Date:         Sat, 3 Oct 1998 14:07:18 -0600
Reply-To:     Rob MacLeod <macleod@CVRTI.UTAH.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Rob MacLeod <macleod@CVRTI.UTAH.EDU>
Subject:      CVjoints or???
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com

Folks,

Writing this from the public library in Jackson, Wyoming on our way to
Yellowstone on a very wet, cold Saturday.  So much for seeing the Grand
Tetons.

The real reason for this message is a thumping noise in our right rear
wheel of the 1987 Westy that is carrying us through this adventure.  The
noise appeared yesterday as we climbed the Teton Pass on our way here, only
in right hand turns and only uphill.  Then it appeared a little later on a
straight stretch of road, even when we drove in a straight line.  Then it
went away and we drove around the park a little, found a camping spot,
etc.  This morning we started up and headed out of the campsite and it
started from the minute we rolled away, then went away again after a few
miles.  So, it's intermittant, in case you hadn't already guessed that.

We stopped and pulled the tire off, then tried to whiggle and twist the
wheel and found three things:

1) The rotational play seemed tight and normal
2) The drum bound a little as we rotated it, like it caught on the brake
pads.  But only for about 20 degree of the full rotation
3) There was play up and down (i.e. if we pushed on the top and bottom of
the drum).  We are not sure if this is normal or not.

We check a local shop (only one open in Jackson on Saturday) and they
suggested CV joint.    We told him the symptoms and he said it could be a
flat ball in the CV joint.  Sounded reasonable to us.

The question is, can we make it to Bozeman (about 280 miles north of here)
without risking the entire breakdown of the CV joint?  Is it even the CV
joint, or some other bearing?  Anyone had experience this sort of symptoms?
Over what sort of time course does a CV joint die?

We will hang out for a while here and check email again today,not sure when
again after that.  So any reply would be very helpful.

Thanks, as always!!!

Rob.
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Rob MacLeod, Ph.D.
Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI)
Building 500, University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112                      ____  __o
Internet:  macleod@cvrti.utah.edu              ____   -\<,
Phonemail: (801)581-8183                         ....0/ 0
Fax:       (801)581-3128
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