I prolly know the answer to this already, but....

how do you tell when a universal is dead.

I am hearing an intermittent knocking coming from the rear left ( i think - wife reckons i am deaf, and i probally agree)

Sort of a knock knock "mainly" when i go round left corners, break, take off.
But not allways.

Havent gone exploring yet, too dark when i get home and too dressed at work.

I did do a push / pull on the right hand side and it moved and made a real dull "thuck" noise i guess.
The left hand side made a more definite "tick, tick" metalically as it moved back and forth - much free-er.

Wheel is not loose.
Dont think the shock is.
Yes - the torsion bar doughnut looks shot, but it is a different sound to when that went on Blue1. That was a more rhymical sound, that went away when you breaked. This comes on - sometimes then

Will get under this weekend but if i can i was going to pull the good ones from Blue1 and just swap straigh over.

Pull them apart and clean and check to be sure. Make sure you re grease them properly

And when there clean you will see if theres any wear in the inner or outers or the Ball n cage.

Ive got a set laying on the office floor behind me.

Does sound like a dead CV,
Take Dave's advice.
BTW, when you grab the axle to check for play, try by turning the axle (as in drive the car forward, backwards) not by pushing it left to right (relative to the car). If there's any play that way, they're on their last legs.

Oh, if your a real cheap scate like me, if there's pitting in the surface, turn them around so you drive on the other face and get a few more miles out of them. NOT recommended though??
:thumb

First, they are CV's or constant velocity joints. Universals are quite different

I just replaced all mine, very messy job. Mine were making a noisy wheel bearing humming / oscillating. Occasionally clicking when turning.

Other weird ticking at the rear could be related to:
* A worn out rear wheel bearing. When the inner ring is too loose on the stub they tend to crack, then you hear a noise as the rollers run over the crack.
* loose axle nut letting brake drum move about
* rock in your tyre
* 4 bolts holding the bearing retainer coming loose, letting the brake backing plate turn forward and back
* hand brake cable loose inside drum catching on the drum slightly making clicking noises

Well WHAT else is there to do at work eccept work on yr VW stuff.

Had a look at lunch time and the boot on the inner CV (not universal for the uneducated ) it was split like about 3/4 the way round.

I guess this is NOT how it is suppose to be. I will sart by changing the CV from Blue1 and see how i go from there.

BARRY

Pull the ones axles n all from Blue 1.

Put some rubber gloves on and strip them down using a good set of circlip pliers.

Wash up all the bits ina bucket of Kero... then time for inspection

Use rubber surgical gloves as it easier to keep your hands clean./:alien:alien

Make sure You use Moly-lithium based grease, about $7 a tube ..and pack them full of grease. 2 x Tubes of grease should do the 4 CV Joints.... and You will need a box of rubber gloves and at least 2 rolls of paper to clean the Constant Velocity Joints and yourself ... these can be tricky to put back together... very easy to pull apart... Once You know the secret its just Messy.... I have had front wheel drive cars with a knock going round corners and I just filled the CV Joint up with Moly Lithium grease and never heard another noise for over 100,000kms.. I did My Son's Pulsar a few months ago..... Moly-Lithium based grease works wonders...
I use it on everything... don't get it on Your clothes as You will probably have to burn them....
I bought a couple of tubes fron Big W last week... :thumb:thumb:thumb:thumb

I never reuse Pitted CV Joints on a VW, but if they are slightly worn, I reuse them with the Moly grease.... I am just about to do My 68AutoBug CV Joints and replace all the rubber boots... its much easier to replace the boots NOW than later on...
If one is broken, they have all done the same kms.. it won't be long for the others.
Best of luck.... Lee:thumb:bounce:bounce:bounce

Don't forget to re check the CV Joint bolts after a few weeks.... they can come loose in the first 500 kms.... or so...
the CV Joints only go onto the axles one way too... a small chamfer on the inner part of the CV Joint.. and I always close the circlips up a bit with a hammer before replacing them on the axle.... You don't want them coming off either...:thumb:thumb

I always use plenty of Grease..... I don't think the grease will have any effect on the rubber boots... Better to have too much rather than too little grease , is My belief.... although I'm not saying You will use all of the 2 tubes of Moly lithium based grease, but You will need 2 tubes...
to do the job.. don't forget to wear old old clothes....
Best of Luck
Lee:thumb:thumb:thumb:bounce:bounce:bounce

Too much grease will definitely rip the CV boots and make them fail prematurely. It can also produce a vibration at highway speeds from the big clump of grease going to one side of the boot and spinning around.

Too much grease is bad.

Jacked up last night and wheel was tight and couldnt find ant wobbles - shock etc.

The boot was plit 3/4 on one rib and 3/4 on the other side on the other rib.
Didnt seem to have "much" forward play but didnt sound "greasy" when moving back and forth.
Gave it a real good "back and forth" thrashing. No clicking/clanking noise now.

Must be the CV and i have pumped grease in there.

I have one spare in the garage, good nick but was never sealed to the elements. I will give that a good cleane with kero and regrease it and whack that in on the weekend.
I will pull the other two and give them a good going over and replace both of then with those.

Thabks

WOW.... that grease is REALLY sticky!!!!

Anyway - i had one spare and i kero'd that and got all the pld grease out and re-packed it with grease.

I have the others brom Blue1 that i will change both on soon.
Pretty sure i have fixed the problem. It "sounds" better than the other side - which sounded HEAPS better than the one i just replaced.
Looked REAL dry when i pulled it.
Had enough spline head bolts that i got rid of the allen key ones.

I love it when you fix something for $10.00 :bounce