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Date:         Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:53:18 -0800
Reply-To:     Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Rubber...Our best friend...Our worst enemy
In-Reply-To:  <6da579340912171342l4b38a674re311b022036c103e@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1


Volks,


I am the original poster on yesterday's thread..."Audible" Idiot Lights.  Still plenty of room for discussions and solutions there.


But, I've been thinking.  What is the main cause of Vanagon catastrophic failures?  Rubber.


Your alternator/water pump belt is rubber...it snaps, you may be toast.  Your coolant lines are mostly rubber...if they rupture...you're in for it.  Your fuel injection hoses are all rubber...well, we know what that means.  And tires....they blow out, yes they do!  All rubber.  Anyone want to talk about gaskets?...more rubber.  Vacuum hoses in the engine compartment?: rubber, and they can cause infinite frustration and poor performance if leaky, along with that rubber thing to the air filter.  Power steering and suspension and wiper blades and shock absorbers...more rubber things to fail.


Now, rubber is an excellent engineering material...solves SO many issues.  But, at a price...lifetime.  The stuff just doesn't last forever.


The logical solution:  replace.  And replace sooner than you think you might need to.  Nothing like a roadside breakdown in the middle of nowhere to make you wish you had replaced "that" rubber component.  So easy in the garage with access to Van Cafe, Vanagain, BusDepot, GoWesty, FLAPS...and so on (not meaning to exclude anybody here).  So EXPENSIVE and trip-ruining to do it on the road.  Not to mention major damage to your engine, your vehicle, or even your body!


So...I've personally had:  leaking fuel injector hoses, broken belts, rear tire blowout...next on the list is rubber coolant hoses; still have MOST of the original there (mechanics have noticed some swollen coolant hoses which were immediately replaced).  And head gaskets....ugh...time for a new peppy engine when that one hits.


I know I'm "preaching to the choir" on this one.....but still.  Rubber is going to be the downfall of these marvelous Vanagon machines.


Rich
85 Vanagon Homemade Camper Conversion with 180,000 wonderful miles
San Diego
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