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Date:         Sat, 25 Sep 2004 02:07:44 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Attn Westy owners -- poptop warning.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Some time last winter I was dismayed to find that the port-side roof strut had begun poking a hole in the top. I didn't analyze it, though, and it still has a jury-rigged <g> backing pad to distribute the load.

Lately I've lost a lot of upper-body strength -- the top was becoming a real nuisance to raise.

Few weeks ago I was raising or lowering it, and a nasty sharp twisted bit of metal fell into my hand from the left-side hinge. That really made me look, and I immediately saw that the hinge was trying to escape from the joint, and had almost succeeded! Argh.

Results: That big fat inch-wide hinge isn't, it's a fraud, just there to carry the spring cable and give it a fulcrum! The actual pivot has a bearing surface about a quarter-inch wide, which bears on the piece of pipe that forms the operating yoke of the H-frame -- the crossbar. With a good deal of effort I cut the pipe, supported the joint and worked the stub of pipe out. Fairly shocking, it was worn almost through, looked like someone had been at it with a skinny dado blade. I made a substitute from a piece of "bronze" propeller shaft, turned grooves on the plug end and epoxied it into the cut-off pipe. Interesting keeping the grease on one side of the join, and the epoxy on the other...but I did.

Final result: turns out I hadn't lost my strength after all. The top is smooth and easy to work, and based on the pipe lasting 20 years, the bronze ought to be good for 500 or so.

Of course the other hinge is starting to go as well...I'm sure it will be easier, I already went down most of the false paths.

I have a few pictures of the completed job and that scary-looking bit of pipe -- anyone in a hurry just ask for them, and I will eventually get them up on the website for the patient folks who might be interested. No in-process pictures, I was heavily under the gun and I worked all night on this as it was.

But you really wouldn't want that frame to collapse in the field, could noticeably complicate a camping trip. Might want to take a look at it. The unworn hinge is contained evenly within the side-plates, with a little margin all around. A worn one will protrude more or less. A really worn one will look like it's falling out.

david

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


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