When my struts were getting weak I thought about that fix, it has
been done in PVC. Then someone mentioned 'forgetting' the lock was
installed and bending something trying to close the hatch.
I could see myself doing that... I bought the struts.
Then again I don't have anything mounted on the hatch either.

Rob
becida@comcast.net

At  4/18/2012 08:53 AM,Loren Busch wrote:
>  RE: PVC On the Struts
>Some years back I watched a VW mechanic use the ultimate tool for dealing
>with the rear hatch on a Vanagon.  Anytime he was approaching a Vanagon and
>knew he was going to be opening the rear hatch he had a piece of heavy
>brass tubing in his hand.  That piece of tubing had been split open it's
>entire length and the split opening was just wide enough to slip over the
>piston (small) end of the hatch strut.  And when he opened the rear hatch,
>no matter how good the struts were, that piece of tubing went onto one of
>the struts.  He never had to worry about a hatch coming down on his head.