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Wed Jul 23, 2008 12:11 pm

Hiya All,

I need to find the keeper clip (six of 'em) for the thermostat controlled flaps that live at the bottom of the fan shroud. It's number 37 in the diagram below.............

Anybody out there in Sambaland have a source for these clips? I have not been able to locate anything even remotely similar locally.

And just for my own curiosity, what is the purpose of #33 in the diagram above? It is apparently a spring, but I have not even seen this little beastie.

Thanks!

Wed Jul 23, 2008 12:13 pm

The spring dampens vibration. Its not necessary to make the whole thing work but it cuts down on noise.

Wed Jul 23, 2008 12:21 pm

Hiya womp,

Thanks for the speedy reply!

So............about #33.........it's supposed to be compressed between 34 and 37 then?

And anybody else..............got a source for 37?

Wed Jul 23, 2008 12:43 pm

That's just a press on clip. It presses on. Any quality hardware store with a bolt room should have one.
I don't know what they're called, but if you take part #35 and a print out of the diagram to a hardware store, they'll sell you one for under a buck.

Wed Jul 23, 2008 12:45 pm

Mike, how does it fit on the assembly?

Press fit?

Slide on and slide-to-the-side snap fit?

Is there another, similar style that would work in it's place?

Woops, Train beat me to the reply.

Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:00 pm

Hiya train and kelley,

train...............I've gone that route, that's why I'm asking here. Hit my local Ace Hardware (with a great nuts, bolts and fastener department) and they'd never seen anything like it. The guys at NAPA pulled out their fasteners catalog (which is really neat) and came up with zippo. I have one alternative left locally - a specialty hardware store - but they are a ways away and I can't get to them until this weekend.

Kelley............it's a slide on and lock in place. I gave some thought to finding a suitable replacement and, short of jerry-rigging something, I'm not seeing anything that would fit the bill.

Thanks guys! Any other sources or ideas out there? I'm thinking that maybe there's a fastener specialty store online I don't know about.

Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:08 pm

Bookwus wrote: Hiya womp,

Thanks for the speedy reply!

So............about #33.........it's supposed to be compressed between 34 and 37 then?

And anybody else..............got a source for 37?
I think so. I don't have the springs on mine and the whole thing just jingles a bit when the engines running. Not a big deal since I have a loud exhaust.

Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:22 pm

It clips on #35, correct?

Could you thread it and use a nylock nut in place of the clip instead? Or are you going for originality?

Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:26 pm

Hiya Kelley,

Using a nylock nut may be a possibility. However, if it is at all possible, I'd like to stay with the original equipment.

Thanks for the idea.

Wed Jul 23, 2008 2:56 pm

Bookwus wrote:

And just for my own curiosity, what is the purpose of #33 in the diagram above? It is apparently a spring, but I have not even seen this little beastie.

The springs are used only on non doghouse style shutter linkages. They perform the same function as your missing clips.

Heres a pic of them in use with my jerry rigged dog house set up...

A small spring held by a washer and circlip would do the same thing.

Peace, Greg

Wed Jul 23, 2008 4:02 pm

Hiya Greg,

Thanks for the pictures! That helps a bunch. Never have seen the springs used on the flapper linkage.

The idea about using a circlip is a good one. I might have to go that way. But, for the time being I'm still holding out some hope of finding the original clips.

Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:00 pm

here's a whole page of similar items:

http://www.northlandfasteners.com/catalog/db6.html

Look at the flat nuts and the J and U nuts pages. Any good bolt room should have them. They will work for you. I'd go with a flat nut.

Thu Jul 24, 2008 5:39 pm

Hiya All,

Just thought I'd update this thread...........

I found the clips and in the process gained a little knowledge. These clips will not be found at a specialty hardware store. I took one to THE hardware store in this area known for its stock of specialty fasteners. They had not seen this type of clip before and did not know of any manufacturer who might produce such a clip. I checked with a local Volkswagen dealer and asked the parts tech to check possible availability at a regional VW parts warehouse. This particular clip did not even show up on VW's current diagrams. No listing=NLA.

As I've mentioned earlier, parts houses (even those specializing in VW) do not have any listings for this part.

Some folks have made some some good suggestions for fabbing a substitute in this thread. Those are possibilities which might be considered should you find yourself needing to locate these clips.

Me? I found the clips at a well-known local VW repair shop/salvage operation. The owner of this business pointed me toward a Bus full of engine tin and let me prowl around and through it. Found the clips in very little time. So used is the way to go with this part.

Thu Jul 24, 2008 6:36 pm

If you're willing to jury-rig, you could try plumbing hardware as well.....I'm thinking of the keeper clips for pop-up stops that are on the rod below.....cheapo tin ones no way, but maybe some the old-school brass ones from old American Standard stuff......those came in different sizes and were pretty tough to get off.....

Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:11 pm

Bookwus -

I checked ETKA, and they still list item number 37 as an available part.

Pat (66foot)

Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:12 pm

What about those tophat shaped caps that they use on toys to hold the wheels on the axles? My sons crib had a load of them on the side lowering mechanism.

They are called pushnuts.

You tap them on with a hammer and they have little tabs inside that work like barbs.

http://shop.comdir.co.uk/ProductPicResize.aspx?strProductID=krddinkyhq&intPixelSize=200

http://shop.comdir.co.uk/ProductPicResize.aspx?strProductID=bkhcrwwvxq&intPixelSize=200

jim

Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:48 pm

Hiya 68, 66, and Jim,

68......I hadn't even thought of plumbing supplies. Good thinking. I had wondered about using an e-clip and whether or not that might work.

66......All I can tell you Pat is that the counterman at my local VW dealer let me look at the diagrams and parts information on his computer. The diagrams were of the same layout as those that appear in this thread (however, I did notice that the individual parts were numbered differently) and the parts information pages looked exactly like the one you posted. The only difference (at least, the only one I noticed) was that the clip was not in the diagram at all. Everything else (in the flapper explosion) was there. About the time the counterman and I were looking at that, the parts manager drifted by and explained that if the part did not appear in the diagram, it was no longer available.

Jim.......Ha! Great idea and I'd bet that would work.

Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:47 pm

Bookwus -

Mike - The illustration that is posted with ETKA (shown below) is identical to the one that you posted.

I will update and see if it is still accurate.

Pat (66foot)

Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:18 pm

Bookwus -

Mike - I updated ETKA and the illustration still indicates that the clip is available.

Might try another VW parts store.

Pat (66foot)

Tue Jul 29, 2008 6:02 am

Thanks for the fastener info folks. I am trying to put my cooling system back to stock too. Curious, what years is part 35 needed for? Can't say as if I need this for my '72