Date:         Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:43:04 -0800
Reply-To:     Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Service Interval, Real Wheel Bearings
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Just completed a 4,000 mile San Diego to Brownsville, Texas roadtrip.  Mostly successful.  But as I neared Yuma, AZ, on the freeway, started feeling and hearing some rear end vibration and clatter.  Pulled over to the side, and as I slowed, the vibrations and clatter got worse, much worse.  One big "scrape" per revolution.  I pulled off the freeway to a frontage road, and crept along at 35 MPH; noise would come and go to varying degrees.  When it got worse, I slowed down; sometimes putting in reverse and then braking hard seemed to help.

I figured a brake shoe was hanging up or something.  Best I could do in Yuma was Pep Boys.  The sound was horrible.  After an hour of waiting, the guy put it on the lift, took off the wheel and drum; "looks OK" he said.  Then, he started tugging the axles...the LEFT one seemed sloppy compared to the right.  I always thought the passenger CV joints went first.  Anyway, they called around for CV joints or axles.....no luck.  Mechanic then thought to take it for a good test ride to hear the problem himself.  Heard NOTHING!  Then I drove it...HARD...accelerating hard in corners left and right, and I heard nothing.  Amazing.  They charged me $0.87 (yes, 87 cents) and I was on my way with a noise-free ride (something about free brake inspection but you pay the tax).

Well, not for long...about 20 miles later, the noise came back.  Not as severe.  Yes, more intense when I put the gas pedal into it; backing off, so did the noise.  White-knuckled my way from below sea level in El Centro to over 4,000 feet about 20 miles later; yes, on some of the steeper sections I could hear the click-click-click.  CV joints, of course, right?

Stopped by my mechanic to discuss before finally arriving home.  We have come up with 3 potential problems:  brakes, CV joints, or rear wheel bearings.  Some history:  the vehicle is a 1985, with 180,000 miles.  Had a crummy rear brake job at 90,000 miles, and replaced both axles at 95,000.  Like most, have never done any rear bearing maintenance.  Sounds like voodoo to me...spindles and such.  I don't have a clue.  I understand CV joints and drum brakes a little. 

So here's the question:  what is the service interval for Rear Wheel Bearings?  How long should they last (I do almost exclusively long-distance freeway driving)?  How expensive of a job is it (parts and labor...I looked up bearings...those things are pretty pricey, inner and outer and seals)?  I haven't heard much discussion about rear wheel bearings on the List...are they bulletproof?

Should I just go for it?  As much as I love roadtrips, and the reason I have a Vanagon, that sick feeling in the stomach quickly erases the last several days of adventure and good times when mechanical problems erupt.  I would rather error on the side of overdoing it:  all new CV joints, all new rear brakes (at 90,000 the mechanic said that would be the last time for resurfacing the drums, worn out), and new rear bearings.  All of this has got to cost $1000 or more, got to.

Any advice?  I'm taking it in tomorrow.  My suspicion is CV joints...with no service on them whatsover, they've lasted 85,000 miles.  Since servicing them costs almost as much as replacing them (paying a mechanic) and they "always" give gentle click-click warnings before failure, that's the route I went.

Rich
85 Manual, not a Westy, 180,000 miles of gentle roadtrips
San Diego