Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2019 15:14:19 -0400
Reply-To: Marc Perdue <mcperdue@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Marc Perdue <mcperdue@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Wheel squeal more info not solved
In-Reply-To: <757524E2-190B-406C-8467-6829B543EF99@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
Eric,
Mine started doing that as I was driving it in for its most recent
inspection. It failed. It was a sticking caliper. The other one wasn't
sticking, but it likely would soon as it had the same age on it. I had
never done any brake work on the van the whole time I've had it, so I said
replace both. When I went to pick it up, the pedal was soft, squishy, and
didn't seem to engage the brakes until I was almost hitting the floor with
the pedal. I took it right back. They tested it, but it didn't have any air
in the lines, so they suggested that it might be I wasn't used to how it
felt with good calipers. Skeptical, I drove it home. I got within 100 yards
of home and was jiggling the pedal coming down the slight hill to my house.
The pedal faded all the way down and wouldn't completely stop the van, even
with the pedal to the metal, so to speak. I took it back. They said the
automatic adjusters in the rear wheels weren't working, but that they
couldn't find a source for them (I did). They cleaned them up and got them
working, but then they needed to replace the rear wheel cylinders. After
all that, it still needed a new master cylinder too. I hope yours winds up
being less frustrating and time consuming.
Good luck!
Marc Perdue
On Tue, Jul 16, 2019 at 2:30 PM Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net> wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> I may have a solution. Looks like David is probably the winner.
> I called the shop that did a nice job on my front end alignment. They had
> me stop in for an assessment today. Turns out the caliper is sticking. It
> looks like it is my VW original. They tried to fix it but were
> unsuccessful. They will replace it tomorrow. A bit of driving after that
> will confirm the successful conclusion of the wheel squeal problem.
>
> Eric Caron
> 85 GL auto
>
>
> > On Jul 15, 2019, at 10:21 PM, Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net>
> wrote:
> >
> > Eric, I had noisy squeal on my 85 Vanagon once when on a road trip. By
> the time I got into the next town (and luckily pulled into a motel), the
> noise got very bad. "Things" locked up. Tow truck the next morning.
> Bearing had failed, taking front wheel spindle with it, and messing up
> brakes. Hey, those spindles are SUPER expensive, IF you can find them.
> This was 10 years ago; excellent mechanic in Portland was able to procure a
> used one, thankfully. He asked me if I intended to keep my van "forever"
> and I confirmed yes. So, replaced the spindle, brakes on both sides
> (always a good idea), a shield of some sort....ugh, it was $850 altogether.
> >
> > Definitely....get it checked out. Things have a way of quickly
> cascading (downward) with regard to front wheel bearings. Since then, I
> have been religious about front bearing lubrication at 2 year intervals.
> Cheap insurance.
> >
> > Rich
> >
> > San Diego
> >
> > On Monday, July 15, 2019, 7:05:14 PM PDT, Eric Caron <
> ericcaron96@COMCAST.NET> wrote:
> >
> >
> > Hi foks,
> >
> > Looking for more tips on this problem.
> >
> > I have a intermittent squeal on my van. I’ve narrowed a few things down
> from the last time I posted.
> >
> > I’m assuming it is the front passenger wheel.
> > It is getting louder and only consistently happens on a left turn with
> load going onto the passenger side. When I arrived home From West River
> Westies I checked the temperature of the two wheels. The passenger side
> steel wheel was about 50 degrees hotter then the driver’s side.
> >
> > Does this help narrow down what might be happening?
> >
> > Eric Caron 85 GL Auto
>
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