The van with no name.....

[Bluesnailman]

So, I had an excuse for a party - like others, there was a significant birthday this year. The Van With No Name was 50 yrs old (this month) and we invited friends to join us camping in Wing, Rutland. To our surprise over 20 friends joined us. (I guess my wife was retaining friends while I rewired the bloomin thing over the winter).

It was perfectly well behaved, as normal, but decided to have a bit of a stutter on the way home, resulting a carb strip, clean and rebuild in the forecourt of Retford ATS on sunday evening. You blighter!!

I also made a birthday photo album, - follow the link for more photos
https://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/interests/50-years-to-a-bay-17882436?vk=mK4wXkUjgU

 

[matty74]

So, I had an excuse for a party - like others, there was a significant birthday this year. The Van With No Name was 50 yrs old (this month) and we invited friends to join us camping in Wing, Rutland. To our surprise over 20 friends joined us. (I guess my wife was retaining friends while I rewired the bloomin thing over the winter).

It was perfectly well behaved, as normal, but decided to have a bit of a stutter on the way home, resulting a carb strip, clean and rebuild in the forecourt of Retford ATS on sunday evening. You blighter!!

I also made a birthday photo album, - follow the link for more photos
https://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/interests/50-years-to-a-bay-17882436?vk=mK4wXkUjgU

Happy Birthday V.W.N.N.

What a brilliant idea the book is, just wish I had some more pre ownership pics of Winnie, but I’ll be doing the same come next year when she reaches the ripe old age [emoji106]

Great pics and thread too.


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[exuptoy]

Nice job. I reckon you could print and sell that.

 

[Bluesnailman]

I've done about 20,000 miles in the van now and on last outing to the lakes a rumble started. Back bearings are suspect, so thinking that a re-grease might be in order (@30,000mile intervals) I took one apart last night.

I should have known better, this poor blighter hasn't seen a service for a decade or two. Not surprising really, look at how much you need to dismantle to get to it.

I've got some new ones to drop in on both sides, and will change the rear flex brake hoses at same time (should have done them same time as all the kuper pipes)

I did read that they can slacken a bit after 1000 miles so will need to check that theory and re-torque

 

[mike202]

Was there a sign the bearings were wearing out ?




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[Bluesnailman]

Hi Mike, well yes we developed a noise in the lakes, which on inspection appeared as both castle nuts being at the 'wrong' torque. This wasn't the case when they were last installed, I was really careful to get them right (35nm plus moved onwards to the next point where I could get the split pit installed). I'm guessing the play developed because of worn bearings. I nipped them up and went for a test drive and the noise was gone, but there was (a very small?) amount of vertical play in one

Took the bearings out last night, the roller bearing was a bit growley and on inspection showing signs of wear, ball bearing seemed ok, but somehow surviving on old dirty grease.

The freezer trick worked quite well, but still a very snug fit. The stub axel is in freezer at moment so should drop into the hub more easily this evening (hopefully!)

I'm happy to change both..... But difficult to believe this is a 30000mile service job.

 

[Moseley]

Hi Mike, well yes we developed a noise in the lakes, which on inspection appeared as both castle nuts being at the 'wrong' torque. This wasn't the case when they were last installed, I was really careful to get them right (35nm plus moved onwards to the next point where I could get the split pit installed). I'm guessing the play developed because of worn bearings. I nipped them up and went for a test drive and the noise was gone, but there was (a very small?) amount of vertical play in one

Took the bearings out last night, the roller bearing was a bit growley and on inspection showing signs of wear, ball bearing seemed ok, but somehow surviving on old dirty grease.

The freezer trick worked quite well, but still a very snug fit. The stub axel is in freezer at moment so should drop into the hub more easily this evening (hopefully!)

I'm happy to change both..... But difficult to believe this is a 30000mile service job.

Is there a zero missing from your torque figure above, as it should be close to 350nm of torque that the hub nut is done up to...?


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[Bluesnailman]

Yes, your right, typo! (Not me using wrong settings)

 

[Moseley]

Yes, your right, typo! (Not me using wrong settings)

Thought I’d check - saying you ‘nipped them up’ is an understatement!


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[Bluesnailman]

What happened here then? Anybody had this before, torqued up properly and then today.....



Castle nut has cracked, fallen into hub cap and makes a good old rattle at low speeds. Could have been a disaster.....

Any thoughts on what caused this other than overtightening, the bearing has little play in it.

 

[gninnam]

Sounds like fatigue - perhaps had a hairline crack in it and over time it grew until - ping...

 

[Bluesnailman]

Recovery guy said "had same thing on another vw a few weeks ago". How odd, will take a look at in morning...

 

[Moseley]

Had exactly the same happen on our old van if that’s one of the cast nuts? Fortunately, I’d just pulled out of the garage when it split in two. Mine was torqued up correctly as well. Replace with some proper machined nuts, it’s easy to say after it has happened, but there’s no good reason that anyone should be selling cast nuts of any size - they’re an accident waiting to happen.


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[graysummers]

That’s a great mixbook link you have. Great VeeDub birthday idea. Lots getting close to 50 on here now. To have that letter included too. Adds an amazing feel to the history of VWNN. Really good to see your van currently in capable, technically interested, adventurous and sympathetic hands. Your American previous owners should be really happy that the story goes on. You’ve done a grand job keeping her alive and kicking.

 

[Bluesnailman]

seems like a good time to think about jobs to do for the first outing....

1 Handbrake - something is not right!
2 wiper spindle on drivers side - annoyingly the splines somehow damaged themselves and now need replacing
3 light buzzer when I take key out the ignition doesn't work - a mistake somewhere in my wiring of last year(guess the dash is coming our anyway to get to the wiper drive gear.
4 draw out a completed version of my "new" wiring loom
5 make under dash shelf......
6 touch up some paint defects/incidents (particularly where the sliding door bracket broke last year and caused the door to drop
7 oil change, etc
8 get planning for some trips

Other than that - all pretty good for this winter thank you very much

 

[Bluesnailman]

Having read a lot of lowering threads I thought I'd spend 10 minutes on lowering the back end. Was fairly easy

 

[Bluesnailman]

Struggling with photos....

 

[Bluesnailman]

Cleaned and fitted a new cab door lock after some problems earlier this year. The old one was worn and the only fix I could make was a bit crude. This one cleaned up nicely

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[Bluesnailman]

Also decided that I ought to look at some of the underseal and cavity wax so bought some dinitrol cans and the attachment for the compressor and got to work. The cavity wax I think needed a warmer day, but all in I was pleased with the result (September, I've only just worked out how to add photos)

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[fallingoffalot]

Looks good, I have a pack of dinitrol wax and black stuff with the spray gun. I'm just wondering the best way to get at the underside. Did you put the while bus on stands or do one side at a time?

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