Date:         Mon, 22 Aug 2005 22:33:11 -0700
Reply-To:     Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Subject:      Re: uhh... changing upper control arm bushings?
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=original

Wow, I've never been a 'cool' kid before!

Cya,
Robert

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Bange" <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 10:21 PM
Subject: Re: uhh... changing upper control arm bushings?


> sooo.... after deciding to change my upper control arm bushings, I
> finally looked up the job in my Haynes manual, to find THIS under the
> section on the "upper wishbone: removal and refitting":  "If renewal of
> the bushes is necessary, this work must be carried out by a VW dealer".
>
> So, uhh, is there some way around this?

Heh. Yeah, first: toss that Haynes manual in the garbage. Second: get
a Bentley official factory repair manual, check out section 40. Full
step-by-step details, the same the "VW dealer" would use if you were
lucky enough to find a competent Vanagon mechanic at the stealership.
The Haynes manual does have its uses. Besides being good as survival
kindling or emergency toilet paper, it can occasionally offer a
slightly different viewpoint on something in the Bentley you might be
having trouble understanding. I certainly wouldn't depend on it
though. The last Haynes I bought was for my 94 Civic. I swore to never
buy another when it offered the belt-replacement procedure of "loosen
bolts that hold belts under tension and remove belts" and the REAL
procedure involved entirely removing the PS pump to get at the AC
compressor, and the AC compressor bracket had to be unbolted (one
bracket bolt being in the dang wheel well!) to get the belt off the
pulley. (what Japanese sadist designed the Civic such that belt
replacement takes 2 hours, yet radiator replacement is literally a 5
minute job? anyway, I digress...) The problem is that much of the
stuff in the Haynes is generic instructions applicable to practically
any car that offer no particular insight into the the special
requirements of your particular vehicle, if any. For something like
the UCA bushings, with the Bentley you can examine the process in
detail and decide if you think you want to try your luck.

So yeah, definitely get a Bentley. All the cool kids have one. :)