Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 10:59:53 -0600
Reply-To: Fillmore West <fillmorewst@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Fillmore West <fillmorewst@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Why my rear axle nuts got loose
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTilwvCn4in3fk8R1Azq8VB7EGIxRPK2sqevyrwTv@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
OOPS! I guess the link would help !
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51453442@N06/
On Thu, Jun 24, 2010 at 10:56 AM, Fillmore West <fillmorewst@gmail.com>wrote:
> Just went through all of this
> Not too bad of a job
> even for an amateur like myself.
> Here's the Tool I use to torque the Axle Nut.
> I stand out 2 ft from center.
> Now you know my weight !!! ;o)
>
> PS: List: Thanks for all of your help
> with the Auto Trans Final Drive oil change!
> In the end I just took the pan off.
> (wanted to take a look in there, and to see if there was
> a layer of crud on the bottom of the pan. There wasnt )
>
> But, the ATF looked like brown gravy!
> Doubt it had Ever been changed!
> (Looked clean on the dip stick? )
> So folks; change it! :o)
>
>
> On Thu, Jun 24, 2010 at 4:21 AM, Frank Condelli <RAlanen@aol.com> wrote:
>
>> In a message dated 24/06/2010 12:01:53 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
>>
>> MJ. the bearings are not expensive. See here > _Vanagon New
>> Parts_ (http://frankcondelli.com/sales.htm) under "Wheel Bearings"
>> heading.
>> The rear wheel bearings can only be changed by removing the hub bearing
>> carrier. The bearings must be pressed out the side where the CV is
>> bolted to
>> the stub axle, so you had better replace them both and make sure the
>> spacer
>> is of the correct length listed on my website I just mentioned to you.
>> Also, read the following I wrote for the LiMBO newsleter some time ago :
>>
>>
>> "Folks, as a long time Vanagon shop mechanic, I need to comment on the
>> article in the last issue of The Transporter I received yesterday, about:
>> "R&R
>> The Rear Wheel Bearing Assembly....on page 7. There is incorrect
>> information given in that article which could lead to problems and
>> possibly an
>> accident. First and foremost the torque spec on the rear axle nut is 360
>> ft.
>> lbs. not 253 ft. lbs. as stated in the article. See page 42.4 in the
>> Vanagon Bentley workshop manual. Improper torque on this nut can lead to
>> problems. Secondly, replacing worn bearings with used bearings is not
>> mechanically sound advice. Especially since the rear wheel bearings and
>> seals are
>> inexpensive items. The only "special" tool needed to change the bearings
>> in
>> that hub is a pair of snap ring pliers. Removing the bearings from the
>> hub
>> can be easily done with a drift and hammer. They are not pressed in
>> requiring any special press or bearing tool. Torqueing of the axle nut
>> can be
>> done with the proper torque wrench or bring the vehicle to a truck repair
>> shop, or use the proper socket with breaker bar with an pipe extension.
>> Calculate your weight and then stand on the end of the extension bar the
>> proper
>> distance from the centre of the axle to produce 360 ft' lbs. of torque.
>> Vehicle on its wheels, on the ground, rear hand brake fully engaged and
>> wheel
>> being torqued blocked. Now, more to the problem, replacing the bearings
>> without checking the spacer, hub, splines and nut for wear can also lead
>> to
>> more problems. The rear bearings are in a fixed length environment. The
>> distance is governed by the width of the bearing races, the spacer and
>> the
>> hub. If any of these are worn then the distance is incorrect and
>> tightening
>> the nut will not make it better. The nut will come to the end of its
>> threads on the spline and can certainly be torqued to spec and still not
>> apply
>> the proper pre-load on the new bearings due to spacer, hub and or nut
>> faces
>> being worn. Trust me I have seen all these scenarios in my shop. The
>> spacer and hub must be measured against the length of a new one. The
>> Bentley
>> manual does not state these dimensions. I have measured new spacers and
>> they are 42.8 mm. I have documented that measurement on my _sales
>> webpage_
>> (http://www.frankcondelli.com/sales.htm) where the listing for that
>> spacer
>> resides. The hub width, I do not know as I have not had the opportunity
>> to
>> have a new hub pass before me for measurement. However, if the two end
>> faces of the hub were showing signs of wear I would be suspicious. Also,
>> the
>> face of the nut is important to be in good condition. Any reason to
>> suspect
>> it would be reason enough to replace it with a new one. One last point
>> is
>> to check the splines in the hub and on the axle for wear. If the
>> bearings
>> were run loose for any considerable time, then the hub may certainly have
>> worn the splines and then the axle and hub should be replaced. To avoid
>> all of the problems you may see with this issue it is highly advisable to
>> check the rear wheel bearings at least once a year and repack them with
>> grease. Whenever I find more than 1/4" movement when trying to rock the
>> rear
>> wheel with the van elevated off the ground and hand brake off, I first
>> loosen
>> and re-torque the axle nut, then if the 1/4" movement is still there it's
>> time to look into renewing the rear wheel bearings and check the spacer,
>> hub
>> and nut. I hope this helps someone before they follow the misinformation
>> and cause more problems than need be.
>>
>>
>>
>> >>>>>The outer wheel bearings are fairly inexpensive. So I think I am
>> going to h=
>> ave them replaced. I am going to assume that the inner wheel bearings
>> are=
>> =A0 still OK.=A0 It would be a much bigger job to replace them.=A0 Am I
>> mak=
>> ing a mistake=A0 by this assumption?=A0 =20<<<<<
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Frank Condelli
>> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
>> '87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
>> (http://frankcondelli.com/trainsal.htm) )
>> _Frank Condelli & Associates_ (http://frankcondelli.com/busindex.html)
>> -
>> Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
>> _Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
>> (http://frankcondelli.com/exhaust.htm)
>> _BusFusion_ (http://www.busfusion.com/) a VW Camper camping event,
>> Almonte, ON, June 10 ~ 13, 2010
>>
>
>
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