Just push the axle out thru the frame on 1 side and tilt it up enough to clear the number-teeth so that they can rotate freely to any mileage you'd like. 
 It may take a few trys til you get the mileage you want, with it all lined-up and the axle pushed back thru the frame.

Mike B..
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Stephen Grisanti 
  To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM 
  Sent: Sunday, January 31, 2010 8:25 AM
  Subject: Re: If you've fixed your odometer...Thanks!

  "I had to add mileage to mine from 127k to 239k! So I was just changing the first 3 numbers."

  Yes, that is the original question: How?!? I know what I needed to do but could not figure out how to do it. I did eventually figure this out and, as mentioned in my last post, will provide pix and explanation.

  Here's the rub: On the '84 and earlier odometers (what I'm calling the "metal frame" units) you have room to maneuver once you remove the speedo face, but on the later ones (what I'm calling the "plastic frame" units) you can't get to the pieces you need to reach in order to do the number reset.

  Stephen

  --- On Sun, 1/31/10, Max Wellhouse <dimwittedmoose@cfu.net> wrote:
  Been awhile since I did my odo reset, but I do remember taping the numbers down that I wasn't going to change so they stayed in alignment with the drive gear out. I had to add mileage to mine from 127k to 239k! So I was just changing the first 3 numbers.

  YMMV

  DM&FS