Date:         Sun, 14 Sep 1997 14:31:37 -0700
Reply-To:     Tony Smith <wordsmith@WRITEME.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From:         Tony Smith <wordsmith@WRITEME.COM>
Subject:      Sliding Door Inner Bearing

Here is how to save fifty bucks, or more, if you need to replace the Inner
ball bearing on the lower hinge link guide lever. See Bentley manual
section 58.21.

I have a 1987 Westy, (Older than 1985 m.y. is different arrangement). The
bearing rusted out and I went to my local dealers who quoted fifty bucks
for the bearing, ten bucks for the circlip and sixty bucks to replace it.
(The entire assembly cost $350 cdn for the part alon) I am not really
mechanically inclined, but my Westy (Heidi) and my Bently book are teaching
me lots, fast. I have never worked on my own vehicles, but then I never had
one that I love as much as my weekend getaway machine.

After I picked myself up off the floor, I drove straight to the nearest
auto recycler who keeps all the pranged Westys in my area (None of the
others part them out). Nope, most popular part for 85 and up Westys besides
the sliding window lock is the sliding door middle bracket.

I took what was left of the bearing (Outer race) to a local bearing shop.
The wizard there measured the race and sold me the only two bearings in the
known universe that had the external dimensions and width of the race. I
didn't write down the dimensions, but I kept the package and the bearing
that fits is a Nachi # 608-SSL; I am sure it will cross refer to a Timken
or SKF.

The wizard was a nice guy also, saying; bring back the one that doesn't
fit, in pristine condition, sealed in the bag and box and I will refund
your dough. The two bearings cost ten bucks, I would have gotten five bucks
back, but you guessed it, the one I opened first was the wrong one. When I
measured the shaft, I either got the caliper in the circlip groove or on
the inner race.

The one I didn't use is hanging on my key chain for story-telling. The
inner race was still there, rusted onto the shaft (Another surprise). I
bought the circlip at Home Depot for 29 cents; just took the old one and
rifled through the hardware section until I found one that matched.

After doing everything the Bently manual said, I was left standing with the
door in my hands and almost a new hernia. If you try this alone, you might
make a small stand out of scrap lumber to hold the door off the ground, as
I did. Once I got the door partly off and standing on its own, the rest was
easy.

The old, rusted inner race would not move and I could not locate a puller
that would fit. I used my Dremel with a cut-off disk to score it down, in a
couple of places, close to the shaft. Then applied increasing pressure and
torque with a pair of vice-grips until the race snapped and fell off.
After cleaning up the shaft, the new bearing fit nicely and needed a few
taps with a deep socket and a hammer to seat.

Nice project; takes about half an hour after getting everything together;
then about an hour sipping a beer while marvelling how smoothly the door
operates. Now the door opens and closes with a velvet swoosh instead of a
vibrating rumble. Also, it no longer rattles. Most importantly, the hinge
now has the right clearance and allows the inner trim pannel (Now ripped)
to clear the lock striker pin.

Tony Smith
<wordsmith@writeme.com>
Time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana