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Date:         Thu, 3 Mar 2011 18:41:44 -0600
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Spreading the damaged hatch opening?
Comments: To: mcneely4@cox.net
In-Reply-To:  <20110303190937.5YR1Z.471142.imail@eastrmwml36>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Bret,

Your approach sound just like what I would do. But Dave is right, I would be inviting further damage.

You might want to try this: spread the load on the good side to the corners and jack something right on the point on the bad side. A wide triangle on one side with a two-by-four end on the other.

Better yet, take it to a body shop and see what they would charge for the use of a frame straightener.

Jim

On Thu, Mar 3, 2011 at 6:09 PM, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote: > just sounds to me like a recipe for further damage.  mcneely > > ---- Bret Berger <bretberger@GMAIL.COM> wrote: >> In the all-to-common right side swipe, the right rear corner of my >> Vanagon, about 2/3 the way up on the hatch, was pushed inwards about 1 >> inch.  I am thinking of fabricating two wooden braces, fitted to the >> shape of the opening on each side and using a bottle jack to spread the >> opening.  The brace on the left (undamaged) side would be larger (2 >> feet?) to distribute the force so to prevent that side from distorting. >>   The brace on the damaged side would be smaller (6 inches?) and would >> hopefully push out the corner. >> >> Any thoughts on this or alternate suggestions?  I notice Habor Freight >> has a selection of hydraulic tools for body repair.  Should I be using >> those? >> >> -bret >> >> Saint George, Utah >> 1982 Diesel Westfalia > > -- > David McNeely >


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