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Subject:Re: Syncro and Long Trip w/o Front Drive Shaft?
From:Malcolm Stebbins
Date:Tue, 13 Apr 1999 10:38:35 -0300

Thanks for the input.  Should one not be able to tell IMMEDIATELY
if the front VC locks up just by seeing of the front tires 'scrub' in a
turn?? or will the CVs mask that??  Malcolm S

David wrote:

> I have often pondered this in my head, somehow I think you may be driving
> with your VC locked the whole way if you removed your drive shaft.  I could
> be wrong with my theory but, if there VC is speed dependant when it locks
> then 0km/h + 100km/h = locked VC, if there is nothing spinning the input
> due to no drive shaft and the out put is spinning away due to driving then
> wouldn't it lock?
>
> Personally I wouldn't worry about it.  Volkswagen drove a Syncro around the
> Germany with no rear axles, making it a front wheel drive for the whole
> trip.  Supposededly no problems after doing that kind of abuse.
>
> Just my confused 0.02 worth.
>
> At 19:12 12/04/1999 -0300, Malcolm Stebbins wrote:
> >I am planning a long trip - Nova Scotia to Arizona - and back this
> >summer.  I have no plans for needing the 4WD except for maybe 2
> >weeks in Arizona and New Mexico.    My questions are:
> >
> >1)  would you recommend removing the front drive shaft for the trip
> >    (I can carry it with me and reinstall if/when I need it).
> >
> >2)  Any damage in driving long periods w/o the front drive shaft?
> >    (my goal is to save the wear and tear on the VC and drive shaft
> >    if not needed)
> >
> >Yes, I have the posts about removing and re-installing the front
> >drive shaft.   Thanks,  Malcolm S
> >
> >
>
> --   David Marshall - Vanagon List Admin - Quesnel, BC, Canada   --
> --    78 VW Rabbit, 80 VW Caddy, 87 Audi 5KSQ, 85 VW Cabriolet   --
> --  88 2.0L VW Syncro Double Cab, WANTED: VW / Bombardier Iltis  --
> -- David's Volkswagen Home Page        http://www.volkswagen.org --
> -- Fast Forward Autobahn Sport Tuning  http://www.fastforward.ca --
> -- david@volkswagen.org (pmail) or vanagon@volkswagen.org (list) --