Date:         Wed, 1 Jun 2016 16:00:41 -0300
Reply-To:     Roy Nicholl <RNicholl@NBNET.NB.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Roy Nicholl <RNicholl@NBNET.NB.CA>
Subject:      Re: {front} wheel bearings on an '88 Westy
Comments: To: Scott <SCOTTDANIEL@TURBOVANS.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <574E147F.6090306@TURBOVANS.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Scott:

I do not recall which bearings were used.  However, the shop in Calgary (Tony’s) has a solid reputation for good workmanship.

I too am suspect of the wheels and plan on replacing them with a set of Merc castoffs (I have collected two thus far) which have an appropriate offset.
  
> On 31-May-2016, at 19:47, Scott <SCOTTDANIEL@TURBOVANS.COM> wrote:
> 
> Factors in my mind are....
> 
> one...wheel bearings not as good and well made as the original ones.
> What brand did they use ?  ..chinese made ?
> 
> two ..workmanship...as Always.
> 
> three ..wheels with too large offset, puts strain on the brgs for sure.
> I'd never run any wheels  like that.
> 
> Scott
> 
> On 05/27/2016 08:25 AM, Roy Nicholl wrote:
>> All,
>> 
>> Since I am still relatively new to the T25/vanagon world (3 years vs 30 with air-cooled).  Is anything different about the front wheel bearings on a T25 (vs the old buses and vans) which would lead to them loosening over a distance of, say, 7000 kms (4350 miles}?
>> 
>> I had the hyena in for its annual inspection and got dinged for 1-hrs labour (min charge) to tighten the front wheel bearings.  I had the bearings replaced by a reputable shop in Calgary before my son and I had our cross country adventure in 2014.
>> 
>> The BRM replica wheels the previous owner had put on the van do not have the correct offset - they’re about half of spec causing the wheels to run outboard more than I like.  Would this cause the bearings to loosen?
>> 
>> In all the years with my ’66 Westy and ’74 Thing, the wheel bearings never loosened off between re-packing.
>>