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