Date:         Mon, 27 Dec 1999 23:12:58 -0500
Reply-To:     Chris Gkikas <theerion@GATOR.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chris Gkikas <theerion@GATOR.NET>
Organization: Jiboo, Ltd
Subject:      CV problem has been FIXED!!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Yeeeha!

We're gonna make that show for New Years!

Here's the down and dirty:  When the ball dropped, I cleaned it and came
inside.  It was a good time to sit down, relax and have a smoke.  When
my mind had cleared, I put on my "shitclothes" and headed outside in the
dark with a flashlight, the new bolts and braces (those "things"), a new
roll of shoptowels, a tube of moly grease, and the most optimism I could
muster.

I spread a blanket on the ground under the joint so that if anything
else dropped, it wouldn't roll away into the dark.  I tried jimmying the
joint so the ball would hopefully go back home, to no avail.  I stopped,
fretted briefly, then tried again.

Then another ball fell out.

Then another.  (!)

Okay, so four out of six bearings fell out, and I was lying there,
pissed but oddly calm.  The whole time I'm thinking, "If they fell out,
they can go back in just as easy."  This turned out to be true when I
learned the following:  if I slide the cap up the driveshaft (no boot,
rotted off, will replace, trust me) and fit the bearings in from behind,
they go in.  It took only seconds to get all four bearings back in, and
there was much rejoicing under the bus.

I collected all my stuff and jacked up one side.  I don't have
jackstands so I improvised (I know...desperate here) with one cinder
block and a bunch of 2x4s.  I kicked and pushed and it felt *really*
solid, so I trusted it.  I then packed the joint as best I could with a
tube of Speedi-Boot.  Underneath, I lifted the joint to the trans and it
fit nicely.  I started to get the bolts through the holes, but couldn't
get them to thread.

Hmmm....

I realized that the joint and the flange weren't lined up... the holes
were off.  So I thought and thought and realized that if I cleared the
back tire, I might be able to rotate the joint so it lines up.

*big smile* when this worked.

All the bolts went in and I torqued them.  Let me rephrase:  I torqued
the sh*t out of them.  I went to the other side and torqued the sh*t out
of them, too.

Cleaned up my stuff, stashed my tools, jacked her down, lit up a smoke,
turned the key and went for a very happy test-drive, where everything
went smooth as silk.

I'm stoked.  We're gonna make the Phish show in style.  Hot damn I love
my VW.

When we get back from the show after New Years, I plan on pulling both
driveshafts and performing the "gobs of grease" ritual.  Until then,
it's "duct tape and bailing wire" (as usual).

Much thanks to those who offered advice, Joel in particular for the
rapid-fire email encouragement.
Yahoo!
Chris
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/9860/bus.html