Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2018 12:34:12 -0700
Reply-To: Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Suggestions for lights and shocks
In-Reply-To: <CA+Oead8ZzWq8MSbGbqt+Ttz=hsGcBzqzZ2MU4DEBCQTzrVfmtA@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
If the contacts at the blue foil ribbon are failing, it is possible to
bypass that circuit and wire in your own LED lights.
Partly as an experiment, I cut three 3 bulb sections off a waterproof
flexible LED ribbon, soldered wires with push connectors to each (my
dimmer is non op do dimming LED's wasn't a concern) and fit each into
the stock OE bulb hole. Though kind of "hacky", I used Gorilla duct
tape to hold each LED (festoon?) in place. The way the light is cast,
it can create a shadow, e.g. over a small part of the fuel gauge but
for me, even one of the 3 LED's per festoon, shed plenty of light at
night and I'm certain they won't fail, especially intermittently, any
time soon.
If you switch to OE type shocks from Bilstein HD (and possibly regular
Bilsteins), look closely for an added spacer shim inside the dust
boot-bumper. That spacer needs to be removed. If it isn't, little to
none of the threads of the OE type shock end up being exposed to allow
install of the top nut. If the installer doesn't know of the shim and
finds a work around to fit the OE type shock, this could result in
early failure of the shock(s).
On road trips, I drive a lot of dirt roads. It now seems that new
Sachs shocks installed 1.5 years and not too many miles ago, may be
worn out. So, my shock "game plan" may now be to source the least
expensive shocks and replace as needed even if it's every 1-2 years.
IOW, given the type of driving I'm prone to doing, I'm not certain a
higher priced shock would last that much longer.
Neil.
On 10/28/18, Andre Fiedler <fiedlerac@gmail.com> wrote:
> The original dash light above the tachometer housing on my 89 2WD Westy
> recently went out. Suggestions for what might be a good upgrade for more
> light there?
> I am currently running the Bilstein yellows with Go Westy 11/2"
> lift springs. ...... About 20% of my driving is on forest service roads that have some
> washboards.
--
Neil n
Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>
1988 Westy Images <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>
1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical <http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/>
Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>
