How to restore these rotten buffer supports on the RGBs

[Wolfgang1]

Hi,

you all know them, rotten buffer supports on late RGBs...
What now? Leave them away? For me no alternative

As i know there`s no source i started to refresh them my way:

Here`s my step by step tutorial

Where we start:

First we have to remove the support from the axle tube. I thought the fastest way is to cut twice with a dremel like a V to avoid the original spot weldings:

Be careful not to hurt the tube!

Now pull out the upper part of the support out of the rubber. It`s essential that the upper ring is salvable....

Now you have to find a tube with the correct diameter. Believe it or not, i used an old 36hp exhaust preheater tube, fits perfect

Now i know again why i keep every vw scrap.....

The upper "nipple" fits perfect over the tube:

Take your mig and here we go:

Now "clip it in" the rubber and drill a hole with the pre heater tube diameter in the support.

Put the tube with the rubber through the hole in the support you drilled earlier :

Fix it in the correct position with 2 spots, then remove the rubber and check angles etc. With only two spots you can correct it easily.

Now it`s time to weld:

Ready to reweld on the tube:

It`s essential to flaten the welding on the backside, otherwise it could collide with the cast iron of the RGB.

Now protect it from rusting again, i would recommend to add a little water drain hole.

Thanks for reading, i hope you enjoined it.
Wolfgang
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Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car. Oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall. Torque is how far you take the wall with you.

[GLHTurbo]

welding a lugnut in there works great too.
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1957 Beetle
1966 Bus

[kenshapiro2002]

In another locked thread on this, DaWerks wrote:

[Clara]

I think the original poster of this thread showed a nice way to fix this problem. But if you don't feel up to dissembling and welding and reassembling, don't worry. The bus will be okay without the bump stops.

The bump stops were not used until part way through the 65 model year.
Meaning while they were added for a reason, you can drive with out them, and many buses never had them.

I am guessing that Dawerks meant if you have decent shocks, you don't actually use the bump stops much, unless you are on some really bumpy roads.

[kenshapiro2002]

[dawerks]

Plus you don't have to use the factory rubber mounts. The new Billstiens (sp) and some home made mounts are more than good enough.

Bump stops are only good when I ollie/jump curbs.

You can also re-index your rear spring plates so you have more clearance. The spring plates/torsions sag over time so maybe that's your issue?
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"There is only one sin; disconnection from self."

[baja1641]

Bilstein shocks have built in bump stops.

Mike

[kenshapiro2002]

[BarryL]

Where is this "bump stop" on the Biltsteins? I have a brand new set of the blue and yellow ones and they compress all the way just like KYB or any regular old one. Anyone have a picture?

[baja1641]

I don't know exactly, I guess they are inside the shocks. I was told this by a Bilstein dealer back in 1995. I bought a set for my baja bug and cut / removed all the bump stops on the car. I then proceeded to jump the car and generally beat on it. The shocks are still the same as they were when I bought them. That's money well spent!

Mike

[sventinker]

Good job its nice to see people fix stuff with ingenuity.
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April 3rd 62 standard mgr/pw
374 North American equipment
Includes 6 popouts
025 Safety belts
195 Adjustable bench seat/backrest (until 1963)

[kenshapiro2002]

[Eric&Barb]

Then you find someone who has taken them off and does not need them. Hmm, where did we put those...

Try a "WTB" ad in the classifieds.
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[Mile High Puma]

Bay window lug nut. There is a post on this way to do it.

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1965 Velvet Green DC
1990 Westfalia Syncro

[kenshapiro2002]

[Mile High Puma]

here is the link,
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6952886&highlight=#6952886
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1965 Velvet Green DC
1990 Westfalia Syncro

[kenshapiro2002]

Thanks. So it was an Audi lug nut, not a Bay.Guess either might work? Two questions...looks like you ground down the flats on the lug...correct? Also, why did you remove the "flower"...the cup that supports the bump stop? Or was it already pretty much gone?
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Looking for a correct 1967 rear seat

Looking for '67 Engine / Block HO 183xxx - HO 194xxx

[Mile High Puma]

Took it off so I could clean it up better and get in there with my MIG easier to weld on the lug nut, was off a bay by the way, at the time I thought Audi but that was a lug bolt. If you notice I also drilled a drain hole in the center to give moisture a way out.
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1965 Velvet Green DC
1990 Westfalia Syncro

[kenshapiro2002]

Great help. Thanks.
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Looking for a correct 1967 rear seat

Looking for '67 Engine / Block HO 183xxx - HO 194xxx

[Bruce Amacker]

Page 18 in the link below shows how I did it using a flange head bolt, there's many that will work. The reason you need to remove it from the axle is to sandblast it thoroughly and weld from the backside if needed. I wouldn't try to do it on the axle.

http://leakoil.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2888&start=170

Good Luck!
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'66 Deluxe Bus
'65 Standard Bus
Build threads:
'66- http://www.leakoil.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2888&sid=54d8dedfb3822f99c7f2ea430cb4e856
'65- http://leakoil.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=4263