Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:53:11 -0500
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Service Interval, Real Wheel Bearings
In-Reply-To: <415764.13311.qm@web83607.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
The rear wheel bearings can last a real long time. Longer if they get some
grease now and then. Unfortunately there is no real proper way to lube them
without disassembly. Some have added grease fittings to the housings but
this creates the problem of grease working past the seals and fouling the
rear brakes.
Here is my solution. You need a grease gun and use a good quality LB-GC
rated grease. You will need a thin grease needle that can attach to the
grease gun hose and a new pair of bearing seals and the 3mm cotter pins.
Remove the brake drum and wheel flange. Yes you will need to remove that big
42mm nut. Pry out the seal. Carefully and gently work the needle between the
rollers and into the bearing. A thin needle will go through. Pump grease
into the housing until grease works out from the bearing. Pump out some of
the nasty stuff until you see fresh grease. Now this is real important. Wipe
out the excess grease. Turn the axle and wipe off whatever grease oozes out.
Wipe all of it out back to the bearing why? The grease will work out and
needs to expand somewhere. Replace the seal and put a smear of grease on the
seal lip. You want space between the bearing and the back of the seal. Put
it all back together and you should be set.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Richard Koerner
Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 1:48 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Service Interval, Real Wheel Bearings
Bill,
Twelve years and 85,000 miles ago, I replaced both complete axles; I'm not
sure of what brand they were (before I was a List member). But I've done
nothing to them "service-wise" at all. Yesterday I removed both axles;
boots were intact, full of grease; next time, I'm going to follow the "swap"
method as described on the Van Cafe website, say at 30,000 miles from now,
to keep the wear patterns shifting around.
One or more CV joints may be bad. I'm just going to replace them all.
GoWesty has complete axles with joints, boots, grease, clips the works
for only $99, and I talked with Taylor at GoWesty and he says these are
Loebro CV's, the best German, rebuilt, but quality all the way. I'm
going to upgrade from the normal allen-head to the tri-square shape, less
likely to strip, and they sell a tool to fit which I also ordered. New
axles should arrive tomorrow; won't take long to install, van is still up on
jack stands.
By the way....I used the VanCafe advice of using a hammer to really seat the
Allen into the head. That's a good tip...I could see how you could easily
strip the hole or the tool by not having enough engagement. But I got all
24 bolts out without issue, just some grunting.
I never really got a definitive answer (one response said 168,000 miles for
him) regarding the "life" of rear wheel bearings....but I guess when they
start squeaking, then it's time. I imagine they will fail slowly enough to
give warning sounds.
Rich
85 GL, manual transmission
San Diego
--- On Sun, 11/15/09, W Monk <billmonk@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
From: W Monk <billmonk@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Service Interval, Real Wheel Bearings
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Sunday, November 15, 2009, 8:08 AM
Rich,
Do you recall when you had the Cv's replaced last time did they replace the
entire axles
as an assembly? Did they pull off just the cv joints and replace them? The
reason I ask
is that I have not had very good luck with the complete axles. The quality
is just not the same as when you replace the joints with Lobro units.
Something to investigate
and consider if you don't do any mechanical work yourself. Honestly
replacing the
cv's is a good job for a first timer. Not only will you save money you will
also learn
how to self rescue yourself in the future if you have a break down. Then on
the flip side
I often feel that those who have no mechanical ability or knowledge drive
with
less worry than those who do. At least thats the way it appears to me.
Bill
On Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 8:43 PM, Richard Koerner
<rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net>wrote:
> Just completed a 4,000 mile San Diego to Brownsville, Texas roadtrip.
> Mostly successful. But as I neared Yuma, AZ, on the freeway, started
> feeling and hearing some rear end vibration and clatter. Pulled over to
the
> side, and as I slowed, the vibrations and clatter got worse, much worse.
> One big "scrape" per revolution. I pulled off the freeway to a frontage
> road, and crept along at 35 MPH; noise would come and go to varying
> degrees. When it got worse, I slowed down; sometimes putting in reverse
and
> then braking hard seemed to help.
>
> I figured a brake shoe was hanging up or something. Best I could do in
> Yuma was Pep Boys. The sound was horrible. After an hour of waiting, the
> guy put it on the lift, took off the wheel and drum; "looks OK" he said.
> Then, he started tugging the axles...the LEFT one seemed sloppy compared
to
> the right. I always thought the passenger CV joints went first. Anyway,
> they called around for CV joints or axles.....no luck. Mechanic then
> thought to take it for a good test ride to hear the problem himself.
Heard
> NOTHING! Then I drove it...HARD...accelerating hard in corners left and
> right, and I heard nothing. Amazing. They charged me $0.87 (yes, 87
cents)
> and I was on my way with a noise-free ride (something about free brake
> inspection but you pay the tax).
>
> Well, not for long...about 20 miles later, the noise came back. Not as
> severe. Yes, more intense when I put the gas pedal into it; backing off,
so
> did the noise. White-knuckled my way from below sea level in El Centro to
> over 4,000 feet about 20 miles later; yes, on some of the steeper sections
I
> could hear the click-click-click. CV joints, of course, right?
>
> Stopped by my mechanic to discuss before finally arriving home. We have
> come up with 3 potential problems: brakes, CV joints, or rear wheel
> bearings. Some history: the vehicle is a 1985, with 180,000 miles. Had
a
> crummy rear brake job at 90,000 miles, and replaced both axles at 95,000.
> Like most, have never done any rear bearing maintenance. Sounds like
voodoo
> to me...spindles and such. I don't have a clue. I understand CV joints
and
> drum brakes a little.
>
> So here's the question: what is the service interval for Rear Wheel
> Bearings? How long should they last (I do almost exclusively
long-distance
> freeway driving)? How expensive of a job is it (parts and labor...I
looked
> up bearings...those things are pretty pricey, inner and outer and seals)?
I
> haven't heard much discussion about rear wheel bearings on the List...are
> they bulletproof?
>
> Should I just go for it? As much as I love roadtrips, and the reason I
> have a Vanagon, that sick feeling in the stomach quickly erases the last
> several days of adventure and good times when mechanical problems erupt.
I
> would rather error on the side of overdoing it: all new CV joints, all
new
> rear brakes (at 90,000 the mechanic said that would be the last time for
> resurfacing the drums, worn out), and new rear bearings. All of this has
> got to cost $1000 or more, got to.
>
> Any advice? I'm taking it in tomorrow. My suspicion is CV joints...with
> no service on them whatsover, they've lasted 85,000 miles. Since
servicing
> them costs almost as much as replacing them (paying a mechanic) and they
> "always" give gentle click-click warnings before failure, that's the route
I
> went.
>
> Rich
> 85 Manual, not a Westy, 180,000 miles of gentle roadtrips
> San Diego
>
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