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Date:         Sat, 14 Aug 2010 10:14:59 -0700
Reply-To:     "Mike \"Rocket J Squirrel\"" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Mike \"Rocket J Squirrel\"" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Pop top -- catch this before it's too late.
Comments: To: neil n <musomuso@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTikJXocuxjYrc-pzURvd7tbmsuTANOi87qKvpVak@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Thanks, Neil. It appears that disassembly and inspection of the various weak points would be a good idea. It also appears that disassembly and reassembly might be tricky, there being weighted parts and springs which can go crash and snap and p-TWANG! and possibly cause a real bad owie.

Can someone post a step-by-step "how to take apart and put back together" procedure for those of us who are not-so-ept mechanically and value our fingers and eyes?

-- Rocky J Squirrel 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") 74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) Bend, OR KG6RCR

neil n wrote: > On Sat, Aug 14, 2010 at 9:38 AM, Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" > <camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote: >> David Beierl wrote: > >>> The basic cause of the problem is that the part of the hinge that >>> bears on the center tube is much too thing and acts more like a knife >>> than a bearing. The rather frightening damage shown in the photos >>> happened between 1984 and 2004. Another cause is that as Scott >>> points out, this stuff never gets preventive lubrication. >> I can't find a post from Scott dealing directly with this. I eyeballed >> the situation here and it's not clear where/how one lubricates the >> problem area. And with what. >> >> > > > Here's some more pics Mr. Squirrel > > My struts in pieces and repaired: http://tinyurl.com/28vumgd > > there are more in that album. Just click the arrows. > > pics show what may be a similar, or same repair as David did. Just so > you know the copper is not original. I lubed with wheel grease. i > would suggest white grease to anyone with things apart/repaired. > > My best guess, all *stock* parts assembled, is that if one sprays some > "stay put" type liquid lube (chain lube?) on the area where the two > arms pivot, it may work it's way into where the top arm pivots on the > the cross bar where it enters through the lower arm. My other best > guess is that lube helps, but since it's such a narrow area rubbing on > that cross bar, the wear will happen regardless. > > Neil. > >


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