass
90 Jetta TD
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stan Wilder" <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, April 09, 2004 11:11 AM
Subject: Re: CV joint noise problem and simple greasing fix
> Actually the idea of the 8" long by 1/8" or smaller diameter tube and
> sliding it along the axle, while holding the boot gap open with a small
> screwdriver is simply to avoid starting a hole in the boot.
> Your method will work just fine, I just found the brass hobby tube could
> reach into the bearing cage area where I wanted to put the grease.
>
> Stan Wilder
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
> Of Jim Felder
> Sent: Friday, April 09, 2004 11:40 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: CV joint noise problem and simple greasing fix
>
>
> Somebody on the list suggested going to a FLAPS and buying the injector
> needle made on one end like a grease fitting. It just pops into the
> grease nozzle on the gun. The needle penetrates the rubber boot easily
> and the hole self-seals so that no grease comes flying out from
> centrifugal force when driving. It's worked well for me.
>
> Jim
> On Apr 8, 2004, at 8:20 PM, developtrust wrote:
>
> > I suspected a problem with my CV joints recently. The rear passenger
> > side
> > began to clunk when cold and much faster as I increased speed. I
> > noticed
> > this mostly at night when there was less traffic noise.
> >
> > I contacted Stan Wilder to refresh my memory about his small grease gun
> > custom nozzle and the kind of grease to use. If anyone wants a photo
> > of the
> > grease gun and the tools I used pmail me. Thank God I used rubber
> > gloves to
> > do the job. That CV grease is the messiest material I've ever worked
> > with
> > and hard as can be to clean.
> >
> > I searched everywhere for those Multi-Purpose Molybdenum grease
> > cartridges
> > used in the small grease gun and was told they were discontinued.
> > Rather
> > than keep searching locally or order it on the Internet for a high
> > cost and
> > additional shipping charges I had a stroke of luck. My old, small hand
> > held
> > grease gun had an empty cartridge still in it. I cleaned the grease
> > gun and
> > empty cartridge with gasoline and spooned into the empty cartridge
> > some Red
> > Line CV grease I had in a 14 OZ container I bought last year. Perfect
> > solution.
> >
> > I had to use an awl under the CV boot ends to allow the 1/8 inch
> > tubing to
> > go inside where I pumped about 30 squirts of grease per CV joint as
> > Stan had
> > recommended. I positioned the tip of the grease gun applicator around
> > several locations inside the boot, then used a plastic tie to tighten
> > the
> > boot around the axel. I then massaged the boot trying to force the
> > grease
> > toward the CV joints. I hope this worked.
> >
> > A temporary maintenance until I can replace the CV axels with rebuilt
> > ones
> > or disassemble, clean and re-grease them myself. I don't think I can
> > trust a
> > dealer or mechanic to do it properly.
> >
> > Thank you Stan for the tips, the idea and the simple solution for a
> > messy
> > job.
> >
> > William
> >
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