Thanks Guys.

I had the right socket and torque/tension wrench and did all the right
things when tensioning the wheel nuts.

I have got onto a local source for the bearings just now and will both
on hand when I pull it down again tomorrow.

I AM pretty certain it is the left side though as it is that side of
the car that vibrates most at just the right(wrong) speed.

Thanks again,
Dave
downunder

2008/12/2 Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@turbovans.com>:
> fwiw, I've been fooled on an FWD car before too, one time, long ago.
> but 'normally' ...........if it's noisier/rougher  going left, and not there
> going right, especially on a 2WD rear -drive vehicle........
> it's the left side acting up.
> as for inner or  outer race..........
> I like to check bearing races for wear or roughness two ways .........one is
> clean them with carb cleaner so there's no oil or grease.........that
> amplifies the roughness when you turn them by hand, in your hand.
> The other way is examine the bearing races with a microscope- they often
> look like the surface of the moon.
>
> I'll second that 'check the axle nut'.
> the torque on those is way up there. I stand on the end of a 4 foot cheater
> bar ........
>
> And holding the wheel hub from turning...........that can be tricky. I have
> a very solid wheel hub holding tool I made just for that.
> If you're using the 'friend standing on the brakes method' ..........or
> chocking the wheel with parking brake on, it may not get tight enough.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "aatransaxle" <daryl@AATRANSAXLE.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Monday, December 01, 2008 6:29 PM
> Subject: Re: Rear wheel bearings
>
>
>> Betting the axle nut was too loose after the repack/repl on that
>> side..Them
>> puppies have to be double tight and if your unsure how you did..re-torqued
>> after a 100 miles to be sure. Thats the only time I have ever seen new
>> bearings go bad too soon.
>> No way to diagnose for sure without removal, but when doing a left turn,
>> the
>> right side is the one thats loaded and thats the side thats usually
>> bad...Just because it makes noise on a left turn doesn't mean its a left
>> brng bad.
>> But of course I have been fooled in the past by such things on front wheel
>> drive rigs..ymmv
>> Daryl of AA Transaxle
>> (425) 788-4070
>> aatransaxle.com
>> 86 Syncro Westy
>> Zetec in the trunk
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Dave Yates" <transparu@GMAIL.COM>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Monday, December 01, 2008 6:01 PM
>> Subject: Rear wheel bearings
>>
>>
>>> As preventative maintenance, I recently (about 5000km ago) replaced
>>> all wheel bearings (front and back) on my Vanagon. I used
>>> German-branded parts.  I did the job carefully, packing with the
>>> correct grease and properly tensioning etc.
>>>
>>> The left rear has just started making a dreadful rumbling/drumming
>>> noise which I can only put down to a collapsed bearing - amazing
>>> considering I had 26 years without this ever happening.
>>>
>>> The noise/vibration is worst around 60kph.  I can feel it in the
>>> brakes (foot and hand). When I do a left turn/curve it is there but
>>> when I do a right turn it disappears.
>>>
>>> Has anyone any suggestions of how to try to work out if it is inner or
>>> outer bearing before I pull the confounded thing apart again?
>>>
>>> Thanks folks.
>>>
>>> Dave
>>>
>>> (Oh, replaced the hex-head CV joint bolts with start-bolts and found
>>> it much easier to do up the CV joints when I installed the bearings.)
>>>
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