Terry, Terry,

You just didn't look at the right end of the problem!

My '85 started rattling at about 30K, so it wasn't really a wear situation.
I simply glued two popsicle sticks, or actually one inch pieces of popsicle
sticks to the spots on the sides of the upper bunk where the little steel
feet from the top make contact.  When the van comes from the factory, those
feet have rubber shoes (like galoshes) that deaden the sound, but they wear
out pretty quickly.

Karl

----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry K." <CTONLINE@WEBTV.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, May 09, 2002 7:52 AM
Subject: Pop Top Rattle Solved---

> In a desperate attempt to stop the latch on the pop top from rattling
> upon hitting every road irregularity-I came up with this
> conclusion-----the holes in the male portion of the latch have been
> ovaled out, causing the top to not draw up tight to the roof, or I guess
> the luggage rack.
>
> I thought of adding some 1/4'  rubber adhesive backed gasket type
> material, but this solution would be short lived, as the rubber would
> eventually squish down and the rattle would be back----
>
> So her's what I did----
>
> I removed the female portion of the latch, and welded the top portion of
> the hole closed--took my die grinder, and smoothed out the weld, and now
> the pin's of the latch catch the hole in a lower position, keeping the
> top pulled tighter to the roof---
>
> Eureka!!!---No more rattling----
>
> There is zero vertical adjustment for the latch --and as far as I could
> see this was the only way to resolve this irritating as all hell
> constant rattle----
>
> Later,
>
>             ______________
>            |[  ] [  ] [ ]\
>            |    |    |    |
>      ~~~ ~||-(())----(())-|
>
> Terry--
>
>        "Zoom, Zoom, Zoom"
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> http://community.webtv.net/CTONLINE/TerrysHighOnLife
>