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spydee's Modification for broken skylight swingarm gliders.
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 6:30 pm    Post subject: Re: Blatant copy Reply with quote

r39o wrote:
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".
.


Wow, that's a lot of work to save the $16.95 a new one costs at Volks Cafe! http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_241_653/skylight_flex_arm.html

My new one works just like, uh, new! Very Happy
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r39o
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 10:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Terry K test from above URL:

Subject: Skylight Lift Mechanism
Ok, all of you late model Westfalia Owner's --this is in regards to the lift set up, and the broken roller's, or wheels, on the end's of the arms for the skylight----
Has any one come up with a repair-- or better set-up, short of replacing the whole unit?
Just curious--I have it out right this second, and am trying to determine what to do----the wheels are plum worn down to the nubs----

Terry responded:

Ok---I have read all the repair possibilities----and then I went to Home Depot.
I wandered over to the shower door hardware display, and all that was there was flat non grooved wheels----no good.

I looked to my left and see another display with bi-fold door hardware--ah-ha !!

I bought a package of bi-fold door top pivot's, which are nylon tube's, with a raised collar about in the middle of it.

Picked up some 10-32 screw's, star lock washer's, and some #10 flat washer's, and some nut's---

I cut the pivot, right behind the collar, with a razor saw, and cut the remaining tube to about 1/4 ".

I drilled out the old wheel set-up, from the arms, and simply attatched the nylon tube to the arms---

The tube portion rides inside the track, alost like it was made for it---no slop, and the collar portion is on the outside of the track.

Kinda like a T
The stem of the T goes to the arms, the top part or the flat is outside of the track--- Kinda like the teflon tube with a washer on the outside--but this is all one piece.

Bullet proof--works good, should last for a long time--

Thanks to all of you for the input, and idea's----

Later,

Terry
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"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!

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r39o
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 11:01 pm    Post subject: Re: Blatant copy Reply with quote

Jake de Villiers wrote:

Wow, that's a lot of work to save the $16.95 a new one costs at Volks Cafe! http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_241_653/skylight_flex_arm.html

Now why you have to get all harsh practical now, eh?

It is just too much fun for me to putz around and fix it.

It is cheaper than therapy.

If I wanted new, I would have bought a Mercedes Sprinter based RV...."I have a dream!"
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"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)
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morymob
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 4:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did this same repair on my westy and except for short bolts parts were my stash. I removed all the bolted on parts and replaced the seals around the bolt heads, some were dried out and would have leaked, replaced lid at the time.
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r39o
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 9:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kitt N-6672 is a special order at Home Depot at this date.

I purchased kit N-7269 for $2.69 and it appears to have enough to do the job.

Search HomeDepot.com for "Bi-Fold pivot."

Pictures later.....
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"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)
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Terry Kay
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 10:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The bi-fold door guide roller replacement is simple, good looking, and a fast fix.

And I don't think I spent $5.00 on the parts, or 25 minutes in installation time.

If you use this simple repair--
Don't gorilla tighten the nut on the end of the new roller.
Leave it so it will spin on the bolt a little.
Then it won't flatten out in one spot.

I think I came up with this repair- maybe 10 years ago-and mine is still in good shape & still work perfect.
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pioneer1
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 10:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks Terry...once again
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Terry Kay
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 10:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

And thanks to Alistair for coming up with his web page he saved---
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pioneer1
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 2:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just completed the retrofit using the bi-fold door hardware mentioned-damn metric system in Canada-I had to gently Very Happy massage the diameter of the plastic down a size or two so it would fit in the channel. WTH I had nothing else to do today Laughing
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r39o
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PostPosted: Tue May 28, 2013 7:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A few years later and I am still happy with my fix per the above instructions.

The kit of parts I used was B-7269 Bi-Folding Door Replacement Hardware which I got from Home Depot. It has a few extra parts, but I it was in stock at the store, I recall. It is made by:
PLPCI
26950 San Bernardino Ave
Redlands, CA 92374

I sourced the (black) screws and nyloc nuts from my parts bins, but note you really want to use nyloc nuts to keep the right amount of slack adjustement. Home Depot, again, has this sort of stuff too. Nylocs are in the big pull drawers, I saw last week.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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"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)
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