At 03:19 AM 11/21/96 +0000, you wrote:
...So, looking through the manual, I cannot tell if I have to remove the
>whole wheel bearing assembly, or can I drop the inner CV joint and then
>remove the large axle bolt, and just pull the whole axle shaft out.

Challenge #1... Can I remove the inner CV bolts on the rear of a 2wd '84
Vanagon GL and after removing the brake drum, slide the outer CV out and
then remove the outer CV boot bolts?  There doesn't seem to be much room to
get to those outer CV boot bolts while installed. 

Challenge #2... I stripped the upper #4 cylinder head threads for the
exhaust. (A mechanic said to remove and check my thermostat's opening
temperature with hot water and thermometer, removing the exhaust was easier
than removing the water pump assembly.) Should I get a helicoil into the
head?  If this requires oversize drilling of the head stud hole, can this be
accomplished without removing the head? Is there any other solution? I'm
tempted to check if there is a U.S. or metric bolt size that is a hair
oversize and see if it will hold without cracking the head.

Thanks,

Scott Maurer
1984 Vanagon GL