great, thanks for the clarification! On Sun, Jul 10, 2011 at 1:42 PM, David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net> wrote: > At 12:08 PM 7/10/2011, pickle vanagon wrote: > >> I was wondering if someone could comment on installing these in an 83? I >> know that some later westys had some kind of tracks for these, which I'm >> assuming an '83 doesn't have... >> > > They *are* the tracks. All Vanagons have threaded holes to mount them, but > Westys have a plywood floor over the holes. The Westy tracks are > shortened because of the furniture, and come with covers that fill the gap > in the plywood when the tracks aren't in use. > > The installed tracks are a bit below flush with the edges of the plywood. > I found that with a rug over the floor (which I always used anyway) they > weren't obtrusive to walk on. > > I cut the installed rug ('84 Westy) with slits so that it could roll back > down around the base of an installed 2-person seat. > > I think I must have made the main plywood cuts with a Skil saw carefully > set for depth. I probably used a Dremel tool with a router base to round > off the edges of the cut, because I have such a tool and it's easy; but a > sanding block would do as well. I can't remember the details of finishing > off the inside end, toward the cabinet; but I think it's likely that I > stopped the rails short enough that the saw could reach, or nearly reach, > and maybe worked with a saber saw to make plunging cuts if necessary beyond > that. I did not remove any furniture. I was starting with passenger-van > rails which had to be shortened, so I'm sure I chose the shortening point > based on reaching as many fasteners as possible without getting involved in > the furniture. > > I have a metal-cutting bandsaw; I might have used that to cut segments from > the steel edging strip. Otherwise I may have used a Dremel with a cutoff > wheel since I tend to use that for sheet metal rather than a hacksaw. An > angle grinder with cutoff wheel would be faster. I remember that I left > extra length on the parts of the strip that would be reinstalled, so that > the ends could fold over to make a pocket. I probably silver-brazed them > since I had the means to do so. > > Yours, > David > |
Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of
Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection
will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!
Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com
The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.
Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.