Yes your right, somehow i was picturing the front end of my syncro and my brain fryed!!!!

Thank you,
Jay Lefstein.
Sent from my mobile device.

On Sep 7, 2010, at 2:26 PM, "Scott Daniel  - Turbovans" <scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:

> they don't have sealed bearings.
> I'm doing rear wheel bearings right now on a vanagon.
> there have conventional outer grease seals, and non-sealed bearings.
> 
> that was my concern ..water in the rear bearings.
> might not be a real problem , on the other hand if the r. brg's have 150K on them already ..and water got in there ...could push the bearings over the edge.
> 
> the outer bearing is under huge load.
> it's a fairly small multi-roller bearing ..
> and it's not so much the weight of that corner of the van ..it's how close the bearing are together on the stub axle, Being only about 3 inchs or less apart, there is a huge 'bending' force on those bearings ..
> the inner larger roller bearing ...those last super well.
> 
> it's the outer smaller roller bearing, the more expensive one, that gets the real load,
> 
> You can access that bearing a little ....by removing the flange  - you're still looking at just a stub axle sticking out of a grease seal, so can't really see much. But if you undo CV's and push out the stub axle....
> then you can add grease to the outer bearing.  Lot of work.  Propably OK for now.
> 
> I just get nervous a little on a long trip if rear wheel bearings are say 150K or more miles old.
> and it got traumatized a little with mud/water ..that might concern me.
> 
> brakes themselves get wet in normal use in rain ...so 'some water' in the drum area, I would not worry about too much, but I'd sure clean mud out of there.
> 
> scott
> www.turbovans.com
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jay lefstein" <jleftbrane@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 10:06 AM
> Subject: Re: Rear wheel over half in muddy water. Need to repack bearings or ???
> 
> 
> My thoughts are the rear wheels have sealed bearings
> 
> Thank you,
> Jay Lefstein.
> Sent from my mobile device.
> 
> On Sep 6, 2010, at 7:20 PM, Scott Chapman <scott@MISCHKO.COM> wrote:
> 
>> I went adventuring in my 85 Westy today.
>> 
>> Lesson learned:  NEVER try to cross a sizable puddle without inspecting it
>> first!  We managed to get the right rear in muddy water over half way up the
>> tire and it took over an hour to get it out again.
>> 
>> I am wondering if I need to do anything with the brakes or wheel bearings,
>> or anything else, as a result of this "abuse" :).
>> 
>> I went to a self-serve car wash and washed wheels out thoroughly on both
>> sides but haven't gone further yet.
>> 
>> I'm in Cheyenne, Wyoming and leaving from here to LA on Thursday AM.  The
>> last thing I need is trouble on the trip.
>> 
>> All advice and wisdom greatly appreciated!
>> 
>> Scott 
>