In a message dated 3/16/04 1:37:01 PM, rkoller@HELIX.NIH.GOV writes:

<< I have tried a punch without a hint of
movement of the pin. Anyone have any tricks to do this? >>

Use a bigger beater, a press or a vice.  Any way you choose to do it, make
sure the lugged drive coupling as well as the distributor housing is well
supported.  Fashion a bench block to bed the coupling while extracting the pin.  I
made a bench block from AL which has worked perfectly well for the few times
that I have dismantled Vanagon distributors.  I also chose to press out the pin
because it is a more controlled method.  A quick and dirty method is to grip
the coupling in a bench vise fitted with copper jaw pads, then tap out the pin.

George