Date:         Mon, 22 Sep 1997 23:44:45 -0700
Reply-To:     Austin <austins@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From:         Austin <austins@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Subject:      Gas Tank Removal & clamps
In-Reply-To:  <3.0.3.32.19970922221541.007c42e0@pop5.ibm.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

At 10:15 PM 9/22/97 -0700, you wrote:
>At 06:10 PM 9/22/97 -0400, Scott Chen wrote:
>>1.  Be prepared to wrestle with the factory compression clamps.  I didn't
>>realize how difficult they would be until I tried to take them off.  The
>>best technique for me was to grip the clamp by the seam (opposite from the
>>crimp) and twist it, breaking the clamp at the seam.   Does anyone have a
>>better method for dealing with those compression clamps?
>
>Having recently done the same procedure, I concur with most everything you
>wrote.
>My way to get the blaster clamps was to use tin snips to cut the crimped
>bulge, cutting parallel to the hose. I did it this way because I was
>paranoid about twisting the clamps and breaking the plastic parts coming
>out of the vent boxes.
>
Did *everyone* 'do' their fuel tanks this past weekend??? Me too!!!

Suggestions: A> go ahead & spend the $ & buy every bloody piece of rubber
that goes into the tank (I count 7 I replaced in my '87 2wd);  B> don't be
tempted to just drop the front end of the tank to replace the parts, or
reach around blindly over the top (past the frame rails)... when you've
gotten to the point where you can get to them you either  1)can't see what
you're doing or 2) discover the hard way that the cross over vent tube is
restrained by a clamp to the body of the bus (don't ask).  When you
completely pull the tank you can clean all the muck & gravel off the top,
but more/most importantly you can replace all the rubber without allowing
any cr*p to get into the tank, plus you get to look inside the tank & check
for rust.  And as a side benefit you can clean & relube the emergency brake
cable rub block - much smoother now!!

As for the crimp clamps - I found I had the best results by cutting
*perpendicular* to crimp with a good sharp pair of dikes....they seem to be
made of soft/malleable steel, & cut pretty easily.

Personally I don't trust either crimp clamps or worm/screw clamps.  As
rubber ages & dries it seems to shrink or take a set which either leaves
you with eventual leaks or a constant re-tightening routine...I much prefer
the spring band type clamps that when sized correctly apply a constant
pressure; you'll see them on newer cars, esp on radiator & heater hoses...
they're kinda hard to find, but worth grabbing when you can for future
replacement jobs.

Austin