Reserve handle extension

[EVfun]

I recently bought a '57 after going years without a Bug old enough to have a reserve handle. It was a lot easier to reach past my right foot to the firewall while driving 20 years ago. So my question is, are any of the reserve handle extensions any good? I see one at CIP that clamps to the handle, I've seen others that replace the floor handle and look like they have a small universal joint in them. What ones work best? Thank you.
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[56Cabrio]

[splitjunkie]

[stale air]

Not sure if you are looking for a repop of an original or not, but you can get one from Cip1
http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC%2D113%2D209%2D175%2DKT

WW looks to be out of stock at the moment.
http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=ZVW18IV

Or, if your looking for a little bit of a nicer one, Brezelwerks make a nice repop.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=224147
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WANTED: Henry Veale Santa Rosa plate frames
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[RareAir]

[txoval]

I agree, the slip on versions stink. Heck, I'll send you mine for free+shipping.

Its been sitting in the box ever since I first tried it. They do not turn well and slip off

[EVfun]

Thanks for the input. I was kinda sceptical of the clamp on the handle style because it needs to rotate on the handle but not fall off. The handle is the second direction of a universal joint needed to turn the direction of rotation from parallel with the bottom of the dash to parallel with a line between the reserve tap and the hole in the firewall.

The one from Brezelwerks looks great, espcially with the red stripe handle, which would look good on my black car with red interior, but it has that same handle mount. Perhaps I should take you up on that Txoval and see if I can rework the handle fitting into something that will work better.
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[txoval]

Shoot me a PM with address and I'll send it out

[EVfun]

A big thanks goes out to Txoval, he sent me a slip on reserve handle extension for just the cost of shipping. It looks like the ones Stale Air posted, but with a single screw plastic bracket to attach it under the dash.

I used 2 grommets made for a 3/8 inch inside diameter. The handle is 10mm, so they are a tight fit and will keep the handle end fitting in place. I used a little water with a single drop of dish soap (the old fashioned hand dish washing soap) to allow me to slide them into place. That seems to be working well to retain the extension on the handle.

The provided plastic under dash bracket was ugly and didn't look very durable. I didn't think it would work. The reserve tap only needs to turn 90 degrees, but that is at the ball end of the reserve tap. The pin in the hole adds a little slop. The reserve tap handles are now 50+ years old and they are a little worn at the hole for the pin too. The result is that I need to turn about 120 degrees to turn the tap a full 90 degrees. I made my own bracket out of a bit of 1-1/2 inch by 1/16th inch thick angle aluminum. I made it 20mm wide and 38mm tall with the part that attaches to the dash being 20mm square and attached with a single 4mm screw. I used a bit of inner tube rubber as a gasket between the bracket and the bottom of the dash. The hole in the bracket for the handle is 28mm below the point where it attaches to the dash (the end of the bracket was finished half round with the hole centered, shown in the photos.) This is quite a bit lower than the provided plastic bracket would have mounted the handle. Still, even my under dash bracket is NOT low enough. If I turn the handle to reserve to the point where it hit the bottom of the dash I get enough fuel to idle and drive at low speeds on level roads, but the first climb will starve the engine of fuel. I tested this a couple times and then retested the car running on reserve by turning the handle under the dash. It will run on reserve with the handle's limits of travel, but not climb a hill. It will run on reserve just fine if I turn the floor handle. I will need to make another under dash bracket that is even lower (perhaps out of 2 inch angle aluminum if I can find some in 1/16th inch thickness), or create a spacer to locate the bracket farther below the dash, or move the bracket towards the left so that the handle can turn farther by turning into the raised under-dash area to the left of the lowered area for the radio and switches.

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[panicman]

Throwing in a plug for the brezelwerks extension; very happy with mine, and it has never fallen off.

Nice to see Gary has renewed his ad.
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Plate of shrimp

[D. Haviland]

I have a real VW one with universal joint in my zwitter and a Real Kamei one in my 57 (slip on type) and they both work as they should.

[EVfun]

I'm a bit confused as to how the slip on ones work fine. The universal one I get. With the slip on extension the handle has to turn more than 90 degrees in order to turn the fuel tap 90 degrees because there is play built into the system and worn into the original handle after 60 years. The built in play is the hole in the reserve tap that is flared at both ends (and ball shaped) to provide a slight universal joint action. Wear in the original handle holes add more play. As a result I can see why some have had a problem with them slipping off, but how do you get the handle to turn far enough past the 90 degree mark to get the tap turned all the way?

I can turn mine until the handle touches the bottom of the dash and the reserve handle itself is turned slightly less than 90 degrees. The engine will get enough fuel to idle and go about 40 mph on level ground, but will starve if I climb a hill. If I reach under the dash and turn the handle all the way the car will not starve for fuel on the same grades so I've verified (twice even) that it's from not turning all the way. My home made bracket is already taller than most of the ones I've seen with the center of the hole 28mm below the bottom of the dash) I bought some 2 inch angle aluminum 0.62 thick with the plan to make one that is 24mm wide and the hole center 38mm below the bottom of the dash.

How much free play do you have in your floor reserve handle?
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[coolparts]

On splits with zar plates with universal joint lever extenstions you have to turn the extenision handle 180 degrees in the opposite direction for the handle postions to match the ZAR plate

[EVfun]

I made a new longer bracket for the reserve handle extension. Now I can turn the handle without hitting the bottom of the dash. On this bracket I included a momentary push button for mist mode wipers. A few other parts are required, including a 5 terminal 6 volt relay, a diode, and a transient voltage suppressor across the relay coil.

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[Zwitterkafer]

The center lines of both the extension handle rod and the through-the-firewall section of the operating lever have to line up as close as possible for correct operation. Look closely at the Brezelwerks repro and note how the attachment clamp is not symmetrical......it is designed to go on one way only, to get the best alignment. If the clamp is on backwards, or if an incorrect symmetrical clamp is used, operation will be adversely affected.

Reaching down for the firewall lever should not be done while driving; the lever is supposed to be nudged over with ones foot. As far as slop is concerned, many of the operating levers have their attachment holes worn oversized by now. Using a too-small attachment spit pin to attach it to the fuel valve is another common culprit.
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"Criticism comes easier than Craftsmanship"
- Zeuxius, 400 BC

[EVfun]

The reserve handle extension works good now. I also replaced the handle with a reproduction one from WW, mine had some extra curves that likely happened when someone insisted on turning it with a frozen fuel tap. The prior owner replaced the fuel tap on the tank. I think the tricks to using the common and inexpensive repop extension is to use O-rings or grommets to hold the handle loop on the reserve lever, and to make a longer bracket so the handle can turn a little more than 90 degrees without hitting the bottom of the dash.

Way back when I was in high school I could reach down to the firewall and flip the reserve lever while rolling (can't really say driving as the engine was out of fuel). I could extend my right hand past my right foot while looking out the windshield. That is NOT happening anymore! Typically, I fill every even 100 miles (200, 400...) so I rarely use the reserve, but it is nice to know it now works properly and I can switch on the fly.

The mist mode for the wiper is because I like to drive my oval... in western Washington state.
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