Stuart Hutton writes:

> Yesterday, I found that I had not tightened the rear wheel nut enough on
> my vanagon.  I have corrected this particular problem, but I need to ask,
> what will happen from this?  I have only driven it about 2000 miles or so
> since that, but I am kind-of concerned that maybe I got excessive wear
> on my wheel bearings.   Can anyone out there give me an idea of what I might
> hear in the initial stages of a rear wheel bearing going bad?
> 
> Also, if you happen to do your cv joints, be sure that you are positive the
> snap rings holding cv joints to the axels are on good.  I found that one
> of mine had come off yesterday.
> 
> Stuart Hutton
> 
	I am currently replacing the right rear wheel bearings on my 84
Westphalia.  The first sign I got was a growling noise last Saturday when
I put on the brakes.  By the end of the day it was there all the time, but
varied going around corners or accelerating.  I jacked up the back of the van
and could rock the right rear wheel back and forth.  The axle nut was pretty
loose--not the 350 ft/lbs recomended torque.  The last people to take off
the axle nut was Midas Muffler to do the brakes.  From the look of the axle
nut, I would say they used a pipe wrench on it.  I would not go back there
again.  
	Getting the wheel bearings out is pretty easy.  The outer bearing is
a straight roller thats pretty tightly pressed into the housing.  I may have
to take the housing to a machine shop to get it pressed in.  
	Anyone have any experience replacing those bearings?

Ken Gee