Author |
Message |
spydee Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2008 Posts: 20 Location: Calgary, Canada
|
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:46 pm Post subject: spydee's Modification for broken skylight swingarm gliders. |
|
|
Here is a modification i just finished today on my skylight swingarm plastic gliders that are on both ends of the glider. These things pretty much fell off when i began removing my skylight hardware to install my new skylight.Because of age the plastic is now very brittle, so be very carefull when removing. ok here are the pix, hope this can help someone else with this issue.
this is roughly what it looked like originally.
here is what it looked like broken, use a bench grinder to remove the old rivet from the swingarm.
here is the piece now removed fom the swingarm, notice that i have drilled a hole through the aluminum piece to fit a new rivet through.
keep these
the 2 pieces together
old pieces, new rivet, new washer
how it looks on the rivet
here's what it looked like after i applied the rivet using the rivet gun.
another angle
the old plastic pieces, going in the recycling.
old vs new
one last thing i will add is that when i was reinstalling everything i did notice that the plastic gliders were no longer rolling like they are suppose to.most likely cause the rivet is too tight, so maybe the final modification would be instead of a rivet maybe to use a small bolt and a nut with a nylon insert, the nylon in those nuts will allow it stay tight wherever you decide to tighten it to. i may make a quick alteration if i can find the right size bolt/ nut. anyhow this is spydee's first mod. i will contribute as many ideas as i can to this forum, as it has served me well. thanx everyone for the advice.
spydee
90 westy |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Rodknock Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 516 Location: Boulder CO
|
Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 5:04 am Post subject: |
|
|
I was thinking of doing this exact same thing to mine. Thank you for the pics and write-up. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Raynor Shine Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2005 Posts: 552
|
Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 6:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
very mcgyver! i have this one noted. thanks for the pics |
|
Back to top |
|
|
riceye Samba Member
Joined: March 09, 2006 Posts: 1661 Location: Caledonia, WI
|
Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 6:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
Great save!
The next time mine wears out I'll try that. The last time I rebuilt it I used rollers I was able to locate at the hardware store in the patio screen door parts selection.
And, just last week I was able to eliminate the incessant rattle of the skylight. As it turns out, the rattle was caused by a baggy hinge at the front of the skylight. I took both off and did some pinching with a vise grips to tighten the hinges up.
No more rattles! _________________ '87 Westy Weekender - daily driver on salt-free roads
There's gonna be some changes made.
“I find that things usually go well right up until the moment they don't.” - Ahwahnee
"Quality isn't method. It's the goal toward which the method is aimed." - Socrates, later quoted by R.M. Pirsig |
|
Back to top |
|
|
debbiej Samba Member
Joined: December 14, 2008 Posts: 1553 Location: las cruces, nm
|
Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 7:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
ah, like the search. this is why my skylight rattles and leaks!! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Classicvibe Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2009 Posts: 743 Location: Salt Lake City
|
Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 7:37 pm Post subject: |
|
|
HOw funny, I had no idea those little plastic things existed. I just assumed that skylight was the single worst designed product I had ever seen. I mean, it still is, but it is nice to know just a tiny bit more thought went into it. Bookmarked! _________________ On a mission, the destination is just an excuse.
Syncro Solstice 2022...see you there!
1986.5 Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia Poptop Weekender Transporter |
|
Back to top |
|
|
K58 Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2006 Posts: 1173 Location: Santa Barbara
|
Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 8:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
debbiej wrote: |
ah, like the search. this is why my skylight rattles and leaks!! |
It most likely leaks because of a bad seal.
It rained here the last 2 days and I noticed my seal is rotted and the caulking around it is gone. Talk about a bad design..the skylight sits in a groove where water collects.
GoWesty has the items you need |
|
Back to top |
|
|
debbiej Samba Member
Joined: December 14, 2008 Posts: 1553 Location: las cruces, nm
|
Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 7:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
we did replace the seal on both the pop top and the skylight. I think maybe the hinges are loose too. I am trying to decide if I should order the part.
is there a non-operable skylight replacement idea out there? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
PDXWesty Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006 Posts: 6243 Location: Portland OR
|
Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
debbiej wrote: |
we did replace the seal on both the pop top and the skylight. I think maybe the hinges are loose too. I am trying to decide if I should order the part.
is there a non-operable skylight replacement idea out there? |
Sounds like you already have a non-operable skylight.
Seriously, all the parts to repair it and make it work properly and seal tight are available at most of the major vendors including the skylight guy.
http://www.theskylightguy.com/main.jsp?p2=shopping/catalog.jsp&catalog_id=50 _________________ 89 Westy 2.1 Auto |
|
Back to top |
|
|
joetiger Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005 Posts: 5076 Location: denver
|
Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
I did a similar repair to mine, but I used nuts and bolts instead of rivets; I wanted to play with it and see if I could make it continue to work using only old crap I could find in my garage. It lasted about 600 miles.
I went ahead and bought the replacement mechanism from Van Cafe for $16 or so and am installing it this evening. _________________ Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
|
Back to top |
|
|
msinabottle Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2005 Posts: 3492 Location: Denver Area, Colorado
|
Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:44 pm Post subject: My Problem |
|
|
I used that screen door part mod findable online... Yours is a good mod indeed and looks a lot more robust.
Y'know what my biggest problem with the lifting/lower arms is? The rivets in the MIDDLE of the arms hang up on each other and I have to reach up and physically push them apart. Anyone have a solution for THAT?
Best! _________________ 'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence." |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Timwhy Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2009 Posts: 4002 Location: Maine
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
joetiger Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005 Posts: 5076 Location: denver
|
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
In the interest of full disclosure, I figured something out when I took apart my mechanism again last night to replace it with the new part:
I had installed my modified mechanism backwards. No wonder it wouldn't operate correctly.
Duh.
I installed the new one and it works well enough, though. _________________ Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
|
Back to top |
|
|
K58 Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2006 Posts: 1173 Location: Santa Barbara
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
ragnarhairybreeks Samba Member
Joined: October 26, 2009 Posts: 1890 Location: Sidney B.C. Canada
|
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I was fussing around making delrin bushes for the swing arm and i decided that the plastic cover need repaint. Krylon Fusion satin black. Then one thing led to another and I made a new knob from an old inline skate wheel.
alistair _________________ '86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
https://shufti.blog/
Old address still works...
http://shufti.wordpress.com
Last edited by ragnarhairybreeks on Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:47 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
debbiej Samba Member
Joined: December 14, 2008 Posts: 1553 Location: las cruces, nm
|
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:35 pm Post subject: |
|
|
that is very nice!
yep, I do pretty much have a non-operable skylight!
it is good to see what the wheels should look like, mine has no wheels, just the little disks left there. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
r39o Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 9800 Location: San Diego
|
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 3:29 pm Post subject: Blatant copy |
|
|
Here's the text to the above URL:
After leaving the skylight up on my '90 Westy and trying to drive into the garage one too many times, the rollers on the ends of the lifter arms needed to be fixed. Here is what I did, based largely on Terry K.'s fix for the problem.
Parts list:
2 nylon bi-fold door top guide/pivots.
2 10/32 x 1/2 or 3/4" machine screws (with the flattest heads you can find) and two nylock nuts.
2 nylon washers. These are optional. I couldn't find any the size I needed, so I had to make the hole larger
and the outer diameter smaller. I put these between the lifter arm and the slotted track.
Procedure:
Remove the screw holding the knob on and remove knob.
Pull off the plastic covers and remove the 4 8mm nuts and washers plus the smaller screw and nut
above the knob.
Remove the plastic cover over the lifter mechanism. Don't lose the spacer washers under the outer ends.
Remove the lifter.
Drill out the old rivets and rollers.
Enlarge the holes in the ends of the arms slightly to take 10/32 screws (or use smaller screws).
Cut the two pivots as shown in the photo, to 1/4" long. Actually, a little less is better. This and the flat screw
screw heads ensure they will not hit the nuts holding the slotted track to the skylight. If they do, you can
mark the point on the nut, remove it and file it down a little.
The optional method uses two flanged nylon bushings, one inside the other, and cut down to 1/4" or less.
The sizes for these two are:
Large one: flange diam.=17/32"; I.D.=1/4"; length=11/32".
Small one: flange diam.=13/32"; I.D.=3/16"; length=11/32".
.
_________________ "Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
r39o Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 9800 Location: San Diego
|
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 3:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I *MUST* do this fix. You know just how annoying that skylight is rattling down the road, ya know, eh?
So I have questions for the above text(S) and posts.
Where do you get "bi-fold door top guide/pivots?"
Where is Terry Ks fix?
Where, from what application, do you get any of the little nylons / plastics mentioned?
Where in the Homie Despot do I go, for example? _________________ "Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
K58 Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2006 Posts: 1173 Location: Santa Barbara
|
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 4:27 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Update:
Whatever you do don't waste money on the GoWe$ty junk.
I thought I was buying a direct fit replacement gasket but when I received it there was a warning that it was not. The "fix" resulted in a worse leak than I had before
Now I have to spend more money to fix the fix. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
ragnarhairybreeks Samba Member
Joined: October 26, 2009 Posts: 1890 Location: Sidney B.C. Canada
|
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 4:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
r39o wrote: |
I *MUST* do this fix. You know just how annoying that skylight is rattling down the road, ya know, eh?
So I have questions for the above text(S) and posts.
Where do you get "bi-fold door top guide/pivots?"
Where is Terry Ks fix?
Where, from what application, do you get any of the little nylons / plastics mentioned?
Where in the Homie Despot do I go, for example? |
I wrote up Terry's mod years ago on my old website, here is the link:
http://members.shaw.ca/albell/mods2.html
alistair _________________ '86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
https://shufti.blog/
Old address still works...
http://shufti.wordpress.com |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|