Date: Fri, 2 Jul 2010 12:19:16 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Strap a raft to the roof?
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hi ,
yes, sheet metal screws. Good ones, 'maybe' stainless., and with a sealant.
In boats any cleat or anything attached to a deck or cabin is set there with
something for a 'bedding compound' ...like a sealant to keep the moisture
from getting under the cleat or bracket and through the screw holes. I use a
tiny bit of high quality black silicone.
some pickup trucks have round flat inverted hook type tie-downs ...
little large for vanagons, but they work.
there are all kinds to choose from. Even small drawer handles of decent
quality can work just fine.
the holding power of a course thread sheet metal screw installed correctly
is quite strong btw.
Nice to read your sharing about your automotive background.
I was just working on things before I knew anything else.
I worked on my tricycle before I went to kindergarten.
it had one large red, square headed bolt holding the front fork and handle
bars to the frame.
I took that bolt out with some wrench I had ,
and flipped it over, and put the fork and handle bars in the other way ..
so it came out long and low. I modified, not just worked on, but modified
my tricycle before I went to school even .....and been doin' lots of that
ever siince. Self-taught .....though I read and study a lot of course, like
many of us do here , automotively speaking.
well you're fun to read ....touch of humor with modesty always. Kinda a
'nutty professor'type a bit.
Keep up the good work and words !
Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike "Rocket J Squirrel"" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, July 02, 2010 6:37 AM
Subject: Re: Strap a raft to the roof?
> Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
>> your idea for a short trip is fine.
>> just need good tie-down points. ...
>> I like to mount inverted hooks in two spots on the right side of the van
>> ..
>> one near the rear vent up high, one on the pillar between sliding door
>> and front passenger's door ..up high, so I can tie large loads down to
>> those inverted hooks..
>
> How you mount them hooks? Sheet metal screws? Otherwise a fellow would
> have to pull the paneling loose to get behind them and put in
> nuts/washers. Smoosh some RTV behind the hooks to keep water out, maybe?
>
> Thanks to everyone for tolerating my questions about things like this.
> Many of you have years and years of experience working on automobiles,
> and doing swell stuff like welding, taking engines apart, drinkin' beers
> while skinnin' knuckles pulling ball joints, and otherwise being manly.
> We love our Westy for camping and I do what I can with my meager skills
> to improve it and do minor repairs, but I really don't have what you
> might call a background in the automotive sciences. I have tended to buy
> decent used cars, mainly imports, drive them until some expensive part
> fails, then buy another. Like that time I had a 17 year old 1982
> Mercedes sedan/boat which managed to get me to where I needed to go and
> then one day the mechanic said that the freeze plugs (that the right
> word?) in the engine were leaking and I'd better get rid of the car real
> soon. My past is littered with cars that were fairly junky when I bought
> them, and junkier still when I sold them. Smelled funny, too.
> --
> Rocky J Squirrel
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> 74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
> Bend, OR
> KG6RCR
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