dear flat friends in VW westies -
i have worked in service stations for 6 of my living years on the earth-
spent one year working in a dedicated tire store - (Sooner or later you'll
own Generals) ;o)
- have been fixing flats on bicycles and farm equipment since i was a able
to reach the valve cap-
never in my life have i heard it was against the law to plug a tire -
indeed i have two plug kits in my van - one from wallmart -one from tractor
supply
(also one in my 89 labaron)

i drive on average since 1998 - about 30 - 40 thousand kilometers / year ...

all over western canada and the greater part of the lower 48 - (more often
now married to a yankee)

camped last night on abandoned logging road side on vancouver island
well outside the off road limit of any auto club pick up or cell phone
service

there is no doubt that a patch is better than a plug-

-both have to be installed properly and according to directions
http://www.tubelest.co.jp/foreign/manu1.html

with proper tools
http://www.patchrubber.com/tire_repair/tire_repair.html

i do not specify any particular brand or make ... simply follow directions

the tires on our vehicles are not complex two piece rims or duals separated
by a ring
they are simple and strait forward -

if you want to patch on your own and do the inside of the tire then get a
simple tire spreader -
they are very inexpensive from china -

this is the american DOT on tire safety and repairs
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/TireSafety/ridesonit/brochure.html

this is the brittish - (they actually have a national standard) (oh those
british no wonder they liked germany so much before 1939)
http://www.etyres.co.uk/etyres-press-media/repairable-area-gauge.htm

and this from my lovely home province of British Columbia, Canada

http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/reg/T/Transportation513_2004/513_2004.htm#section8

indeed in depth they the government are completely silient  -
http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/reg/M/MotorVehicle/26_58/26_58_04.htm

Friends we are driving vehicles that require large amounts of care and
attention -
yes my camper is messy when i travel -
yes i often need a wash -
but i can asure you that if i break down - i have at least the tools to
dismantle nearly any part of the van -
effect repairs - if with in my ken - and to be able to assist the guy doing
it if need be-
more over if we find our selves together on the road side - i may be able to
offer help -
and it all fits neatly into a rubber maid tote ;)
yours

On Tue, Jul 22, 2008 at 8:51 AM, Michael Diehr <md03@xochi.com> wrote:

> My travel partner is, to put it mildly, skeptical of our vanagon's
> ability to make a planned 1500 mile road trip this summer.   This is
> not without cause :  in the 6 prior trips, three were problematic:
> once the engine blew up, once it overheated in rather extreme heat and
> we had to pull over for an hour, and once the alternator died (**) and
> we couldn't run A/C and lights at the same time.   That time I had a
> friend bring a new alternator and replaced it at the campground.   I
> thought this was kinda fun but I guess definitions of "fun"
> differ? :-)    Other 3 trips it was fine.
>
> Negotiations with said partner have focused on strategies for
> increasing chances of next trip to be a winner, and reducing anxiety.
>
> Ideas included:
>  * getting known issues fixed ahead of time by an actual mechanic
>  * not driving up southern california mountain passes I-5 or I-15 in
> traffic + 110 degree heat
>  * a relaxed driving schedule so we feel no need to press on in
> adverse conditions
>  * getting AAA plus (100 mile) or premium (200 mile) tow package
>  * having a list of vanagon friendly mechanics along the route
>
> The van has a new engine (about 10k miles), ecu, afm, battery,
> starter, alternator**, alternator wiring, fuel hose, injectors
> (professionally cleaned), and radiator. (**) the alternator was
> probably fine, it was the bad wiring.
>
> Known issues :   minor exhaust leak, automatic transmission leaks a
> bit but works fine.   The transmission is my only major worry, as it's
> more or less the only major trip-ending failure I can imagine.
>
> Any recommendations?  This is as much an emotional as technical issue,
> methinks.
>

--
roger w
There are two kinds of jobs in the world:
Picking up garbage and telling people things.
Successful people do both, with the same good attitude. (riw)
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