Date:         Sun, 12 Dec 2004 00:07:18 -0600
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: Struck Oil, Rebuilt CV's and a Tense Trip Home
Comments: To: jbrush@AROS.NET
In-Reply-To:  <200412120417.iBC4HsvS046682@deimos.aros.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Anonymous Digest wrote:

>>This has been my experience with rebuilt CVs - NOT WORTH THE MONEY!
>>Original, new, Lobro units will be slightly more expensive, but they last
>>literally 100X longer.
>>
>>
>
>--- and---
>
>
>
>>I wouldn't waste my time on rebuilts. For just a grunt more than $200
>>you can have four brand spanking new Lobro CV's, which if properly
>>installed, lubed and services routinely, will last just about forever. I
>>have them on mine 88 GL.
>>
>>
>
>Good info in this thread. Are these "Lobros" the ones I will get from our
>friendly vanagon list dealers?
>
>If not, where do I go to find them?
>
>If the new ones are just a tad past $200 for  a set of them, how much are
>rebuilts, and where are they. I have been 'shopping' the net this weekend,
>and not seen anything much cheaper than about $50 a piece, and the ones
>already on the shafts are very appealing.
>
>Thanks,
>
>John
>
>
I got my Lobros from Ken Wilford at Vanagain.com. I don't know the
brands the other fellows carry - whether they are the same or not.

Regards the rebuilt CV's. From my reading over several years, I
understand there is a heat treating issue related to the way the
re-builds are handled. I guess when they re-bore the bearing holes they
get hot, lose their temper,  and are not retreated. So they don't hold
up well against wear. That is my understanding. I could be wrong.

Another thing that doesn't thrill me about rebuilt CV's is that the
bearing holes are bored oversize and oversized bearings installed. The
problem I have is that the bearing system was engineered a certain way,
with certain size bearing and certain openings for bearings, oin order
to accomplish certain things. When these assemblies are overhauled and
oversizing starts, it changes the geometry in the the part, and leads to
wear and early failure.

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
Chelsea, AL