Date:         Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:27:08 -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: Replacing Starter on 85 Vanagon - Jackstands or Ramps ?
Comments: To: Larry Alofs <lalofs@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CA+r=JhrZnhSejK3YSprdgJaPaxGJinS8Jr772nc6G0TH9qFDaA@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I never ever use or recommend any sort of ramps ( 2 X 6's are ok ) since
my male parent almost died rolling a car off ramps onto himself.
Jack stands are nice.
I would not bother to remove the RR tire, not for starter R & R anyway.

I remove the air box, air boot, and sometimes throttle body to get to
that top right 17mm hex nut that holds the starter top bolt in.

Be sure consider the starter bushing in the bell housing, if manual trans.
I have an old starter armature shaft to check how ovaled out the starter
bushing might be.
- not something most people will have of course.

When I'm replacing the starter bushing ..I use a large 12mm tap to pull
it out..
and a shouldered punch ( even a bolt with a nut on it for a shoulder )
to drive the new bushing into place.
One real important tip ...
  if you do changethe starter bushing ..be hyper sure not to drop any
bushing or bushing parts into the clutch area !

If it's automatic trans there is no starter bushing of course.
while you're in there,
consider installiong a starter trigger cheater wire to hide in the
engine compartment..
that's awfully handy for self-rescue, starter testing, compression testsetc.

scott
www.turbovans.com


On 3/20/2013 7:03 AM, Larry Alofs wrote:
> I would generally use my rather modest ramps, which are made from three
> layers of "2 inch" lumber.  Recently, however, I changed the starter on an
> '84 MT with no extra elevation at all.  You'll need a long extension on
> your rachet to reach that top bolt.
>    Have fun.  Disconnect the battery!
>
> Larry A.
>
>
> On Wed, Mar 20, 2013 at 9:25 AM, Mark Carrig <stratmanx@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> So I've got a Go Westy Whiz Bang Gear Reduction Starter, and thinking
>> about the best way to replace it.
>>
>> Should I put the rear of the bus on jackstands and remove the right rear
>> wheel ?
>>
>> Put the back end up on ramps ?
>>