Oh god...
Yeah,
I actually have already experienced that. Loose axle bolts caused a
singular clunk on breaking away from a stop. Finally sheared right off.

I'm on my way up to Carrera Motors, and they're gonna put it on the lift,
check the trailing arm bushings and axle bolts.
And like I said, going to try and recreate the CLUNK by slamming the axle
outwards, into the hub. Just to chase that theory all the way to ground.

I hate hearing it. causes me to wince. But all the other posters who
recounted the same experience said it went on for a long time w/o a
catastrophic failure. :)

On Thu, May 26, 2016 at 9:55 AM, Marc Perdue <mcperdue@gmail.com> wrote:

> 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
> >>> > > >>
> >>> > >
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>>
> >>
> >>
>