Date:         Tue, 24 Apr 2001 20:43:20 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
Subject:      Re: 85 muffler question
Comments: To: Ignace Speybrouck <ignace@sympatico.ca>
In-Reply-To:  <003901c0cd1e$f144ba20$88eed98e@deepspace>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 08:28 PM 4/24/2001, Ignace Speybrouck wrote:
>The problem.  As I look in the Bentley's manual (page 26.7)  I'm still
>missing parts.  It's all those small rods everywhere.  The pipes I bought
>have bolts on them at the correct place to receive those rods.  I don't have
>those rods.
>
>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 ?

Yes, they are essential.  If the entire exhaust system is not a rigid part
of the engine it will crack and break.  The dealer gets amazing amounts of
money for these things, 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).

They tend to fail by rusting out, especially at the ends.  The ends can be
repaired by brazing.

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.

david


David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"