Date:         Sun, 25 Oct 1998 21:52:10 -0800
Reply-To:     Randolph Feuerriegel <RFeuerriegel@BC.SYMPATICO.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Randolph Feuerriegel <RFeuerriegel@BC.SYMPATICO.CA>
Subject:      Todd Hill: R.Feuerriegel's syncro vibration
Comments: To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hi again.
Thanks for the response Todd.

> I would almost suspect that it is still out of balance.  Has this
> shop worked on this type of driveshaft before?

Yes,as a matter of fact, they say that they have worked on a few, so far
successfully. I did give them a call from the top of Van.Isl. to discuss
more of what they did. I was told that they did not balance it again,
because no parts were changed, really only checked for play and lubed.
Also the technician said that if it were out of balance, the vibration
would not go away, in theory. Maybe thats the key. Do it again.

> Do you notice the shake/vibration
> through the steering wheel or mainly through the steering wheel
> and the whole Van vibrates along with it, or is it equally
> distributed throughout the whole Van??

The best way to describe it would be through the seat, the stick, all
the pedals, and the steering wheel. With the shaft out, I have at times
felt a quick tremor in the steering wheel. Nothing lasting more than a
second or so.

> there is the possibility that there might be
> some side loading going on and you might be causing some damage.

When the shaft originally suffered a bad u-joint, the van was driven a
good distance before it was discovered to be the joint. I was a novice
then, now learning to recognize problems. If I had done damage to the
output shaft of the tranny, or the input shaft of the front diff, would
it be felt or heard while driving with the shaft out? Damaged bearings?
Previously, when the shaft was out, the van felt good with the exception
of the quick tremor as I noted above. Definitely not the vibration I
experienced with the shaft in.
Well, I shall continue on for awhile. Its pouring rain here in Prince
Rupert, and I don't much feel like crawling underneath right now. Thanks
again for your observations.

R.Feuerriegel
88 syncro
Travelling Hwy 16.