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Date:         Wed, 23 Jul 2003 22:30:07 -0500
Reply-To:     "Dan R. Hall" <electro@WESTAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Dan R. Hall" <electro@WESTAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: What do I need to do about this mirror!!!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Had same prob on my '86 Westy Weekender. Tension screw was rusted out--broke off when I tried to tighten it. Mirror was flopping around. Gobs of electrical tape held it reasonably stable during winter but that all faded when summer came calling. So, I used some strips of duct tape on the top and sides of the mirror as support wires(like those cables that stabilize radio or TV towers) and kept taping and repositioning the mirror, checking the angle from the driver's seat. Once I was happy with the alignment, I applied a liberal amount of JB Quik NOT JB Weld. JB Quik sets up rapidly and isn't that strong in my experience. My mirror is holding fine even though a hairline crack appeared in the JB Quik after a drive of several hours on a windy day. Downside is the mirror isn't adjustable but that ain't a problem since I'm the only person that drives my van. The other question is what happens if the mirror takes a wallop from somebody drunk-stumbling between my van and the car parked next to it. I didn't use JB Weld or something as strong because I want the epoxy to break away instead of the mirror getting ripped out of the door. Eventually, I couldn't resist testing it. So, I whacked it with my hand---not too hard, just a firm slap and the JB Quik broke away easily. I repeated the JB Quik procedure and it is still holding after 15,000 miles. I DON'T RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO THE SAME UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK OF DAMAGE TO DOOR IF YOU MAKE THE BOND TOO STRONG.

Dan Hall '86 Westy Weekender "Das Boot"

----- Original Message ----- From: tom ring To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 7:48 PM Subject: Re: What do I need to do about this mirror!!!

If the plastic is cracked, I ran into a guy in a beautiful 81 Westy Saturday with a solution to it. I was pulling out of the world's ugliest strip mall, and he was pulling in. 2 white westies. I just had to turn around. We got talking and somehow ended up at my passenger side mirror, which has the same problem. Solution - remove it, lower the spring pressure by unscrewing that screw. You'll know what I mean if you remove it. Now put a thin, if you can find one, hose clamp around it to tighten that cracked plastic back up. Put some spring pressure back, and, presto chango, it might stay in place. He recommended wicking locktite into it once it is positioned correctly. I haven't tried that.

Interesting side note. This gent has an 81 westy with 32000 miles, and, get this, a brand new engine. Seems he tows it with his big pusher diesel motor home, and his wife left it in first gear after they hooked it up while getting ready to leave. He towed it about 10 blocks before they noticed. The motor home didn't even see the extra drag. How fast would an 81 turn in first gear at 30 or so?

tom

On 22 Jul 2003 at 22:22, Johnny DeVilla wrote:

> Ok so my Mac runs great, and my Westy runs pretty damn good (boy I am > glad I work from home), but every few days I throw my surfboard on top, > head for the beach and wonder, what the hell can I do about the > passenger mirror. > I can get it set perfect see all the traffic on the left, then next > time I want to pass a car(yea there are some drivers that even me in my > Westy will have to get around) and bam there it is pointed at my > sliding door. I put one of those nifty concave mirrors on it, and that > seems to keep me from running people off the rode(this is LA nobody > looks before changing lanes), but having driven across the US and > Canada with a Trailer 4 times in a rock and roll band, I kinda got used > to mirrors. > Does anyone have a solution to this? Chewing gum, super glue? > My Hula girl and Tiki are resting comfortably on the dash thanks to the > magnets (didn't even know it was metal) > > > Johnny > 81 Westy >

------ Tom Ring K0TAR, ex-WA2PHW EN34hx taring@taring.org

"It is better to go into a turn slow, and come out fast, than to go into a turn fast and come out dead." Stirling Moss


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