Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2014 09:41:48 -0700
Reply-To: Brett Ne <brettn777@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Brett Ne <brettn777@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Sliding door snap in screen
In-Reply-To: <CAAj276yjx7rhtRSOJz-yeHcWsiLu5SMYn8iL9XK6hVv=cAL7RA@mail.gmail.com>
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I've been away from the list for a while, so I hope that this response is
not too late. I also have an 82 and I installed the rear and sliding door
screens this spring. If you're anywhere near the Portland, OR area, I'd be
happy to show you where I located snaps. I put off installing the screens
for over a year because of the lack of instructions and the fact that the
screens are rather ill fitting. On top of that, Albert is a Riviera, and
the cabinetry is rather different than the Westies, so I couldn't just copy
what someone else had done. Oh, and the first screw I put in for the rear
screen went right through the sheet metal into the rain channel for the
rear hatch...not a good start!
The first thing that I did was to take both screens to a seamstress to
create a better fit. The rear screen was much too wide, so I had both
vinyl side edgings folded over and stitched to the netting. I had
something similar done to the leading edge (towards the front of the van)
of the side screen at the top to help it fit around the bulge of the door
track. Before committing to these changes, I spent a lot of time taping
the screens in place to help figure out how to make things fit better.
Don't think of these screens like some kind of factory part that was
carefully engineered to bolt in place; think of them as an oversized
garment that needs to be fitted to make it work.
On the side screen, I attached the rear edge first, as it was the most
straightforward, and worked my way along the top towards the leading edge.
The most important part of the fit is how the bottom edge meets the floor.
It should just barely graze the floor. Too high, and bugs can get through;
too low, and the screen will bunch up at the bottom and create gaps for
bugs to get through. To install each snap, I held the screen where I
wanted it to be and pushed a thumbtack through the vinyl and dug a small
gouge into the van to show where to drill the hole. Leave the thumbtack in
the vinyl while you drill the hole into the van. Then pull the thumbtack
out and drill a hole through the vinyl where the thumbtack was so that it
will be easier to push the post of the snap through. Screw the male part
of the snap into the van, and use the provided tools to attach the female
part of the snap to the vinyl. Snap the screen in place where you just
installed the snaps and move to the next location on the that edge and
repeat. You will want a good selection of drill bits to choose from. The
sheetmetal is reinforced and thicker in some spots & will require a bigger
hole so that you don't break the screw while turning it. If you're putting
a screw into cabinetry, use a much smaller screw so that the threads can
bite into the wood more deeply and provide a good grip. You are likely to
break a couple of screws & may be going to the hardware store for
replacements.
So, tape the screen into place(or have a helper hold it there) and
determine the location of the first snap in the top corner of the trailing
edge being mindful of how the bottom edge meets the floor. Once that snap
is installed, work you way down the trailing edge until you get to the
bottom. As I recall, the metal is fairly thick here because it's the main
structural pillar that makes up for the large door opening(you'll find the
same thing on the leading edge of the door opening. I always have the
screen attached with at least the two previous snaps before marking the
location of a new one. As you're working your way down, the vinyl can be
stretched or compressed if needed to adjust how the screen meets the
floor. Near the floor, I put two snaps fairly close together as I figured
they would see the most strain. There's no exact place the screws need to
go; just split the snaps up between trailing, leading, and top edges and
space them out as you see fit. Once you have the the traling edge in
place, work your way across the top. Along the top edge, you'll be
drilling into the ventilation tube, which is thinner sheetmetal than the
pillars & you can use a slightly smaller drill bit than is used on the side
pillars. If you drill higher up than the ventilation tubing, you'll drill
through the roof, and that's a no-no. As you work across, always be
mindful of how the screen meets the floor. When you get close to the spot
where the sliding door channel curves inward, stop. Now start with the
leading edge near the floor and install a snap, being mindful as always of
how the screen meets the floor, and also being mindful that that screen is
pulled a little bit tight from side to side. Continue working your way up
the leading edge. When you get towards the top, it gets to be a bit of a
headache. The inward travel of the upper door track creates a 3
dimensional demand on a 2 dimensional surface, and there's no way that
you're going to make it look pretty. Just play around with it and install
snaps in such a way as to minimize gaps in the screen.
The job takes a while, but it's really not too bad once you're underway.
And the results are fantabulous! When you have the hatch open, sliding
door open, and top popped open, all with screens, you have great
ventilation & views with no bugs(okay, at least not too many bugs). It
really creates a spacious feel
Brett
Brett in Portland, OR
"Albert" '82 VanaFox I4 Riviera
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