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Subject:Re: NAPA usually has it...
From:Larry Alofs
Date:Wed, 16 Oct 2013 21:56:00 -0500

I'll second what Scott said.  Be sure the van is level; then just get those
wheels straight up and down.  Short carpenter's level works fine.

Castor is more challenging; the Bentley is sort of confusing there.

About NAPA:
  A couple of weeks ago I was replacing fuel hose from the vanngon pump to
a Subaru engine.  I wanted a name brand hose that I had some confidence
in.  I went to two FLAPS that were close to me and just got blank looks
when I asked what brand hose they had.  "We got hose."
  Finally stopped wasting time and went a mile further to NAPA.
    "Sure, we've got Gates.  You know the high pressure stuff is a little
pricey"
No problem.

Larry A.

On Wed, Oct 16, 2013 at 8:50 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:

>   Even parts for Vanagons.   Today I was doing some long-deferred
> maintenance, getting a head start on my pre-winter trip chores.   My front
> alignment has been bad now for a while, probably since I got the van......
> so the RAO 8s are wearing the inside shoulders, more on the left wheel.  I
> decided to dismount the front tires and swap them around to use up the
> remaining tread, and to address the poor alignment while I had the wheels
> off.......needs some camber adjustment, at least.
>
>   I've not messed with the vanagon suspension much, so I discovered I
> needed a 14mm hex key to move the camber settings...and of course, didn't
> have that one.    Off to the city.... and I went to 4 likely auto and tool
> supply houses....without any  luck.. Anyhow I found the tool at NAPA in The
> Dalles, Or (pretty small town)....  I've seldom been 'skunked' when I go to
> any NAPA....though the one in a really tiny town we frequent often has to
> order out and get stuff  for me sent in the next day......
>
>    Anybody have any sage advice on reducing the negative camber my front
> obviously has?   Any gotchas I might encounter or hidden complexities that
> won't be readily apparent or outlined in the Bently book?    I don't have
> an alignment rack or lasers but I can usually do most vehicles acceptably
> well without that fancy stuff...
>