Date:         Sat, 01 Oct 94 13:01:15 CDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "J. Walker" <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject:      Re: Planning Trip--Tips?

On Sat, 1 Oct 94 12:22:38 CDT Tobin Copley said:
>On Sat, 1 Oct 1994, J. Walker wrote:
>> NONONONONONONONONONO!!!! DO NOT let those cv joint boots stay that way!!!
>
>Oops.  I didn't write that part very well.  To clarify: I have 1 split CV
>joint boot (right inner), and 1 upper _ball joint_ boot.  I will
>definitely replace both of them, and the joints themselves if necessary.
>The others appear to be ok.  Are you suggesting I just replace all four
>CV joint boots as a preventative measure?  About ball joint boots: my
>FLAPS sez you can't get just the boot, you gotta get the joint/boot
>together.  About $35.00, so not that expensive, but I'm basically cheap.

well, mostly just NOT to start the trip with a split/cracked boot. and i
would still advise cleaning and re-greasing the joints. it couldn't HURT
to have four new boots, but if they are not cracked or old and bad-looking,
you could save a few bucks there.

FLAPS is right on the ball joint: another rip-off design from the auto folks
... kinda like batteries. they can't be 'fixed', you have to dispose it and
get a new one. :(

>Hadn't thought of that before, but I guess that makes sense.  Do I need a
>license for cb radio in the US?

i doubt it. the FCC down here kinda threw up their hands several years back
and just gave up. when you buy a radio nowadays, they don't require any sort
of registration. they simply make the radio makers include a little sheet of
things-not-to-do (cursing, using the 'emergency' channel <which NOBODY ever
uses>, etc.) and SUGGEST that you use a callsign made up of your initials
and your zip code or phone number or something like that. so basically, the
government gave up and got out of the CB regulation business. except that if
you try to boost your power, they'll still get angry. ;) besides, as i
understand it, the canadian cb radios are 'better' anyway ... less static or
something ... on the schematics that i've seen (in the material included),
their are extra circuits which are labeled 'canadian models only'.

>Meteor crater sounds cool.  thanks.

well ... it's a tourist trap and kinda cheesy as far as the 'displays' and
shops are concerned. but that hole in the ground is pretty impressive,
especially if you realize that a rock from space hit the ground and caused
it! and by the way, th little hills you drive through to get to it? those
are the dirt that was thrown up out of the hole. :)

>Excellent!  Thanks, Joel.  Christa has a back problem, so this is REAL
>important for us.  One question, tho': where can we find some (cheap!).
>None of the wreckers around here have any vanagons, as far as I've seen.

hmmmm. well, i guess you could try some of the yards in the states, but i
don't know if they ship 'overseas'. let's find out for sure that the seats
will fit first. anybody out there already done this? any bread-loaf buses
with better seats??

>cold, and Joel's right: we'll be under the gun for time.

one more 'word of advice': once a week, buy a decent motel room ... use the
shower/tub and sleep in a real bed. and use their coin-op laundry or whatever.
it does wonders for the relationship and your peace of mind. ;)

joel