Date:         Sun, 11 May 1997 20:14:23 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         mholser@Adobe.COM (Malcolm Holser)
Subject:      Re: Removing wheel bearings

>I talked to the guys at the FLAPS and they said that I could cut the
>outser race with a  Dremel tool.  I couldn't work on it any more today,

Another trick for the bag-o-tricks is to weld a bead around the inside
of the outer race.  This will actually shrink the bearing and allow it
to be driven out.  The heat seems to help, too, as does spraying the welded
bearing race with water while it is still very hot from welding.

All this assumes you have a welder, of course. although a good welding shop
can do this for you (some may not want to).

It is amazing what wonders can be worked by a skilled man with a "rosebud"
torch and a water sprayer on sheet steel -- shrinking the steel where it has
been stretched in an accident.  Heat, welding, and quenching are pretty neat
tools.

On another totally different subject:

When I first got my 1980 Westy, I *hated* the red LED high-beam indicator.
Every time I'd use my high beams, my heart jumped as a red light came to life
on my dash, portending engine-doom.  I went right out and purchased a blue
LED to replace the red nasty one VW used.  I though I was really clever.
Blue LEDs are quite cool, and they were quite rare at the time.  I paid about
2 bucks -- a red one is about a nickel.  I was chagrined when I got a newer
Vanagon and the high-beam indicator was already blue!  I guess I was not so 
clever -- VW had the same good idea.  Mine quit the other day, and I pulled
the dash-pod and discovered a little 12v grain-of-wheat incandescent light
bulb instead of the elegant blue LED I used.  Pretty cheap of VW. And not so
easy to retrofit with a blue LED like the old dash-pod was.

malcolm