Jack up the rear wheel and grab the wheel at 12 and 6 . If it rocks it's bad wheel bearings. These are starting to be an issue, sometimes after bearing replacement  if there is still an issue you may have to replace the hub.

                             Stacy

Sent from my iPhone

> On May 25, 2016, at 12:34 PM, Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> 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
>>