Date:         Mon, 12 May 2008 19:03:48 EDT
Reply-To:     RAlanen@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Axle Bearing Kits
Comments: To: Pascal.Giasson@gnb.ca
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 12/05/2008 1:11:01 P.M. Central Standard Time,
Pascal.Giasson@gnb.ca writes:

I just  recently took my '84 Westy in for it's annual motor vehicle
inspection to  Canadian Tire.  They rejected it because they said all my
wheel  bearings were loose.  I tried re-torquing the rear ones but it did
not  remove the very slight wiggle when pushing/pulling the wheels at 12
and  6.  They do not wiggle at all when grabbing at 3 and 9.  I  adjusted
the front ones that have maybe 20K on them and they have about the  same
amount of wiggle as the rear wheels when rocking them at 12 and  6.

Is this normal?  Should I take it back and tell them this is  normal for
Vanagons and see what they say?  Or are my bearings/spacers  in need of
replacement?




             Pascal,  sorry for the previous unfinished message - slip of the
fingers.  The test  I use is this.  I first loosen the axle nut then using
anti-seize on the  threads I reinstall the nut to the recomended 360 ft. lb
torque, then if  there is more than 1/4" rock when moved using the 12 and 6
placement to rock the  wheel bearings need replacement and the spacer need to be
measured. The  final tightening to 360 ft. lbs. must be done with the wheels on
the  ground.  See the Bentley manual for details. There is no  adjustment
possible of the rear wheel bearing like there is of the  front wheel bearings.  The
spacer, the condition of the axle  and the torque of the axle nut determines
the amount of play.

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
- Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/exhaust.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June12 ~ 15,  2008