Front Wheel Bearing???

I am not certain it is a wheel bearing issue but when moving slowly I can hear a click from N/S front wheel.

Maybe a stone in the tyre or something - so tomorrow wheel off and take a look.

If it is a wheel bearing can they be changed without a press? I have a workshop manual and puzzling there is no mention of grease on the bearings maybe Woodie or Logi know the answers.

Jon

Well that's the problem when you buy a VW Campervan. Should have bought a Daihatsu Hi-Jet.

First thing tomorrow morning check to see that the Split Pin in the Castellated Nut hasn't been chewed through by the nut.
It is my first port of call from what you described. If the splitpin is still in one piece check that the nut is done up really tight. I have got the feeling it won't be.

Either way get rid of the Split Pin and tighten the Castellated nut TIGHT. The nut from memory is a 30mm or 32mm Then fit a DECENT Allen Key instead. Using a pair of Mole Grips bend the Allen Key at a right angle and if necessary use an angle grinder to trim it up so you you can get the Plastic Cap on over the nut.

Failing that get back to me on here. I am taking things easy at the moment and the Forum is taking a back seat, so might not answer straight away.

But something like this could have been serious so had to post a reply. The wheel and hub can't come off quickly as the Caliper holds the Disc in place and the Stub Axle holds it too. I have never had a Stub come right out. The steering pulls violently to the left giving you warning of the Nut come off.

Thanks Woody, The split pin is in place - When it stops raining I will jack up the van and see what is happening.
It is probably a unique problem for a unique van
I know what you mean about take it easy. When I did the clutch at one point could hardly breath, and at that moment I realised how old I was and that this was the last big job - next time I will have to get someone else to do the work. With this I'll do no more than check split pin and nut and take off the wheel in case it is a bit of crap catching.

Once again thank you.
Jon

Woodie,
I hope that you are feeling better. Here it is piddling with rain, too wet to work on the van - so far I have only checked the pin - it is OK.
Q1. You say replace the SPLIT PIN with an Allen Key would a purpose made R pin be a better option?
Q2. You mention plastic cap my truck does not have cover caps - and in the workshop manual there are none in the exploded drawings.
I may be being picky but it is only 4 weeks until we are off in the van, (our major adventure) so I have to be on top of all the maintainance. - 2 geriatrics and one large dog - we will be doing the North Coast 500 so in total we will be going Lands End to John o' Groats; Lizard point (most southerly) to Dunnets Head (most northerly); a detour onto the "Snow Road Route" will take us over the heighest piece of public road. A real "bucket list trip"
We get back from that and 2 weeks later I will be off up to Edinburgh for a week - one son flying over for my 70th other son lives in Edinburgh. So the van will do about 4000 miles in 6 weeks.
Jon

Fantastic, keep us posted on your journey. We also fancy the NW500, but this year thinking of just going up to Orkney, so will end up doing part of it. Not be doing it till later in the summer. Look forward to hearing of your adventure.

Raggy wrote:Fantastic, keep us posted on your journey. We also fancy the NW500, but this year thinking of just going up to Orkney, so will end up doing part of it. Not be doing it till later in the summer. Look forward to hearing of your adventure.

Raggy I hope you enjoy the trip - "just going up to Orkney ...." If you are doing that in the van it is quite a trip initself. If you went by Pentland Ferries you could go up by the East Coast Route and returm by the West Coast route - then you will have done the NC500 at the same time.

You will be able to follow our trip by looking at the Blog - Before we go I will bring it up to date - cover the one long solo trip I made last year and our shorter "2 oldies and dog" outings!
https://smallromahome2oldies1largedog.blogspot.co.uk/
At the moment I am amassing loads of info on wild camping stopping places. - I am retired - which leaves me TIME RICH and CASH POOR Somehow after my sons great idea of birthday in Edinburgh I am feeling my age at the thought of driving an extra thousand miles - don't get me wrong I am sure I will enjoy myself once we get away but - the second trip 2 weeks after returning is a bit daunting.
Jon

Hi Jon. The reason I always use an Alan key is because it is of hardened steel which the Castelated Nut can't chomp its way through.

Quite why or how this happens I haven't got answers to. It starts off with a little knocking noise when going hard into a right hand bend and on the straight and left hand bend - nothing.
It is always the nearside one that goes. I have never had it happen to the offside. It almost certainly wouldn't happen if the nearside had a left hand thread.

If you use an Allen key and bend it with Moles then it can't come out. If you can lay your hands on an R clip that is hardened steel it wouldn't get eaten. Might need a bit of persuasion to get it in the drilling with a small hammer. My way though - it cannot come out. If your steel wheels do not have the Black Plastic Centre Caps - join the club. I would hazard a guess that 90% of Hi-Jets will have lost or had them broken.

Just out of curiosity, do you have a Cooling Fan Overide Switch on your van as with the radiator area reduced by the Giber-Flass Perversion as soon as you hit the first big hills your temperature gauge will I imagine climb skyward pretty quickly. Hopefully you have already tried it on a few of the larger longer "Bumps" that you have down there in Cornwall.

Hi Woodie, Good to know you are well.
Thank you for clarrifying the Allen Key. The R pins are A3 steel with a Zinc Coating - from what I can work out they should be tough enough - unless you know different they are in a range of thickness 2mm, 2.8mm, 3.5mm and 4mm
I have been considering a fan over-ride switch - to date but it has all been winter time running I have not had any heating issues - but for piece of mind I think I'll fit one.

BTW my front end is not Giber-Flass - Steve Deacon simply cuts and fabricatesd the whole front end from a sheet of 1mm steel. He also fabricates the radiator grill and the headlight fairings.

https://sites.google.com/site/styleavangbbo00/home

I have a lot of photos of Steve doing the job to someone who cannot weld and is kack-handd with a grinder it was amazing.
Do you perchance have a couple of switches that will fit the blanks in the dash? Override switch and spotlight switch!

Snow forecast for Sunday possibly Saturday too so I have no idea when I'll get some work done!

Jon

kernowjon01 wrote:
Raggy I hope you enjoy the trip - "just going up to Orkney ...."   If you are doing that in the van it is quite a trip initself.    If you went by Pentland Ferries you could go up by the East Coast Route and returm by the West Coast route - then you will have done the NC500 at the same time.

We have not done bad so far, first trip we did was to the west coast of Scotland near Oban, next to the Isle of Wight then last September to the east coast of Scotland near Inverness. Soon going down to Cornwall (Looe) and the a bit later to the Isle of Wight again.

Raggy wrote:

kernowjon01 wrote:
Raggy I hope you enjoy the trip - "just going up to Orkney ...."   If you are doing that in the van it is quite a trip initself.    If you went by Pentland Ferries you could go up by the East Coast Route and returm by the West Coast route - then you will have done the NC500 at the same time.

We have not done bad so far, first trip we did was to the west coast of Scotland near Oban, next to the Isle of Wight then last September to the east coast of Scotland near Inverness. Soon going down to Cornwall (Looe) and the a bit later to the Isle of Wight again.

Looe is nice - when are you going there. Some nice beaches on the Rame peninsular. I hope you have a good time - when we had a tugger we stayed on a Caravan Club CL just outside Looe - about a mile from the CC campsite - it was very basic and very cheap only facilities was water and a point to empty the Loo (no pun intended )

Jon

Can't help with the bearing/whatever issue, but enjoy the NC500, and make sure and visit Smoo Cave at Durness

Logi wrote:Can't help with the bearing/whatever issue, but enjoy the NC500, and make sure and visit Smoo Cave at Durness

Thanks Logi - I have a feeling it was a stone stuck in the tyre. I hope that I am right however I'll check the Castelated Hub Nut for tightness and locking pin.
Jon

kernowjon01 wrote:
Looe is nice - when are you going there.  Some nice beaches on the Rame peninsular.  I hope you have a good time - when we had a tugger we stayed on a Caravan Club CL just outside Looe - about a mile from the CC campsite - it was very basic and very cheap only facilities was water and a point to empty the Loo (no pun intended )
Jon

Be goin down t' Looe oh arrrr (sorry cant help but do pirate speak when going down to cornwall!) at the beginning of May, caravan site up on the hill at the top of East Looe. Been there before, not camping but glamping in a caravan...central heating , club house, pool, shop etc.

kernowjon01 wrote:
Thanks Logi - I have a feeling it was a stone stuck in the tyre.  I hope that I am right however I'll check the Castelated Hub Nut for tightness and locking pin.
Jon

Woody speaks wisdom, surprisingly common occurrence, happened to mine a while back.

Logi wrote:

kernowjon01 wrote:
Thanks Logi - I have a feeling it was a stone stuck in the tyre.  I hope that I am right however I'll check the Castelated Hub Nut for tightness and locking pin.
Jon

Woody speaks wisdom, surprisingly common occurrence, happened to mine a while back.

Logi, I am doing my Hub nuts as soon as the weather allows, (at the moment another Beast from the East and snow in West Cornwall - UNHEARD OF 2 weeks before Easter:o ) - Meanwhile I have checked and the split pins are still in place - I have to check my torque wrench goes up to between 177 and 215 Newton Metre - If not borrow one that does:!:
Jon

Know the feeling, had to abandon my job on the van as a blizzard was blowing in the open door!