Date:         Thu, 22 Jun 2006 07:04:30 -0400
Reply-To:     David Bohannan <fjazzbass@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Bohannan <fjazzbass@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Rear wheel bearings going? How long have I got?
In-Reply-To:  <000001c695e5$bd161bf0$6400a8c0@masterpc>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

A brother of mine in his beetle had one of the aforementioned catastrophic
wheel bearing lockups...while driving through Atlanta proper (I-75).  The
road was in full blown construction (when is it not) and he ended up getting
wedged up against a concrete barrier...

His recommendation would be to do it now, too...even 20 years later, he
still tells that story with fear and trembling!

Dave
85 GL "Baby Bus"
85 "Goldy"

On 6/22/06, Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@optonline.net> wrote:
>
> A catastrophic wheel bearing failure is not fun. If you suspect a bad
> bearing, it needs to be checked or changed now. Waiting for failure will
> add the expense of having to replace the stub axle, wheel flange, and
> spacer sleeve. Having it fail away from home will also add the towing
> expense and being at some shops mercy. Of course there is always the
> locked wheel accident potential. Get it fixed before the trip.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of Jason Simpson
> Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 1:41 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Rear wheel bearings going? How long have I got?
>
> So, on a shorter road trip a couple of weeks ago, I began to notice a
> dull roar and a 'wuh-wuh-wuh' noise at lower speeds that varies with
> the rolling speed of the van. (In and out of gear.)
>
> In the following few days from my vantage point in the driver's seat,
> I placed it at the passenger-side front wheel bearing and ordered a
> replacement from Van Cafe. That weekend, I pulled that wheel, pounded
> out the old bearings, packed the new ones in some nice synthetic
> grease, pressed 'em in, and put it all back together. (It's somewhat
> of a scary realization now knowing what holds the front wheels on...
> :)
>
> The noise didn't stop.
>
> So I'm guessing I made a misdiagnosis and now I'm thinking it's the
> rear wheel bearings.
>
> I've put three or four hundred miles on it since I first noticed the
> roar and wuh-wuh noise. The roar doesn't seem particularly worse since
> then. I do notice that the roar is a bit louder (or a bit grindier?)
> in tight turning in the Fred Meyer parking lot.
>
> I have to think (and hope) it's not the CV joints -- those are
> basically brand new from Go Westy, maybe 500 miles old, and should
> still have plenty of axle grease in them.
>
> Does it sound rear-bearingy? Bad set of CVs?
>
> I'm planning to depart next week on a 2000 mile, two-week roadtrip.
> Think whatever it is will go completely before I get back?
>
>   -jrs
>



--
Dave - KC9FYM
http://fjazzbass.blogspot.com