Thanks, this is good to know, because I was going to order the complete axle set next time. I just did the CV joints on the right side of my van, using new CV's ordered from Van Cafe. They were VERY hard to line up and drive on to the axle shafts, and I've done this job several times before and never had CV joints that were so hard to get onto the axles. It was as though they were just a little bit to small to fit. But I did get them on eventually. Wait-I can't use the whole set up- mine's an auto and has the different length shafts. Oh well.    Jeff 

Jeff Stewart 

----- "Daryl Christensen" <daryl@AATRANSAXLE.COM> wrote: 

I, for one, will agree with Van Café that most of the complete axle sets are 
not very dependable. I buy separate GERMAN joints and boot kits and put them 
on the axles. The boot kits come with grease and new 12 point bolts. Can't 
beat that combination in my mind. 
Works for many a moon Kimosabe... 

Daryl of AA Transaxle 
425-788-4070 
"On the cutting edge of Old technology" 
86 Syncro Westy w/Turbo Zetec in the trunk 

-----Original Message----- 
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of 
Don Hanson 
Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2011 4:32 PM 
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM 
Subject: CV Joint ? 

  I had my van up on the jackstands replacing my right side motor mount. 84 
van,  5sp manual with an inline ABA motor using the diesel carrier bars and 
mounted just like the standard diesel. 

  The mount was really soft, after I got it out I could take it between my 
fingers and flex it around with the single bolt while holding it by the 
other axis...Some surface looking cracks, too.  So, got that done, hoping to 
eliminate an occasional gnarly vibration upon hard acceleration from a stop 
when turning left... 

  So while I had it up there I addressed my other concern with the 
driveline...I was   beginning to hear and feel some 'roughness' from the 
driveline...some slight rumbling at steady speed and it just didn't feel 
smooth under a load...I tried the circles in a parking lot...nothing 
outstanding. 
  I had the wheel off and the right side up, left wheel on the ground. 
Stuck it in gear and eased the clutch out....."rumble rumble, grrrrr grrrrr 
grrrr"  Aha! me thinks.  Found ya.   Went back with the motor off and tried 
the wheel hub for rocking...like in wheel bearing...no undue play.  Axle 
moves in and out pretty easy.   I had the cv joints apart about a year ago 
for re-greasing and the balls were blue and pitted (no comments here)  So I 
put the wheel back on and lifted the other one.  Took of the tire for 
symetry of test and let the clutch out on that one.....Quiet....er, by far. 
  I called Van Cafe, looking to maybe get one of their complete axles...but 
they advised that those suck and they aren't going to sell them except in 
emergencies.  So, since the boots are ok and the screws were ok last time, I 
just got the CV joints only.   Did I do right, ya think?  Yum!  Famous Amos 
Cookies soon. 

  It is also possible, maybe, that my gnarly  buzzy grindy noise on hard 
acceleration from a stop, mainly while turning left, that may have been 
caused by the right side CV joints being trashed, rather than that motor 
mount?  Anyone wanna comment on that? 

  Don Hanson