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epowell
Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2015
Posts: 4733
Location: Czech (mostly) Vancouver (sometimes)
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 Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:19 am Post subject: What to do with these side foot-rails? |
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They look OK but they are disturbing the metal... what to do?
I guess I MUST remove them now and fix the rust... but is it worth to put them back on??
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MarkWard
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17114
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:29 am Post subject: Re: What to do with these SIDE FOOT-RAILS? |
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Putting them back on would be up to you. The passenger side one might make the step up easier at the sliding door. Otherwise I don't see the purpose. Running boards seem to be an invitation for someone to "jump" on them for a quick ride somewhere. It's really up to you.
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Squidfish
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2004
Posts: 336
Location: 95519
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 9:17 am Post subject: Re: What to do with these SIDE FOOT-RAILS? |
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I wouldn't personally.
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epowell
Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2015
Posts: 4733
Location: Czech (mostly) Vancouver (sometimes)
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 10:10 am Post subject: Re: What to do with these SIDE FOOT-RAILS? |
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| gonewesty4good wrote: |
| I wouldn't personally. |
...now f I can only get the buggers off 
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epowell
Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2015
Posts: 4733
Location: Czech (mostly) Vancouver (sometimes)
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 11:56 am Post subject: Re: What to do with these side foot-rails? |
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seems naked without them....
if anyone in vancouver wants to pick them up - they can have them or free...
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jlrftype7
Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018
Posts: 3576
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 12:06 pm Post subject: Re: What to do with these side foot-rails? |
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| epowell wrote: |
seems naked without them....
if anyone in vancouver wants to pick them up - they can have them or free...
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Naked, nah, you've just set your Vanagon Free, that's all.... 
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epowell
Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2015
Posts: 4733
Location: Czech (mostly) Vancouver (sometimes)
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 12:20 pm Post subject: Re: What to do with these side foot-rails? |
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| jlrftype7 wrote: |
| epowell wrote: |
seems naked without them....
if anyone in vancouver wants to pick them up - they can have them or free...
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Naked, nah, you've just set your Vanagon Free, that's all.... |
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Jeffrey Lee
Samba Member
Joined: February 04, 2014
Posts: 1488
Location: Wisconsin
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 12:41 pm Post subject: Re: What to do with these side foot-rails? |
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Definitely keep them, and also add a tinted bubble-window, orange shag carpet interior, and an airbrushed mural.
Or, if you insist on removing them, you'll have room for some really groovy chrome side pipes ...
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SyncroHead 
Samba Member
Joined: May 23, 2005
Posts: 1141
Location: Northern Nevada
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 2:57 pm Post subject: Re: What to do with these side foot-rails? |
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That photo is hilarious! Guy takes bikini babe to the beach in his van... plays chess! They're so intellectual! 
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| sphet wrote: |
| I have *no* idea what the previous owner carried in his Westy... angry donkeys? |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9603
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 3:24 pm Post subject: Re: What to do with these side foot-rails? |
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| epowell wrote: |
| They look OK but they are disturbing the metal... what to do? |
Are those Aluminum? I think the steel van body is sacrificial in that case, sacrificing itself, protecting the Aluminum.
Large chunks of aluminum attached to the van should be electrically isolated. In other words, not in direct electrical connection to the steel body. And ideally, only in dry locations. Presence of an electrolyte (salty water) and steel and aluminum (all 3 in contact) is real bad combination and can be called "a battery".
The bigger the chunk of aluminum, the bigger the corrosion. Are they painted or bare/anodized? Bare/anodized is worse. When you bolt bare aluminum to a van, it does not seem to corrode,
not because you're "lucky" or cuz "Aluminum is cool",
but because the steel van body is protecting the aluminum by corroding "more".
So you really should paint the aluminum and lose a little bit of the cool factor.
Seems strange, right?
And it's a detail that's easy to forget, especially cuz anodized aluminum looks cool.
It is "cool" in dry environments.
Your "Aluminum" engine, for example is mostly "dry" cuz it's heated. And the electrical connection is a ground strap that's generally dry too; not bathed in electrolyte.
It's a bad deal wo have aluminum bolted to steel in a wet & salty environment. So I'd say, get those things off the van, or look seriously at the mounting and make sure there is no electrical connection.
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