well interesting.......I just took the rod off with the van on the ground.
All four wheels.  On the ground.  Came apart relatively easily.  Just a few
rust loosening hammer bangs after the nuts were off. Wouldn't have started
if I couldn't've turned the nuts.

Just goes to show what a little ignorance will do.

Maybe being 4 wheels on the ground'll make it hard to get the rod back on.
I'll clean out the holes, grease it up and I will not move the wheel until
it's all back together.

keeping my fingers crossed .... :)

Bill M

On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 3:01 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:

> One thing to consider on those metal tubes that go through  the strut rod
> bushings is that they may be hardened metal, not just 'any' ole metal tube.
> In my case I just found not trashed good used ones.  They can wear badly
> enough to start wearing out the strut rod shaft too.
> Fortunately I had a good used one of those too.
>
> about 'do it all at once'
> please don't anyone read past here unless you want to -
>
> there are two sides to that 'do it all at once' thing...or more sides than
> only two.
>
> On the one hand ...if you do it all at once you will gain more for the time
> invested, namely only have to work on it only once. Granted, more efficient
> that way ..
> and is why most of my projects 'get big' since if I am going to touch this
> part, then I should address that thing right next to it, and if I'm going
> to
> do that one ..then I should to this one too ....etc. etc.  And since it's
> got surface rust right there....well, got to treat that too.
>
> I'm saying that since projects grow so much in size anyway, I try to keep
> them more finite, and will work on just one part of something here,and some
> more there, lest they turn into just monster projects that take forever to
> get done.
>
> and cost ...doing it 'all at once' involves more outlay of cash at once. (
> or you can gradually accumulate the parts over time in advance )
>
> And ....'replacing everything at once' .......exposes you to the danger of
> new parts these days may not be as well made and durable as the original
> ones. .
>
> another 'negative factor' about Doing it All at Once is .........often the
> project gets put off for a long, long time and things are worse when
> someone
> finally gets in there, as opposed to if someone did part of it here and
> there is smaller steps.
>
> Personally, I replace worn parts, and keep good parts in service.
> But then it's fun and rewarding for me to work on it, and I don't mind if I
> do part of it now, and part of it in 6 months.
>
> there is the time factor too relative to badly rusted or stuck things
> ........if things are stuck, or rusted, corroded etc...the sooner you find
> out about it, the better off you are.
> So I would vote for some careful inspection, and repair what is shot, and
> keep the rest in service.
> I find so many things badly stuck and rusted together, that I can't help
> but
> think that the disassembly and reassembly is,  *in itself*  good for the
> van -you know things are not terminally stuck together.  In other words,
> working on the van is good for it, in general.
>
> If we are going to operate these wonderful vans at 25+ years of age ...
> it's good to keep all of it well-treated against rust and corrosion, and
> making sure things are not stuck together horribly, because if they  are,
> it
> only gets worse with time.  And applying 'just the right amount of energy'
> to 'just the right place at the right time'....
> I find that fun, rewarding, and efficient. And not too costly either.
>
> maybe the Vanagon Gods smile upon your Van ..and all the parts contained
> within.
> Sure would like to have a 'drive through' WD-40 Trough .......about 20 feet
> long and 18 inches deep.  These vans would love that !
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Shawn Wright" <vwdiesels@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>  Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:18 PM
> Subject: Re: front end reassembly: strut bar
>
>
> Neil,
>>
>> Since you're in BC, where'd you get the parts? Looks like BD and Van-Cafe
>> have them, but anyone else? If they can be had locally, I might consider
>> diving in and doing mine while I'm doing the shocks. On the other hand, I
>> should probably wait until I can replace everything affecting alignment
>> all
>> at once  I guess...
>>
>> On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 12:15 PM, neil n <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Good to know.
>>>
>>> In hindsight, one could measure new rubber bushing and strut arm
>>> diameters. Measuring length of old part should suffice.
>>>
>>> Neil.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 10:37 AM, mark drillock <mdrillock@cox.net>
>>> wrote:
>>> > I think they are available again somewhere. I made some from stainless
>>> pipe
>>> > that are not quite the right outer diameter, though they do barely
>>> squeeze
>>> > into the rubbers.
>>> >
>>> > Mark
>>> >
>>> > neil n wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >> On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 9:16 AM, neil n<musomuso@gmail.com>  wrote:
>>>
>>> >> Beware that the metal sleeves are likely NLA.
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
>>>
>>> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Shawn Wright
>>
>