Date:         Tue, 24 Apr 2001 22:55:29 -0300
Reply-To:     Jean-Guy Savoie <jgsavoie@nbnet.nb.ca>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jean-Guy Savoie <jgsavoie@nbnet.nb.ca>
Subject:      Re: 85 muffler question
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> >
> >Do I have to get those from the dealer or can I build them from flat
bars,
> >does anyone have the dimensions for those rods.  Are they essentials ?


> but they are very well made of thick-wall tubing
> with stress-relief on the ends (exception is the one with a 90-degree bend
> to attach to the left-rear side of the engine case; it needs strain relief
> at the bend).


> Homemade ones that I have seen tend to be not stiff enough and not have
> nearly enough stress relief at the ends, so they tend to fail by breaking
> at the ends.


I don't know much about stress and strain relief on the rod ends (David:
explain?) but I made mine out of an old canvas lawnchair frame.  So far (2
years) only the 90degree one broke, but I had had a bit of trouble sizing it
up originaly and didn't bend it right the first time so it got worked and
weakened The replacement is holding up so far.

As far as sizing things-up, pretty straight forward (exept the 90 bend one a
bit harder to gauge). Just flatten one end of the tubing, drill appropriate
sized hole, hang on one end, measure approx. length, flatten the other (at
the right angle for the job of course), hang it again, mark the place for
the other hole and drill.

I put them as snug as I could to take the weight and stresses off the exaust
system and on to the hanger bolts where it belongs.

I agree with David that they are essential, as the entire exaust system
hangs only from the engine and must move with it. You will notice that the
driver's side rods support on all three axis.

JGS