Well, I have been that neck of the vanagon once. Those drive flanges are
attached with standard circlips,like the CV joints have.Same ones ,I think.
Behind the flange is  a plastic device that locks in the tightness of the
bearings. This device looks like sheet metal, but is flimsy plastic.It is
attached with 2 phillips head screws. This removes easily,but gotta
remember the position that it was attached.May need an impact screw driver
to remove these screws. The 2 screws have slots for motion instead of 2
simple holes Behind this, is the grease seal that keeps the oil in the
tranny.If your tranny is low on oil this seal may be the villan. Wet drive
axels joints may be mistaken for cv joint grease leaking from the boot,when
it is really the trans oil. This seal is easily pulled with a seal
puller.If your tranny is high mileage , and does not leak oil, perhaps the
PO replaced these seals.California import parts sell these seals. In the
process of seal changing, the bearing tightness may have been accidently
changed. Easy to do.Just slide the plastic device via those slots to the
wrong position.The correct position could have been ignored.The adjustment
range is limited with this plastic device,, and I do not know if this is
enough range to make that slop that you describe.  I think the Bentley has
a difficult,and exjpensive way to measure the tightness ,at this location I
described.The Bentley has the process  needed too assemble this unit.Each
side of the differential needs its own adjustment I believe, and man ,I
would not want to try to do this from scratch. Check the book here. Also
the circlip may be to blame.Bentley says to change them along with the
seals each time.A loose circlip can cause the drive flage to come off with
the CV axel attached.  Look out! Better check the circlip integrety.Maybe
the play is coming from there. Get out your circlip plyers.If the slop is
real, I would for go the expensive measurement device (trans axel removed
from vehicle ?),somehow.If this trans has been tampered with is its past ,
I would think a small , by eyeball, turning of the metal bearing adjuster
will remove the slop, it the plastic device is installed  as origional. If
you remember your starting point, you can always back off the adjuster,or
tighten it.May have to imrobvise a tool to tdo this, and the jproper tool
seems to be about a 12 or 20 point star wrench of about 3 inch diameter If
the slack is taken up like you want, you will be able to see this without
driving the vanagon , or doing alot of other reassembelly work.(disclamer-
no one else touched this post ,  so I gave you my opinion-good luck)Name
with held by special request.