here are two crummy, low-res pictures.  i guess i don't take too many pictu=
res of the back of the van, i poked through a few camping trip albums and f=
ound only the front and side.  i'll try to remember to take a few pictures =
next time i'm out and about.  list folks (no attachments for you!), if you'=
re dying of curiosity, let me know and i'll p-mail.  it's a pretty sweet se=
t-up, if you don't mind drilling four holes in your hatch.
 
basically, there are two steel straps bolted to the door vertically, with t=
he bolts just above and below the reflective stripe.  these bear all the we=
ight of the rack and 1-2 bikes.  the bottom half of the two straps have ste=
el box tubes welded in parallel. a separate, removable piece slides into th=
ese box tubes.  that separate piece is made of a smaller width box tube in =
the shape of an "H".  the bottom half of the "H" slides into the box tubes =
bolted to the door, and top part of the H has two wavy posts that stick out=
 from the door orthogonally, these are wrapped in rubber tube and are where=
 the bikes fit.  these look like off-the-shelf products, since the waves ar=
e spaced just right for the top tubes of two bikes.  i have a full-suspensi=
on titus, and it fits too, though more awkwardly than a hardtail.
 
i can't imagine that this description makes any sense, so good luck to you.
 
aaron
'87 syncro westy ej22

> Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:47:40 -0600
> From: lalofs@GMAIL.COM
> Subject: Re: Roof Rack width survey
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> 
> Do you have a picture of the bike rack?
>    Thanks,
> Larry A.
> 
> 
> On Jan 18, 2008 4:10 PM, Aaron Pearson <aarondpearson@hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> >  bikes go on the back hatch, using a custom welded contraption that can't
> > be beat, also courtesy of the p.o.
> >
> > Subject: RE: Roof Rack width survey
> > Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:04:53 -0800
> > From: robyn@trainwire.com
> > To: aarondpearson@hotmail.com; vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Cool, thanks. Yeah, Gary's
> > are great looking, but won't fit Thule
> > accessories, being a round bar. So I'd need new bits.
> >
> >
> >
> >  I've seen rain-gutter installs
> > before that require the rack to be removed before popping anything. Not
> > the
> > most� convenient arrangement, but they're around.
> >
> >
> >
> > I'm still undecided :)
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> >
> >
> > Robyn
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > From: Aaron Pearson
> > [mailto:aarondpearson@hotmail.com]
> >
> > Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008
> > 2:00 PM
> >
> > To: Robyn Lundstrom;
> > vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
> >
> > Subject: RE: Roof Rack width
> > survey
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > it was installed by the p.o., using
> > the fake rain gutter bits attached directly to the fiberglass.  it was
> > done using the rubber patch and some silicon glue, i've never had a
> > problem
> > with them.  i don't see how attaching to the real rain gutter would work,
> > unless you never pop the top.  garry lee has a pretty cool setup, too.
> >
> >
> >
> > > Subject: RE: Re: Roof Rack width survey
> >
> > > Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:47:10 -0800
> >
> > > From: robyn@trainwire.com
> >
> > > To: aarondpearson@HOTMAIL.COM; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >
> > >
> >
> > > Hi Aaron,
> >
> > >
> >
> > > Which Thule
> > rack feet did you end up using with your Westy, and are they attached to
> > the
> > pop-top or the roof gutters? I'm sort of in the market for a rack, and
> > many
> > look good, except I already have a bunch of Thule accessories which won't
> > really fit anything
> > else, AFAIK. So, I'm leaning strongly towards a Thule solution.
> >
> > >
> >
> > > Robyn
> >
> > >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> >
> > > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> > Of
> > Aaron Pearson
> >
> > > Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 1:04 PM
> >
> > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >
> > > Subject: Re: Roof Rack width survey
> >
> > >
> >
> > > d.o.t. regulations state that the bars can't go past the side-view
> > mirrors. 78" is okay, i measured it. I had 78" yakima bars on my syncro
> > 7-pass. i thought
> > they looked cool, with the short towers. I never utilized that extra
> > length for
> > any roof-rack purposes, but you can do pull-ups off them- a useful
> > trailhead
> > parking-lot diversion. my westy has thule
> > square 66" bars, i wish it had the big ones.
> >
> > >
> >
> > > aaron
> >
> > > '87 syncro westy ej22
> >
> > > 2009 4wd pop-top routan
> >
> > >
> >
> > > > Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:48:52 -0600
> >
> > > > From: aquasheck@HOTMAIL.COM
> >
> > > > Subject: Roof Rack width survey
> >
> > > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >
> > > >
> >
> > > > Hi All,
> >
> > > >
> >
> > > > I'm putting together a Yakima Roof rack for my 88 vanagon and was
> > wondering
> > if people are favoring the 66" or 78" bar lengths - looks like both
> > are acceptable since the towers curve in a touch.
> >
> > > >
> >
> > > > the overall width of a vanagon is 73 inches right? - sort of leaning
> > towards the 78", for aesthetics if nothing else.
> >
> > > >
> >
> > > > -Ben
> >
> > > >
> >
> > > > _________________________________________________________________
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