Date:         Fri, 19 Mar 1999 13:48:52 -0800
Reply-To:     "Tom L. Neal" <jneal@NETCOM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Tom L. Neal" <jneal@NETCOM.COM>
Subject:      Running syncro without driveshaft?
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

With driveshaft on, my front tires resist tight turns.
During tight turns is also when the CV joints decide to self destruct.
So the driveshaft is left off unless 4 wheels will be needed, which for
me isn't very often.  Also this  eliminates drive shaft clanking due to
drive chain play.

Does this seem like a problem?  Also, does anyone know  a quick
connect/disconnect system that might work on the drive shaft 13mm bolts?
This question gets funny looks at RV and hardware shops.

Experience from the dark side supports the book's insistance on
carefully matched tires.  Worn tranny, driveshaft U joints, and
CV joints is a pricey, disheartening proposition.  Running without
driveshaft also reduces  the impact of tire tread mismatch, and probably
tire wear. Have tried to  minimize this by  rotating Every 5K miles,
three on the  right and two on  the left because  the front right wears
faster, presumably due to the  high slippage on  tight right hand turns.
Currently have 72K on  Michelin 205/70 R 14 97R's (the kind it came
with originally) with quite a bit of tread left.  The reenforced
sidewall seems to last better than some others.

Because it's Friday, here's an environmental trivia question.
Where does tire tread go when it gets worn off?

Regards, Tom Neal  '87 Syncro Weekender