Date:         Mon, 5 Feb 1996 12:21:51 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         RagDoll517@aol.com
Subject:      '75 in CV hell (epic - part 2) pieces & parts

This *is* a learn-as-you-go proposition, kind of like parenthood.  recap: one
cv joint had shorn a bolt head, and hung loosely when the back of the bus was
in the air.  Back on the ground, now, with tools and parts handy, lots of
grease and optimism, I made myself comfy under the bus. Sun was shining, nice
and dry, this is a good start!

Let me share this with you, this is probably something "everybody knows" but
was a reveleation to me: working on a dirty, gummy part maybe triples the
effort expended on it.  Clean those allen heads *thoroughly*, especially
digging the crud out of the hex holes and from all around the bolts before
attempting removal! When impacted with said crud, I couldn't get a bite on
those bolts, and ended up rounding out a couple of them before I realized my
frustration was needless - the best penetrant in the world is ineffective if
it has to work through a 1/2 inch of moly grease and road dirt and *then* to
the bolt...

Gettiing a good look at the underside of my bus has made me ashamed of the
poor care it's had till now...  leaky boots, black globs of goo everywhere;
amazing what you find under the encrusted grease...  anyway, the "problem" cv
not only had a sheard bolt head, but two more had broken off inside the cv
housing.  I was astounded that, once I had the pieces apart and the broken
bolts exposed, they turned out easily by hand with *no* effort!  There
remains about 1/2 inch of one bolt stuck in there, it has broken off level
with the face of the cv, and I haven't decided what would work best to remove
it.  My friend says "ever used an Easy Out? You're about to.."  Or, before
buying yet more tools, I may try tapping it around with a tiny screwdriver.
 If it's as loose as all the others, it may turn right out.

Then of course, there's the LAST bolt, the one that's rounded so badly I
can't get a grip on it with the allen wrench for love or money, the one
that's soaked to death with WD40 and Liquid Wrench and still won't budge...
although it's finally more accesible with the cv disconnected and driveshaft
dropped on the tranny side...

General condition of the cv's is that the (very little!) grease left in them
was caked and crusty.  No wonder at all that they are singing death songs.
 :(  This will never, ever, ever happen to you again, dear Pumpkin!!

and then the rain started.  I could cope with being soaked from the waist
down, but when the freezing wind began to bellow and throw my tools around
(Now where'd that ratchet get to???), I resorted to cleaning up all my loose
parts and calling it a day.  It rained so hard last night that the river is
threatening to flood again, so I will not be back under the bus *today* !!  I
will spend this interval cleaning up the one driveshaft and inspecting all
those pieces and parts...

Driving a Dodge Omni automatic is the pits. I want my bus back!!  So tell me
all your big bad bolt-removal stories.. looks like I'll have a couple of
rainy days to ponder the situation  :)

Ruthie
'75 Westy

PS - I cleaned  up, showered and scrubbed filthy fingernails in preparation
to go out with a new friend to dinner and to hear Arlo Guthrie ( he was
*great* - he's touring with his son.)  Now, some dates show up bearing
flowers or candy... this man arrived with a half gallon of Orange pumice hand
cleaner!  :) :) :) ... I think we're going to get along just fine!