Anthony:

I installed a Paulchen last summer and experienced = the same 1/2" gap you are talking about.  I found that it = disappeared if I mounted a bike on the rack, so I just went ahead and = tightened the thumbscrews all the way down with a couple of bikes = mounted on there.   I have had it off 6 times or so in the = last 6 months, and it all appears to be working beautifully.

As to those little extender legs, I have not used = them.  The only reason I would be likely to use them is if I was = going to carry a 100lb ice chest full of stuff back there.  (Maybe = this weekend!).  I have carried two bikes and misc. junk strapped = to the rack on a 3,000+ trip last summer, without those bumper = supports, over some very rough roads, without a single = problem.

Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.C= OM]On Behalf
> Of Anthony L. Mourkas
> Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2000 5:34 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Paulchen Bike Rack Setup = Question
>
>
> I spent the earlier part of this evening = setting up a
> Paulchen bike rack
> I purchased used on my 84 Westy.  When I = tighten the brass thumbwheel
> screws that secure the lower brackets to the = rack, they
> become very tight
> with about .4" remaining space betwwen the = upper edge of the
> bracket and
> the lower bar on the rack.  Is this the = way the design is
> supposed to be?
>  How tight do you Paulchen owners tighten = these screws?
>
> Also after mounting the rack to the hatch I = attached the two
> auxilliary
> legs that rest on the bumper.  These did = not seem to be able to be
> adjusted downward firmly enough to be actually = supporting part of the
> weight.  Should I set these up *before* = tightening the above mentioned
> bracket mounting screws and let the screws pull = things together and
> create a little tension?
>
> Thanks for your help!
>
> Tony
>
> Anthony L. Mourkas
> Hampden, Maine, USA
>