I have puzzled over the same clunk in my '86 for years.  It is on the
passenger side though.  It is quite a heavy sound and feeling.  not like
anything I could imagine in the brakes making.  I'm not sure mine goes away
if I swerve to load/unload the suspension.  Mine went away for a while
after I replaced the outer CV on that side.  Maybe couple years/couple
thousand miles.  I haven't read all the samba article linked but what I
have read is interesting.  IIRC, it does sound/feel like what happens if
you slide the axle in/out.
Edward

On Wed, May 25, 2016 at 2:01 PM, Vincent Dow <ianvincentdow@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Since last summer I've been experiencing a puzzling, intermittent clunk
> from the driver's side rear.
>
> I had the rear brakes serviced by a shop in L.A. There were a bunch of
> issues with that, but one of them was a very audible TOCK TOCK TOCK TOCK
> sound... the frequency of which corresponded to wheel speed.
>
> I only heard this sound when the van was warmed up from highway driving.
> And then starting from a stop, or climbing a grade.
>
> My girlfriend came across this thread that deals with exactly what I have:
>
>
> http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=387993&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=axle++noise+fit&start=0&sid=cb5f768858f53fec27c75037b66837cf
>
> Seems to indicate an overlong CV-stub axle... that bunches up (I guess) and
> hits the hub. An absence of thrust washer between the hub and the CV might
> be the cause.
>
> Is anyone familiar with the thrust washer as spacer at the CV and hub?
> Tomorrow going to bring it up to Carrera motors and put it on the lift. May
> just get the CVs greased while I'm at it - I leave cross country on friday!
>
> vinnie
>