Date:         Thu, 14 Dec 1995 19:05:57 -0600
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         drphibes@siu.edu (Peter DePaoli)
Subject:      Re: 71 Bus: Lola needs her steering wheel removed, please help!

At 05:49 AM 12/14/95 -0600, David L Finet wrote:
> 
>.  When it came time to pull the 
>steering wheel, he grabbed a rubber mallet and gave a few medium sized 
>taps on the underside of the wheel as close to the post as possible.  As 
>soon as it started to move, he was able to rock it off. That in and of 
>itself made me flinch when I saw it, I was sure that the wheel was about 
>to be blasted to smithereens... then to get to the wiring, he loosened 
>the bolts on the little plate that goes from under the dash and holds the 
>post tight up against the dash and just ***bent it down towards the nose***.
>I about fainted at the sight of my beloved bus getting handled like 
>that.
 >
No just wait a minute Lil' doggy...I am currently rewiring my '69 Bus, and I
can tell you that there is a much,much easier way and perhaps even safer
wayu to go about this.  All you guys would have had to do was to loosen and
remove the four screws that are holding the ignition/signal housing in
place.  Then carefully slide the whole shootin match towards you as you are
sitting in the driver's seat.  The steering wheel need not even be removed.
Then remove the switch (two screws) and chase the wires to where they are
connected (labeling them of course) unless you have a wiring diagram and the
rest is all downhill.  I don't want to frighten you, but that severe
fatiguing of the steering column mount could prove dangerous whilst driving.
By bending it and then bending it back again the guy streesed and weakened
the metal.  It could crack at that spot.  Probably nothing to worry about,
but I htink I'd think twice before letting that guy do work on it again.
(IMHO).  

Peter DePaoli
Carbondale,IL
'69 Panel Camper
'71 Westy (nedd Parts?)
'73 Super Beetle
'82 Suzuki GS750
and a chevy