Nice work Bill!

At least you know that your present van will carry you safely toward the
next one.  =)

Seeya, Jake

On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 10:07 PM, Bill MacLachlan <billmacla@gmail.com>wrote:

> Well it all went together well. I gently tapped the rod on over the bolts,
> tightened it up with the old nuts, then realised I couldn't get the
> stabiliser bar link in. Dropped the two bushings that attach the stabiliser
> to the body and it was an easy to set the link in- tons of slop that
> allowed
> moving it all over the place.
> Refitting the bushings on the radius rod, found I couldn't get the nut on.
> No projecting thread. Turned the steering wheel, and the movement of the
> wheel pushed the rod through the bushing gave me plenty to play with. I was
> working on the right side of the van, turned the wheels to the left. Bolted
> it up, tightened it to exactly 72 ft lb ( ie on the really darn tight side
> of  pretty darn tight), cleaned up, did a quick test drive, called it
> quits.
>  I'll do the other side another night, armed with a little experience!!!
>
> Looking under there, and generally thinking of the van, it really is time
> for a new one, despite the new parts I see all over the underside of my
> van.
>  A late model westy this time. lowish miles, no rust, power mirrors, manual
> windows, grey interior, nice wheels, standard........a good subie or zetec
> conversion would be nice.......... let me know if you see anything!!!!!
>
> Bill M
> 82 GL I4 with new bushings!!!!!!
> vancouver
>
> On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 6:10 PM, Bill MacLachlan <billmacla@gmail.com
> >wrote:
>
> > I'll keep you posted. I'm going to have a look at it after supper.....
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 5:28 PM, Shawn Wright <vwdiesels@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> >> Oh great. I have all 4 off the ground, so I guess that means I should
> >> leave it alone!
> >>
> >>
> >> On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 3:47 PM, Bill MacLachlan <billmacla@gmail.com
> >wrote:
> >>
> >>> 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
> >>> >>
> >>> >
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Shawn Wright
> >>
> >>
> >
>

--
Jake

1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'

Crescent Beach, BC

www.thebassspa.com
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27