Thanks, everyone, for the advice. I will watch (and listen) carefully for a recurrence, but so far no one has said this is the prelude to major damage, which is heartening. It was such a ghastly metal on metal sound that I thought for sure I had broken something major. To see that it was a little cap, bouncing between hub and hub-cap, was at least reassuring. And, Išve looked at the how to replace wheel bearingsš advice online and it looks relatively straightforward (though messy). http://volksweb.relitech.com/frntbrg.htm Therešs even a nice YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdIilagyWrI And the kit is pretty inexpensive: http://www.busdepot.com/251405645k After watching the YouTube video, though, I think it is probably something I leave to a shop to do. r -- Professor and Director, Master of Digital Media Program at the Centre for Digital Media 685 Great Northern Way, Vancouver, CANADA V5T 0C6 Ph: +1 778 370 1012 t: @smith e: smith@thecdm.ca w: http://thecdm.ca
On 2015-06-13, 9:10 AM, "Stuart MacMillan" <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM> wrote: >That's a good one! I think he was pulling your leg. > >If he put it in at angle he "cocked" it and wedged it in a bit. This could >result in making the cap slightly oval, and hence tighter. > >I just lightly squeeze the cap in a vise to accomplish the same thing. > >Stuart > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of >Eric Caron >Sent: Saturday, June 13, 2015 6:12 AM >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM >Subject: Re: Wheel bearing dustcap fell off... trouble ahead? > >Hi richard, > > i'll watch your responses with interest. I had mine fall off >twice >last year. I ride in the passenger side so noticed the sound quickly and >replaced the cap. > > I posted here and no one seemed worried about contamination. > > My bigger issue was how to keep it from coming off? > > I put it on over and over, and it remained loose. One day a >retired auto body and vintage car mechanic stopped in. I showed him the >cap >and he popped it on. It has not come off again. I asked him how he did >it. >he said he put it on at a angle to make sure no air was trapped behind it. >I can't imagine that made a difference. All I know is over 50 years of >auto >experience can make a difference! > >Eric Caron >85 gL auto > > >> On Jun 13, 2015, at 1:47 AM, Richard Smith <richard_smith@GNWC.CA> >>wrote: >> >> I happened to notice, through the vanes in the passenger side front >>wheel >cover, a bit of greasy axel this morning. Huh, I though, that's weird. I >don't recall seeing that there. And the wheel cover seemed dirtier than >normal. >> >> This evening, driving into the driveway, there was a terrible clanking >sound. Fearing the worst, I parked and pulled off the wheel cover. Sure >enough, the bearing dust cap was loose in the there, and bouncing around >inside between the wheel and the wheel cover. Well, at least I know for >sure >where the sound came from. And it *might* just be a matter of replacing >the >cap. >> >> No problem, I tapped it back on with a small block of wood, but there >seems to be a fair bit of grease inside the wheel cover. Is this a 'no big >deal, you're fine now that the cap back on' kind of situation? Or is this >a >'don't drive that vehicle, you have wheel bearings dying in there' kind of >situation? >> >> Any advice, tips, recommendations? My first thought was to jack up the >>van >and see if I have 'play' in the wheel and also listen to how it turns, see >if it is rough or rumbly. >> >> .r |
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