Date:         Wed, 28 Aug 2002 08:55:22 -0700
Reply-To:     Tobin Copley <tobin.copley@UBC.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tobin Copley <tobin.copley@UBC.CA>
Subject:      Re: Spare Parts List - Input
In-Reply-To:  <000501c24e9d$2c352e70$6401a8c0@gumby>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

On Wednesday, August 28, 2002, at 07:14  AM, G. Matthew Bulley wrote:
> Maybe it is just a difference in Preventive maintenance philosophy, but
> don't take Jack-diddly with me on trips, and I've been across North
> America in VW/Porsches 12 times, 5 of which went deep into Mexico.

While I agree with Bulley that you shouldn't become preoccupied
with carrying every part and tool for the myriad failure
scenarios an older vehicle could present you with, I think a key
question to factor in before creating your spare parts list is:
just where are you planning to take your bus?

If you're going to stay on main highways and in places that are
either populated or reasonably close to towns of reasonable size
and accessibility to the "outside" world, then what the heck,
just throw in a small tool kit with basic tools, some wire, duct
tape, brake fluid, coolant, oil and filter, fuel filter, fuel
line and an assortment of clamps and zap straps and proceed on
to have a great trip.

If you're thinking you'll get well off the beaten path and
explore in remote areas, then you've got to listen to your
self-preservation instinct and prepare accordingly.

It may just be a matter of convenience: if you lose an
alternator (which *really* doesn't happen often at all) up in
the Yukon Territory a few hundred kms from the nearest pavement,
despite the best efforts of any list vendors and Fedex, you
ain't going to get a part in less than 3 to 5 days--once you
make it to the "nearest" "town," that is.  No biggie, though.
That'd be just an inconvenience and an opportunity to get to
know Eagle Plains, YT *really* well.  (Incidentally, I actually
*did* lose an alternator in the Yukon a few years ago and was
glad someone in our group had a spare--saved me a few days
slapping black flies).

If you're thinking of heading up remote undeveloped roads into
the mountains, for instance, the consequences of an ill-prepared
break-down could be a little more than an inconvenience.  A
couple weekends ago I took by westy 94 km away from the nearest
pavement down a logging road.  My clutch slave cylinder got
whacked by a chucked rock and started leaking.  When I
discovered the failure in the morning, camped (alone) at a
remote site, the clutch pedal dropped straight to the floor.  I
was rather glad I had a litre of brake fluid and tools to bleed
the hydraulic line, otherwise it would have been a long walk out
to get help.  (Deactivated logging roads cannot the negotiated
clutchless).

I often head well off the beaten path, but that said, I still
don't weigh my westy down with a metric tonne of spare parts,
and I don't go around replacing functional parts before a long
or rough trip.  Good PM should keep you (mostly) in the clear.
However, what parts and tools you *do* bring with you should
reflect where you will be driving.  And if you go really remote,
it's always a good idea to travel with another vehicle (or two).

Have a great trip!

T.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tobin Copley        Bowen Island, BC, Canada      49deg 23'N-123deg 19'W

'82 Westfalia 1.6L NA diesel ("Stinky")
'97 son Russell                                  =============
'99 daughter Margaret                           /_| |_L| |__|:| clatter
                             SPEED KILLS!       {.            .| clatter!
                        Drive a Vanagon diesel   ~-()-==----()-~