Date:         Mon, 13 Aug 2007 10:06:41 -0700
Reply-To:     Steven Smith <kewsps@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steven Smith <kewsps@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Front wheel bearings
In-Reply-To:  <002201c7ddab$ce3b7e20$4601a8c0@BILLS1505>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Thanks to all, for all the help on this one.  I'm on it! . . . again.

  I've been looking at my maintenance record and can't figure out what I did when!!  It appears that the current problem was due to the spindle nut being a little loose, and talking up the slack stopped the clunking . . . for the moment anyway, so I will have time to get new bearings etc. and get It done right soon.

  If someone knows of a better bearing manufacturer out there, or ones to avoid . . . would be appreciated.

  One other question. The Bentley says to "peen" the nut once it is properly tightened. I have been using a screwdriver to bend the lip of the nut into the notch on the spindle. I this right? or does "peening" mean something else? I did finally get new nuts, been reused a few times I'm afraid.

  Thanks again
  Steven

Bill Bowman <bill@bnnta.com> wrote:
  Steven and all,

About two weeks ago while on a road trip to visit VW friends in Wisconsin
and attend the Vintage Races at Road America (AWESOME fun!) I discovered a
bearing noise. My friends up there run a small but talented VW repair
business near Watertown, WI called Connies repair. Connie, my buddies Dad
and the main man there was a factory trained dealership mechanic for many
years and has run his own shop now for decades. He got my '87 Westy up on
the rack and located the offending bearing and side in this low-tech way:

In a quiet shop with both hands he'd sping the tire as fast as he could and
then with one had he'd reach around and rest his fingers on the spindle
assembly and feel for the faintest vibration. Same thing on the other side,
and then he had me try it. Worked like a charm! It was faint, but you
could feel a slight difference in the spindles and the one with a slight
vibration was the one with the deteriorating bearing. It wasn't even the
one I suspected because of noise! So without his tip, I would have chosen
to work on the wrong one! They had the rotor off in no time and sure
enough, the outer bearing was starting to go bad. They replaced and packed
both bearings and a new grease seal and in no time I was roadworthy again
for the trip home to St. Louis. That is until one of my 12 or so year old
Michelin MXL tires had a colossal tread separation and almost blow-out at
speed on the Interstate. And that is what started my recent/current thread
on searching for new tires. I need them mounted up in time for our upcoming
BNNTA camping event! I gotta sleep in that Camper over labor Day weekend!

I hope Connie's diagnosis tip on bearings helps you out Steven.

Bill Bowman
http://www.bnnta.com
Buses Nowhere Near The Arch #22




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