Date: Sun, 24 Oct 1999 01:41:43 -0400
Reply-To: EMZ <vw4x4@FYI.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: EMZ <vw4x4@FYI.NET>
Subject: Re: recall notice 86-91 air conditioning ducts
In-Reply-To: <002301bf1da8$2250dfe0$25b8e7cd@pavilion>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
One quick note: the wires to the makeup mirror have a very small
connector on them. It maybe up in the roof, and you may have to put on it
a bit to expose the connector, but then it can be disconnected and removed
from there.
Eric 86-VW4x4
vw4x4@fyi.net 72-240z
Pittsburgh, PA USA 1936-Chrysler
On Sat, 23 Oct 1999, Joel Walker wrote:
> for those of you who might feel as i do about the vw dealers, and want to
> fix your a/c ducting yourself (as i did), here's what i did.
>
> you have to start at the front of the bus, and remove all the screws holding
> up the front ducting.
> the sun visors will need to come down as well, and therein lies a problem:
> the passenger side sun visor has that little lighted mirror, and there are
> some power wires going to the mirror. so you have to be very careful
> lowering that sun visor and just kinda let it hang there. it helps if you
> can support it with duct tape or a coat hanger or something, to take the
> strain off those little wires. i don't think i had to remove the rearview
> mirror.
>
> anyway, the front ducting does NOT have to come completely down, just enough
> so you can get to the screw that's holding up the 2nd section (overhead,
> between the front two seats). yes, i said SCREW. Hans and Frans were in such
> a hurry building these things that they failed to put the right number of
> screws up there ... which is the real reason for this recall. watch out for
> the air conditioning control wiring that runs along the top of the ducting
> ... it'll want to fall down and get in your way.
>
> ok, got the 2nd section down? good, move along to the 3rd section and remove
> its screw. each section has the screw(s) at the front end, and fits into the
> next section rearward. you'll have to remove that little seal-thingie
> between the sections ... don't lose it! and keep them in order, seals and
> sections. then move to the last section (the one before the big housing
> that spans the rear ceiling).
>
> what i did was to take each of the long skinny front-to-back sections and
> epoxy a 1/8" aluminum strip, about 1 inch wide, up in the front end of the
> section, where the screw holes are. once that was dried and secured, i
> drilled new screw holes for four (4) screws (Paranoid Maintenance: if one is
> good, four must be a whole lot better!!). actually,i think three would be
> sufficient. maybe even two. then i put the section back up, remembering to
> fit the little seal-thingie at the rear and get it straight, and drilling
> the holes in the roof support for the new screw-holes in the aluminum strip
> ... the sections all attach to some supports in the sealing, not to the
> ceiling itself. so i was only driling holes where there had already been
> holes. wrap some tape around the drill bit to make sure the drill doesn't
> penetrate too deep, though .. don't want to drill a hole in the roof on the
> backside of that support. :)
>
> once the new holes are drilled, put in sheet metal screws of appropriate
> size (i like 'em with WIDE threads) and use some washers to spread the load.
> yeah, i know ... i already had the aluminum strip, but i still used washers.
>
> done? then just move forward, do the next section the same way, and so
> forth. there's nothing to fix on the frontmost ducting, just have to get it
> situated in the seal-thingie and get it all put back up. be careful about
> overtightening the screws when you put it back up ... too tight and the
> plastic will crack over the years. of course, it wouldn't hurt to put some
> epoxy and aluminum strip on the backside of those screw holes, too. :)
> especially the ones at the front door edges.
>
> and that's about it. time? maybe two or three hours, if you goof around and
> go slow as i do. only trouble i can see nowadays is the weather ... the
> colder it is, the longer it takes the epoxy to cure. i suppose you don't
> REALLY need the epoxy ... i mean, the screws and washers are gonna keep the
> aluminum strip in place. but i was kinda pissed at vw at the time and sorta
> wanted to really really really make sure that stuff was never gonna fall
> down again. even if the bus flips over 90 times. :)
>
> "distract the driver"?? you betcha. scared the hell outa me.
>
> good luck.
> joel
>
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