In a message dated 26/02/2004 2:48:06 PM Eastern Standard Time,
roadguy@roadhaus.com writes:

Frank,

I'd like to pick your brain a little on this  topic.

The RoadHaus has an ongoing problem with wheel bearings on the  left
rear.

In 40,000 miles of continuous driving I have been thru 4  sets (Inner &
Outer) bearings on that one wheel.

After 1500 to  2000 miles there is significant play in the wheel (TOP TO
BOTTOM AND SIDE  TO SIDE).

But I tend to run it for a couple thousand more miles before  replacing.

BTW ... Four different shops have looked at the problem and  the
collective diagnosis is to replace the axle hub assembly.

The  guess is that something must be out of round.

Would you have any  suggestions?

Also on a related note ...

"re-torque the nut to  360 ft. lbs.".

I have never seen a shop that actually had a torque  wrench that went as
high as 360 ft lbs.

They all torque as tight as  they can .... Turn to the next slot and put
the pin in (as per  Bentley).

Larry, by the looks of things on the Vanagon  List this morning, which I get
in Digest mode, all your questions have been  answered.  Change the entire
rear hub assembly, stub axle and all.   Somethings bent or out of round or worn.
Someone should have caught this  by now.  There's no reason for those
bearings to wear so quickly.  As  for torqueing the nut, I think that has been well
covered.  All I can add  is that it is important to do it right.
Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 10 ~ 13, 2004
'87 Westy & Lionel  Trains
Member: _Vanagon List_ (http://www.vanagon.com/) , _LiMBO_
(http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/) , _IWCCC_ (http://www.westfalia.qc.ca/)  & _CCVWC_
(http://www.ccvwc.ca/)
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in  the Ottawa Valley
_STEBRO/Vanagon Stainless Steel  Mufflers_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
or  http://frankcondelli.com