Be sure the axle bolts are tight. Mine was making this knocking sound
for about 400 miles till it didn't, at 10 PM, during a snowstorm.
That's when the bolts all gave out and the axles wouldn't turn any
more.

Marc Perdue

On Wed, May 25, 2016 at 11:10 PM, Vincent Dow <ianvincentdow@gmail.com> wrote:
> I need to lie down under her again and try to yank that axle outwards, as
> if to bang it on the hub - listen for a simlilar *instrument* as makes my
> 's van's clunk sound climbing hills.
> For an axle to make the sound my rear is making, it would have to be going
> in and out each revolution. Or, maybe the trailing arm is swinging
> in-and-out by revolution - creating a hammer effect
> There doesn't seem to be anything the axle could be KNOCKING as it spins -
> that just doesn't make sense.
>
> Interestingly, just replaced my tires -  the wear was so uneven on my rears
> . I had a patch one third the passenger side rear that was baby-ass bald,
> but there was still tread on its opposite side. Got me thinking bent-axle.
>
> My Klunk sound seems to go away at highway speed. It's only under load,
> cycling up through 1st and 2nd gears. The harder I push, the louder it is.
>
> On Wed, May 25, 2016 at 10:04 PM, Edward Maglott <emaglott3@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> The clunking sound I have is exactly related to wheel speed.  It sort of
>> fades in and stays a  couple dozen seconds or a minute then fades out.  I'm
>> pretty sure I've tried swerving and that didn't affect it.  Also pretty
>> sure going around a curve either way did not affect it.  If it is the
>> driveshaft end hitting the inside of the hub, why would it do that once per
>> revolution and only sometimes?  The place I have had it happen more than
>> once is a long, strait mountain grade on Interstate where I'm at WOT for
>> quite a number of minutes and often have to put my AT in "2" for a while
>> too.
>> Edward
>>
>>
>> On Wed, May 25, 2016 at 8:44 PM, Vincent Dow <ianvincentdow@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> That's great to learn greg. Thank you.
>>>
>>> The thread on samba zeroed in on the theory that the axle itself was
>>> moving
>>> between the CV joints. Because it's only held on by circlips. So the
>>> longer
>>> end slides and bangs into the hub.- or it could be dinging the output on
>>> the transaxle.
>>>
>>> There is a thrust washer which originally was supposed to slip on the axle
>>> before the circle, and that would limit the movement of the axle between
>>> CVs. But it was said to be a PITA to get the circle on with it there. The
>>> Cvs from van cafe still show the thrust washer in their kit. But many
>>> don't
>>> use it.
>>>
>>> The other possible solution is to slide the CV boot as far towards the
>>> wheel as possible, and that will hold the axle inboard.
>>>
>>> I'm going to check my trailing arm bushings tomorrow as well.
>>> best
>>> vinnie
>>>
>>> On Wed, May 25, 2016 at 8:38 PM, KI4TLF <ki4tlf@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> > Mine had rear swing arm bushing going bad, specially the left side.
>>> After
>>> > turning to the right at speed, 25+ MPH, I'd get the clunking going over
>>> > bumps until I turned left at those speeds or higher again.
>>> > What was happening was the lower swing arm would shift inboard, then the
>>> > end of the axle would clunk over bumps.  Once I turned right, it would
>>> > shift out, then no more clunking.
>>> > Replaced both lower swing arms bushing and no more problems turning
>>> either
>>> > way.  :-)
>>> >
>>> > It took several months to find it driving it daily.  Finally found out
>>> > what was happen after the CV boot tore and I went to replace it.  Found
>>> the
>>> > swing arm would move in and out over an inch.
>>> >
>>> > GregM
>>> > '84 GL
>>> > 1.9l 4-speed
>>> >
>>> > -----Original Message-----
>>> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
>>> > Of Vincent Dow
>>> > Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2016 4:54 PM
>>> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>> > Subject: Re: Rear-wheel clunk (possibly) identified
>>> >
>>> > Stick tranny.
>>> > I was just under there again, videoing the chamber of the trailing-arm,
>>> > occupied by the outboard CV joint.
>>> > Looking for something that could be striking.
>>> >
>>> > The Bentley manual doesn't show any washers, thrust washers... any of
>>> that
>>> > stuff being mentioned in the samba thread.
>>> >
>>> > I'm going to keep reading, thinking. Tomorrow it goes on a lift so at
>>> > least can inspect the CV and grease.
>>> >
>>> > On Wed, May 25, 2016 at 5:22 PM, Dan Lamb <vanagongramps@gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > > Auto or stick tranny?  Axle lengths are different left and right on
>>> auto.
>>> > > Someone may have used stick axles or swapped sides?  Ones too long?
>>> > >
>>> > > Dan Lamb
>>> > >
>>> > > > 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&pos
>>> > > torder=asc&highlight=axle++noise+fit&start=0&sid=cb5f768858f53fec27c75
>>> > > 037b66837cf
>>> > > >>
>>> > > >> 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
>>> > > >>
>>> > >
>>> >
>>> >
>>>
>>
>>