I've cleaned the joints by stacking them two each in a coffee can with
a snap-on lid. You can't get four in a can, so you have to have two
1-lb cans anyway. Fill them with gasoline, let them soak over night,
and they will wipe up pretty well the next day.

When I get a bearing done, I install it on the axle, wrap it tightly
with a square of cloth, and put a cable tie to hold the cloth on and
the bearings in until I am ready to attach it to a flange. They'll
come apart on you as you work on them if you don't restrain them
somehow.

Jim

On Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 2:43 PM, miguel pacheco <mundopacheco@gmail.com> wrote:
> Michael, this is an easy job, though plenty messy, but so what. A
> parts washer is the ticket, but not necessary. The Van-Cafe site has
> good instructions. Dirty job, but very satisfying.....now get on with
> it man!!
> Miguel
>
> I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
> �- Thomas A. Edison
>
>
>
> On Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 1:27 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans
> <scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>> I just get free rags at the freestore ...
>> all those cotton t-shirt and sweat shirts..
>> they're a bother to cut up into rag size pieces..
>> but it's free rags for life.
>>
>> that's one tiny way I work to keep overhead costs down , and pass on the
>> savings to the customer.
>>
>> reminds me of a big sign on a bar in Ancharage Alaska, in 1980.....Chilcoot
>> Charley's ..
>> they had a huge sign on the top of the bar saying 'We cheat the other guy to
>> save you money.'
>>
>> love the irrverence of it !
>>
>> on the grease....I like really good grease. Have used lots of Redline
>> synthetic wheel bearing grease.
>> That 'black slimey' moly graph grease though ...
>> I just have really really good luck with that stuff.
>> Wherever I use it ( I don't use it for wheel bearings though ) ......
>> that part has stayed just fine for years and years.
>> I mainly use it on CV joints, and on lubing the �8 or so little spots in the
>> throw out bearing and crosshaft areas in the clutch system. �I lube shift
>> linagke with it too.
>> sure seems to stay slimey and slick. �and doesn't seem sticky like wheel
>> bearing grease that attracts and holds grit if exposed like on say shift
>> linkage.
>>
>> main thing though is 'lube it' �!
>> No kidding, every last vanagon I see is despearately lacking in lube on
>> hundreds of little places on it, from one end to the other. �I see like 50
>> vanagons a year. �So many spots on them were last lubed in Germany at the
>> factory. � �Srpay lube is so quick and easy to use too. � Who lubes their
>> ash tray pivot points ? - at least those won't wear out from not lubing
>> them, but so many othe points will.
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jim Felder" <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Friday, June 18, 2010 7:01 AM
>> Subject: Re: Whatz a Good price to service CVs?
>>
>>
>> To support what has been said: you will spend more on rags (if you
>> don't get them for free) than grease! You will need a LOT of rags and
>> paper towels will only make the mess worse. I use what my shop uses,
>> which is Amsoil purple, and it's a lot cleaner than moly grease. But a
>> mess none the less. One cartridge does four bearings.
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 3:09 AM, Bob Johnson
>> <b.johnson1950.2010@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> While you're at it, you might as well do the Rear Wheel bearings too! :o)
>>> If the CV's haven't been done in a long while,
>>> I'll bet the rear bearing's have Never been done!
>>>
>>> I'd say there's two ways to estimate costs:
>>> one is if new grease is just added;
>>> Double the price if all of the old grease is cleaned out first !
>>>
>>> I'm right in the middle of the job as we speak.
>>> What a mess !!!
>>> Now if you need to add in a couple of sets of clothing,
>>> ( because that old Moly is Nasty !!! )
>>>
>>> You can triple the price ! heh heh...
>>>
>>> BJ
>>> On Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 4:59 PM, Michael Sullivan
>>> <sandwichhead@gmail.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>> Not having any trouble, but I have not done them since I bought it 3
>>>> years
>>>> ago. Records show they were replaced by the PO at the stealership. What's
>>>> a good rpice to service them at a shop? Thanks.
>>>> Michael in San Antonio
>>>> 91GL Weekender AT 2.1L 'Gringo'
>>>> 73 Beetle
>>>>
>>>
>>
>