HI CB, I'd say find out if the spindles are really shot. Sometimes when wheel bearings are run until they just fail completely .. the spindle can be damaged, and you need good new used ones.

there is a minor difference between whether a spindle is for power steering or manual steering. Either would work ( as long as both sides are the same ) ... what you ideally want is non-power steering spindles 83 to 85 I believe. left and right are different of course. ( PS was not available in 83 btw ....but you don't have to have 83 spindles, but you should get non-power steering spindles, and if you do only one spindle it has to be a non-PS one, assuming your van has non-PS spindles.

spindles are not a 'wear item' ..the things attached to them wear for sure .. ball joints , tie rod ends, and wheel bearings ... and usually the only thing that gets ruined on them are where the bearing races fit. the outer bearing is where the wear is likely to occur. The larger front wheel bearing lasts really well.

fwiw ....2WD vanagon front wheel bearings almost do not wear out. 'officially' on any rear wheel drive car ...the front wheel bearings need 'some' servicing .. like clean, re-grease, and adjust every 30,000 miles. it' seldom done though. I've seen vanagons go whatever ....150K+ miles with never a bit of attention to the front wheel bearings .. though that's not a wise thing to do. btw ....82 front outer wheel bearings wear out more easily than later years ....... right after that ( and I'm not sure about 83 ) ...but for sure by 84/85 they went to a different outer front wheel bearing . So if you need a front spindle or two ..... well, even if you get the later type, you just put the improved outer front wheel bearing on it. Inners are all the same in those years.

Bargain decent shocks are a good suggestion. Around 45 bucks each or so . Any from a very vanagon savvy vendor should be fine. If you have to do just the front ones now .. not as good, but you could get by with old rears for a while if you have to....though I can't really recommend it. Not only are shocks an important safety item....they help the van stick to the road .. they also preserve the life of the other suspension parts. So running with wasted shocks... it's not just that it's less safe and secure, and that other driver's are endangered by anyone else's shot shocks .......it also allows the rest of the suspension parts to suffer badly, over time.

upper ball joints are pretty easy to deal with. the lowers are a major pain. sometimes a good used spindle will have a good lower ball joint on it ....if there's no play in it, and the boot is intact, that's a serviceable ball joint to me. Aftermarket new ball joints are not as high quality as original ones usually, nor nearly as expensive, if you can even get OE ones.

ok...... do the right thing and hopefully don't under or over-repair it, but make her safe of course.

stay cozy ! Scott www.turbovans.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "C B" <cunegonde.van.westfalia@GMAIL.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 2010 9:28 PM Subject: Re: Front Shocks - Help or How Much $? NEW Improved! With Wheel Bearings!!

> Cunegonde's chassis is a 1983 basic "L" option package - she's 4sp > manual transmission & steering. I'm on a tight budget after Scott's > trans replacement and engine work this summer, so minimal upgrades > planned, just planning good quality components professionally > installed. I really can't spring for two spindles, 2 sets new brakes, > plus all the labor to to completely re-do both front sides. Shocks & > ball joints & bearings are relatively inexpensive, it's the labor that > will break me. > > We say we are paying full market price for Cunegonde (I paid $700 for > her from a neighbor three years ago, yes, running with all camper gear > intact), just on the installment plan. > > Thanks for the tech recommendations.