Date:         Mon, 27 Apr 1998 00:36:40 EDT
Reply-To:     Benjita <Benjita@AOL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Benjita <Benjita@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Retrofitting power steering-is it worth it?
Comments: To: ROGunter@aol.com, Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Good catch Russell:-)

What you say here is very true, but really does not amount to much more work,
as long as you have the replacement shaft and universal joints.  Which I do.
It probably took me 2 minutes to remove the P/S shaft from the doner van.
Good info though for the archives.  Perhaps I will do a little write up for
the list after the conversion.  Mabye I'll just write a book called how to buy
a Wolsfburg Syncro Westfalia  (even though they don't exist) and retrofit a
locking rear differential (done), Power Steering, Power Locks, Power Windows,
Power/Heated Mirrors, and a full camping Interior:-)

Cory
'86 Ex-Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia

In a message dated 98-04-26 08:46:26 EDT, ROGunter writes:

<< Cory,

    If you're bound and determined to do this, you need to know that changing
the racks out is not as simple as you described it.  There are 2 universals
between the steering column and the rack.  There is also an tubular extension
which connects to the universal closest to the rack itself.  This tubular
extension (I don't know the exact name of this part) is longer on the manual
steering than it is on the power steering set-up.  You can't just saw yours
off shorter, either, because there are teeth inside one end of it.  Be sure
you get this part when you get you power steering rack otherwise you will be
going back to the junk yard for it.

     Good luck.  I hope the effort and expense is worth it.  For me it
wouldn't be but I do not have a synchro.

 Russell G.
 '85 GL
 '84 GL
 '93 EV >>