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Braukuche
Samba Member
Joined: September 03, 2004
Posts: 11004
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 Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 5:02 pm Post subject: Ambulance step restore question |
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I picked this up a while back and it was frozen up. I finally got the thing apart and can't figure out how the spring mechanism works. I thought there would be two big springs in the tube that the step slides into, but instead I found these two rods as no spring. Anyone know who this particular mechanism works?
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1956 Ghia
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Eric&Barb
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2004
Posts: 24759
Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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| Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 5:29 pm Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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Springs should be pushing those rods out to push the step outward.
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Stocknazi
Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2004
Posts: 5150
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| Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 5:32 pm Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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I had to make new rods from some stainless steel rod and replace the springs. On my step, the spring slid over the rod; the rod end was crimped over one end of the spring. The spring/rod assembly was then lowered in the tube and the other end of the spring hooked through a slot at the end of the tube; that allows the spring to load when the step is pushed in.
My step was the earlier style w/o the dust covers on the tubes; yours looks like it might be a little different.
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Braukuche
Samba Member
Joined: September 03, 2004
Posts: 11004
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| Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 5:39 pm Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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| StockNazi wrote: |
I had to make new rods from some stainless steel rod and replace the springs. On my step, the spring slid over the rod; the rod end was crimped over one end of the spring. The spring/rod assembly was then lowered in the tube and the other end of the spring hooked through a slot at the end of the tube; that allows the spring to load when the step is pushed in.
My step was the earlier style w/o the dust covers on the tubes; yours looks like it might be a little different.
Were you able to free up the foot pedal rod? |
I had to cut the hell out of it, but I finally got the rod out, cleaned it up, welded the how mess back together and now that works.
The right rod is hung up on something in there and I can see it from the one open end.
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Go Reds! Smash state!
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1956 Ghia
1959 SO-23 Westfalia
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1963 stretched double cab
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1963 356 B coupe
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Stocknazi
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Joined: June 18, 2004
Posts: 5150
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| Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:12 pm Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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| Braukuche wrote: |
| StockNazi wrote: |
Were you able to free up the foot pedal rod? |
I had to cut the hell out of it, but I finally got the rod out, cleaned it up, welded the how mess back together and now that works.
The right rod is hung up on something in there and I can see it from the one open end. |
That's the only way I found to remove the pedal rod.
Check out the 63-67 Bently. There is some information/pics there. It says to unscrew the bushes from the end of the tube. and the rod/spring assembly pulls out. The rod you have loose might have broken loose inside.
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"When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty."
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Mr. OGPaint
Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2010
Posts: 823
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:19 pm Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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I redid one recently, the springs are housed inside the tube beneath the bushes on the end the rod is protruding from. The bushes unscrew. I can post pics later if needed
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Braukuche
Samba Member
Joined: September 03, 2004
Posts: 11004
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| Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:19 pm Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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| StockNazi wrote: |
| Braukuche wrote: |
| StockNazi wrote: |
Were you able to free up the foot pedal rod? |
I had to cut the hell out of it, but I finally got the rod out, cleaned it up, welded the how mess back together and now that works.
The right rod is hung up on something in there and I can see it from the one open end. |
That's the only way I found to remove the pedal rod.
Check out the 63-67 Bently. There is some information/pics there. It says to unscrew the bushes from the end of the tube. and the rod/spring assembly pulls out. The rod you have loose might have broken loose inside. |
I saw that Bentley bit, wasn't sure what they were referring to as the "bushes" so I guess that the rods?
Maybe I'll just simplify things and get some big springs and stick them on the tubes to push the step out I feel that rod ha indeed broken off. The ones you made were they threaded at the end??
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Go Reds! Smash state!
Retirement is here!
1956 Ghia
1959 SO-23 Westfalia
1960 double cab
1960 Baja Bug
1963 stretched double cab
1962 Golde sunroof Ghia
1963 356 B coupe
1963 Notchback
1967 21 window less rusty now |
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Mr. OGPaint
Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2010
Posts: 823
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:22 pm Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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The bushes are the threaded end cap that the rod is exiting in your picture. The bushes thread into the end of the tubing
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Mr. OGPaint
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Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:28 pm Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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Hopefully this helps
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Braukuche
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Posts: 11004
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| Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:39 pm Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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| Ultramoron wrote: |
Hopefully this helps |
Perfect! TOtally makes sense now, mine is so rusted and cruddy I couldn't tell there was a threaded fitting on there.
Thanks and Merry Christmas.
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Go Reds! Smash state!
Retirement is here!
1956 Ghia
1959 SO-23 Westfalia
1960 double cab
1960 Baja Bug
1963 stretched double cab
1962 Golde sunroof Ghia
1963 356 B coupe
1963 Notchback
1967 21 window less rusty now |
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Stocknazi
Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2004
Posts: 5150
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| Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2016 4:59 pm Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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Here are some pics of the earlier style step rods; original on top.
End of step tube; hard to see with all the old grease, but there is a small rod welded inside the tube that the spring hooks to. This style step has no bushes that screw into the tube.
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Douglas Denlinger
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Joined: May 23, 2003
Posts: 1382
Location: Arizona's version of the east coast
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| Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 9:58 am Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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Revival time.....so I really enjoy taking on challenges....this step came with a project bus that I'm nearing the finish line on. Being an original M-coded ambulance side step bus, with it's original side step, it's time to take on the challenge to make it work. The challenging part....previous owner took it apart, leaving me the puzzle to figure out how to put it back together. Fortunately, thanks to the information above most of that is accomplished.
However, does the step lever rotate inside the tube to release the catch, which would then release the step to slide out?
Obviously the previous owner used the jaws of life, which leads me to believe that he could not get it to rotate.
So the question is does the step lever, turn inside the tube? Can/should that lever come out of the tube completely?
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crofty
Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000
Posts: 19672
Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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| Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 11:06 am Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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I think there should be a hook in that hole that grabs the step itself to keep it from flying out.
Every time I see one of those damn steps I wish I would have kept mine. You got a good deal Lind, $40 if I remember right!
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Douglas Denlinger
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Joined: May 23, 2003
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Location: Arizona's version of the east coast
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| Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 11:25 am Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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| crofty wrote: |
I think there should be a hook in that hole that grabs the step itself to keep it from flying out.
Every time I see one of those damn steps I wish I would have kept mine. You got a good deal Lind, $40 if I remember right! |
Honestly they are a pain in the arse. Just like everything no one maintained the steps to function smoothly.
Yes this hook....the question is the tube that it bolts thru....is that tube supposed to turn freely....can it be removed?
Its interesting that the tubes that the step slides out from (base that bolt bolts to the bus) have zerks to grease the slides...this does not. I believe if this is suppose to turn freely then it should have had a zerks as well.
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crofty
Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000
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Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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| Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 11:41 am Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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I found a pic of a NOS one in the gallery. I'd think that it would have to rotate in order to release the step itself.
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| HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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easy e
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2008
Posts: 3931
Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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| Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 11:58 am Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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The pedal is welded to a (solid?) rod that rotates in the fixed (outer) tube.
The pedal rod can be removed, if you remove the hook (and the rod isn’t frozen).
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Last edited by easy e on Fri Mar 22, 2019 12:02 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Douglas Denlinger
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Joined: May 23, 2003
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Location: Arizona's version of the east coast
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| Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 12:00 pm Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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| crofty wrote: |
| I found a pic of a NOS one in the gallery. I'd think that it would have to rotate in order to release the step itself. |
Well that answers that. Thanks for the heads up Crofty
Looks like I'll be breaking out the torch.
They really should have placed a zerk on that end of the tube
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Douglas Denlinger
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Location: Arizona's version of the east coast
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| Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 12:04 pm Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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| easy e wrote: |
The pedal is welded to a (solid?) rod that rotates in the fixed (outer) tube.
The pedal rod can be removed, if you remove the hook (and the rod isn’t frozen). |
The hook was already removed by the previous owner.....he gave up on the step lever, after he crushed the tube trying to turn it or pull it out.
Sometimes I wonder if it's less expensive to find a replacement, then spend hours rehabbing.
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Braukuche
Samba Member
Joined: September 03, 2004
Posts: 11004
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| Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 2:24 pm Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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| Douglas Denlinger wrote: |
| easy e wrote: |
The pedal is welded to a (solid?) rod that rotates in the fixed (outer) tube.
The pedal rod can be removed, if you remove the hook (and the rod isn’t frozen). |
The hook was already removed by the previous owner.....he gave up on the step lever, after he crushed the tube trying to turn it or pull it out.
Sometimes I wonder if it's less expensive to find a replacement, then spend hours rehabbing. |
It was a nightmare getting mine to sort of work, and it required a lot of heat, bashing, pounding, swearing and welding.
It is nice to have on my SO23 camper, though.
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Go Reds! Smash state!
Retirement is here!
1956 Ghia
1959 SO-23 Westfalia
1960 double cab
1960 Baja Bug
1963 stretched double cab
1962 Golde sunroof Ghia
1963 356 B coupe
1963 Notchback
1967 21 window less rusty now |
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easy e
Samba Member
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Posts: 3931
Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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| Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 2:41 pm Post subject: Re: Ambulance step restore question |
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I could see coming to the conclusion:
Cut off the pedal / bar assembly from the step frame & remake w/new material.
It’d probably be faster & work out better in the long run.... especially if yours is already tweaked.
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