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Date:         Tue, 22 Jun 2004 02:08:21 -0400
Reply-To:     Derek Drew <derekdrew@RCN.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Derek Drew <derekdrew@RCN.COM>
Subject:      Re: Sway bar link breakage - are you at risk?
In-Reply-To:  <20040621202611.67474.qmail@web52506.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

I used waterproof marine grease on mine and they still rusted over about six months.

The grease is the won't-wash-off type.

But apparently the thing is very exposed to the airstream down there and the air and water washed the grease out.

I haven't tried to take it apart yet but it looks doubtful!

I gained from this the impression that only stainless steel studs should be put into there and then a stainless steel nut used. Not sure how bad a battery would be set up in the downlink to put a stainless stud into it, however. Might turn the junction into dust over a period of time?

At 04:26 PM 6/21/2004, you wrote: >No, this is not a lecture about VD, boys and girls. ;-) > >I replaced the sway bar on the front of Hershey due to a broken >right sway bar down link. I had to literally POUND the broken >stud out of its mount because it was rusted solidly in place. I >took a good look at the front suspension, the good link along >with its sleeve and here are my thoughts: The sway bar links >look as if they need to be able to rotate and move along with >the front suspension and react to any play in the front bushings >under braking and cornering forces. When your links rust in >place, possibly because the van sat up long enough for rust to >form, this slight movement is no longer possible which puts >excessive side loads on the skinny links. Then you either hit a >big bump with one wheel or brake forcibly and PANG! - you've >got yourself a broken down link. > >I'd like to hear what others think of this and if you think >semi-annual lubage of the links, sleeves and bushings with some >waterproof grease would help to reduce the likelyhood of this >type of failure. > >May the lube be with you, > > >===== >Chris S.'85 Westy Camel -> http://www.knology.net/~vw/dadada.jpg'84 Westy >Hershey -> http://www.knology.net/~vwghost/hershey/'01 NB TDI -> >http://www.knology.net/~vw/Beetle.jpg

________________________________________________________ Derek Drew Washington, DC derekdrew@rcn.com Phone 202-966-7907 Email me for viscous coupling s (Cell 703-408-1532) '90 Syncro Westfalia... ...seen off-road at http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/Syncro_Madness_Area.htm ...seen with 30.5" tall tires at http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/vanagon/images/dereks245_75_16.jpg Note: most valuable Vanagon sites on the planet (for owners) are: http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-bin/wa.exe?S1=vanagon http://gerry.vanagon.com/files/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro http://www.vanagon.com http://www.syncro.org Many of my Syncro list postings consolidated http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/messagesearch?query=212-580-6486 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/messagesearch?query=202-966-7907 My refrigerator article: http://www.vanagon.com/info/articles/Refrigerator/Reefer_Madness.htm All About 16" Wheels And The CV-900.htm http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/vanagon/All_About_16-Wheels_And_The_CV_900.htm All About Viscous Couplings http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/vanagon/viscous_couplings_vanagon_syncro.htm How To Live With Heavy List Volume--Mail Filters http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/message/7403 My article that shows how to deal with insurance companies: http://gerry.vanagon.com/files/auto-insurance-madness.html To read some material about how to add a front differential lock to your syncro http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/message/13105 To view Wolfgang's incredibly informative wheel article http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/fitbigtiresonvanagon.htm To view Tim Smith's incredibly useful gearing calculator http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/syncrotireandgearratios.xls To view two articles about how to think about improving your gears at transmission rebuild time http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/message/7207 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/message/7221 To view an overview article about choices in larger sized tires see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/message/11535 To view some 16" Trailing Arms that enable much larger tires see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/syncrolist/files/Wheels%2C%20Tires%20%26%20Gearing/Wheel%20%26%20Tire%20Photos/16_Inch_Trailing_Arm.jpg My article about belt protectors and CV joint protectors http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/message/6112 SYNCRO OWNERS WHO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD: You only get to change your ring and pinions once every 10 years because that's how long the average syncro transmission goes before its next rebuild. If you want bigger tires and more ground clearance start planning your higher number ring and pinion sets right now so you can take advantage of your next trans rebuild.


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