Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 19:22:04 -0700
Reply-To: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: repair of city water utility door
In-Reply-To: <216D66FE-220F-4DC9-81C0-1D64224C23D8@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
You, sir, are an accomplished fiddler! The problem with those doors is the
plastic cracks, and even worse, the springs that close them rust out. When
that happens the doors just flap in the wind when driving, and eventually
break off.
Permanent fix are the inlets from Go Westy, which have no springs to fail.
They are their own design, and would be easier for a blind man to hook up as
well, since they use standard quick connect fittings for both water
connections, which are supplied in the hook ups, but the right angle one for
the hose is optional but I recommend it strongly.
I installed a full set to replace my door-less ones and they are great.
Nice work!
Stuart
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Eric Caron
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2013 12:18 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: repair of city water utility door
Hi lister's
This morning I went out and as I walked by my Westfalia I brushed the city
water utility door. To my surprise I found it was hanging by only one side.
checking it out I found a wire coming out of the left side and nothing on
the right side. Let this be a reminder to anyone with a westie that the
wire on the side of the utility door is a hinge and if it is sticking out
then it is about to come out on the other end! I wish I had remembered this
in time to push mine back in.
So, I tried to push mine in but something was wrong. the door was bulging
out at the top. a moment later a spring went pop and then the door had no
tension.. But, no bulging. I realized that the spring attached to the door
was no longer in position to do any good.
After lots of head scratching and touching of the parts I found a way to re
assemble the door. The trick for me was to remove the door and while
keeping the wire in position push it all the way to the right, toward the
back of the van. then slip that side into the door housing first. Then get
the spring arm into the tiny hole at the top of the housing. once the
spring arm is correctly in the hole the door will not buldge and can be
lined up. now with the door closed and looking all lined up push the wire
sticking out of the right side to the left. once it goes through the
housing on the levt the door is back in position and the spring works! Now,
in my case this was done without sight so it may have been trickier for me
then most of you. But, I thought I would post this both to say the door can
be fixed and to say keep a eye on that darn wire hinge and push it in if you
see it sticking out!
Now I'm off to fix that dangling engine compartment insolation.
eric Caron
85 Westfalia GL Auto
.=