[Vwdiesel] Topic limited, or people enabled? And Wheel Bearings.

[William A. Thompson]

Very well put Val.

Although it can be trying in a number of ways to
witness companions going thru such things ... it
is kind and wise to do onto others as you would
have them do onto you ... especially considering
for when in the future you find their shoes
(figuratively) on your own feet ... as in what
goes around always has a way of coming around in
some way.

Often when we are pressed upon to support each
other in these kinds of times ... even when there
is no distressing nature to the motive cause of
the outbursts ... there is still much to learn
from the "rants"... often in ways that aren't
obvious and easy to see.

All to often in even those times of distress ...
the rants themselves have more truth in them than
many want to see. Also ... you can't expect a
person to be eloquent in the
expression/explanation of their thoughts while in
the midst of the throws of their distress.

Too ... I have been accused of repeating myself
.. by those who didn't listen attentively enough
to discern the subtle difference in what I say now
vs. what I have said before ... often for the
reason that I see that their understanding missed
the mark the last time I said it ... so I do them
the favor of restating the idea more tailored for
them or the subtlely new situation.

I learned long ago to consider it a favor that a
real geezer considers it not to be a waste of time
to honor me with his words and wisdom ... no
matter how he states it ... and to consider
further that if I don't see the sense in his words
it likely is because I have not yet reached true
geezerhood myself ... as in ... I might not be
quite as wise as I esteem myself.

Don't misunderstand me ... some things that
have/can be said can rub my fur the wrong way. I
am a third generation red blooded American USMC
war veteran ('Nam was my "war") who has had to
listen to Hanoi Jane over the radio while dealing
with rocket/mortar/sapper attacks at/in DaNang and
other situations/places in 'Nam ... to name just
one thing where it could be easy to rile me. Don't
do me harm nor spit in my face for it and I can
listen enough to learn what else there is to learn
from near anybody. I will address a "too far out
there" rant as kindly as possible in public ...
but before going beyond that (for a good reason)
in public ... I do it privately to see if I can
sway them to some degree first.

Having not reached official geezerhood ... but far
enough along  by now to recognize some of my
young, brash and foolish days/years (not yet fully
grown from yet thank God !!!) ... I still often
struggle to hold my tongue long enough to learn
what there is to learn from what seems to be a
rant ... but it is harder with the younger ranters
than the geezer ranters ... I suspect one of the
reasons is that I still see too much of myself in
the young, brash and foolish.

Geezers have always been endearing to me. I am
very fortunate in that a few geezers have felt the
same for me. I would not have survived/learned
some things or gotten there as fast ... but for
the pearls that have been offered to me when I was
willing to at least be respectful in my words and
conduct.

But for the wisdom of Geezers and the foundations
they laid ... the strength of youngins would be
near aimless let alone having to figger it out
from the get-go. Sometimes the learning has to do
with diesels ... sometimes it has to do with the
context that a geezer sees things in and the
situations/experience he's been thru to fill in
the picture of the roots of his diesel knowledge
.. all of which is fascinating to me.

My God ... to be able read a man's writings and
musings ... who actually lived/lives thru what was
only a classroom history lesson for many of us ...
young, brash and foolish to pass up the
opportunity or behave in a way to stifle him.

On a different ... diesel content note ... I have
not yet dealt with the deceleration/braking
swerving/pulling (control arm bushings was the
suggested answer) I queried about on one of my
Rabbits. I did get intermediate seals done on
another Rabbit ... struts and C.V. boots on yet
another ... along with a bunch of little stuff on
all of them.

Also a couple of questions.

With four running Rabbits but not having to
commute to work anymore ... just going to the
stores round trip less than 20 miles once a month
I haven't had to buy fuel in about 2+ years. I do
switch cars each month for the trips and at least
run each around the block enough to warm up every
week.

How long can I reasonably go before having to
worry about stuff growing in my fuel system? What
additive concentrate is best?

I've only had to replace wheel bearings on one
Rabbit so far ... I went with the better ones
offered by NAPA.

    ...Bill

----- Original Message -----
From: "Val Christian" <val at mongobird.com>
To: <vwdiesel at vwfans.com>
Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 4:46 AM
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Topic limited, or people
enabled? And Wheel Bearings.


> > are generally entertaining and encouraged.  If
you feel like you are
> > repeating yourself on a daily basis, voicing
the same theme over, and over
> > and over, you probably are, and could do to
shut the hell up out of
> > politeness without having to have your face
rubbed in the pie.
>
> I get into rants on the benefits of impact
(mechanical shock), torches
> (thermal shock and disparate expansions),
soaking in lightweight penetrant
> (matrix softening and lube).  Don't forget that
straight weight oil
> has more total lubrication value than multivis,
because I can go on
> that for a couple of hours.  Extra candles that
the wifey doesn't
> want?  Grind 'em up and put 'em in the tank.
They'll go to good use,
> and the exhaust may even smell better.
>
> I have to honestly say that I've never had a
situation where someone
> has been disruptive at a home gathering.  But I
do know that people
> go through situations in their life where
venting may be important.
> How many of us have known someone going through
a seemingly unreasonable
> divorce?  Or had a kid or spouse out of control?
Or the neighbor who
> runs air impact and cracks up a torch at 2am,
working on noisy diesels?
>
> A neighbor, ham and friend went through a
situation several years ago,
> when his wife was out partying late at night,
and coming home plastered.
> She was taking less and less care of the kids.
He was getting beside
> himself, with concern for the family, and
concern for her.  Eventually
> she moved out, and took the kids.  Sort of.
They ended up at her mother's
> house, and grandma fed and clothed them.  Our
friend struggled through
> this, and hours were spent hearing his
frustrations.  In a matter of
> several months, his wife was found dead, in a
rented room over a bowling
> alley, from a heroin overdose.
>
> In our case on this list, there are several
people who are facing challenges.
> One in particular just lost his wife, is faced
with deterorating health,
> really misses the good old days (aren't our
memories of the good old days
> a bit distorted at times), and has an audience,
many of whom care about
> the old geezer.  I say cut people slack.  This
is email and there's always
> the delete key.
>
> On a different note, I checkout AutohausAZ, and
found a price I could
> tolerate on front wheel bearings.  Now if I
could just find a similar
> place for some of the other vehicles I work on.
I spent several hours
> looking for front wheel bearings for a Caravan,
and about all I could
> find was the same stuff (and prices) I get at
the local parts stores.
> I'm open to suggestions.
>
> Val
>
> _______________________________________________
> Vwdiesel mailing list
> Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
>
http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
>