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What did YOU do to your van today?
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jlrftype7
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 17, 2021 7:36 pm    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

Vanlife Geek wrote:
joetiger wrote:
Vanlife Geek wrote:
I did the laborious chore of putting on a Wheelskins leather cover on my steering wheel today. Took me a little over an hour. Looks and feels great, but I'm glad I only have one steering wheel.


So very worth it. Your hands will thank you on long trips.

From the positive reviews I've read, I think you're right. Sounds like you're speaking from experience.

One thing that was really bugging me was when it was super humid, like after a rain, the steering wheel would "shed" kind of a sticky, dirt like substance onto my hands. No matter how much I cleaned and scrubbed the wheel, it would still happen. I assume it's just the steering wheel material flaking off due to age. This will hopefully eliminate that odd occurrence as well as add comfort. Has anyone else experienced this shedding?
Aging leather on old BMW steering wheels would do the same to me with high humidity- had to Wheel Skin all of them that I owned.... Embarassed Embarassed
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bobbyblack Premium Member
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 17, 2021 8:33 pm    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

Vanlife Geek wrote:

Are you saying you'd use two on one wheel? I'd be curious to see if that turns out to be worth it. I've never heard of using two. I think I'll stick with one for a while, or forever. I camp more than I drive, so probably not worth even a consideration for me. I'm just happy I got one and the installation is done.


Yup, 2 WS's on your steering wheel, Thicker, more supple. Trick seems to be the soaking, and getting the stitching really really tight on the outermost skin. Leather is an awesome material. I think my WS was ~50. ~100'ish for a super comfortable driving experience would be well worth it to me, but then again, I spend perhaps a 1 to 1 camping to driving hours rating, as my bus is my daily, and I put on around 20K mi a year. Extended trips account for ~20% of my ride, like 30 or 40 hours on the road for 3 to 5 days of 'there time' .. I know several local owners who can get about 20 or 30 miles from home 'comfortably' and often call AAA to get them back. I'm not that guy. Lots of stuff is eye candy. Not my gig. I try to keep on the functional components, and things like stereo, bling, etc fall off to secondary or tertiary thoughts. Interfacing with the road is primary.

wishing you well!!!

-bobby
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Steve M.
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:35 am    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

Just sitting here bored while waiting for the sun to move so I'm not stretched out on the creeper in it while adjusting the shift linkage after installing the "Big Shot" shifter.

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dlosey
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:39 am    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

Over the past two weeks I have put on 15” Mercedes c280 alloy wheels with new Nokians using T3technique hardware and spacers, installed a “retro” car stereo with BT, and replaced the rear window washer hose (what a PITA), and maintenance on the slider.
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Steve M.
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:52 am    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

Vanlife Geek wrote:

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"Willow" still looks like she's wondering what your doing taking a picture!
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Vanlife Geek
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 8:10 am    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

Steve M. wrote:
Vanlife Geek wrote:

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"Willow" still looks like she's wondering what your doing taking a picture!
She seems to strike that pose when I get out the camera and call her name. Although I don't think she actually knows her name yet.
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campism
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 3:14 pm    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

Scrubbed off a couple weeks' accumulation of pollen. Nice result but it won't last.
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Vanlife Geek
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 4:34 pm    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

I did a couple of small things to the van today. First, I had lost one of my tire valve covers, so I thought I'd do a little inexpensive upgrade. These are metal with a plastic insert to avoid any corrosion issues. I amuse myself with how much I like them.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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Valve Stem Covers: https://amzn.to/3suWvTA

And I mounted a can of Bear Spray above the sliding door for protection against bears of course, but also for bad humans and viscous dogs. I've only had one encounter with a bear in the van, and it was a young one that decided to climb to the top of the van, breaking the radio antenna in the process. No real harm was done and it was somewhat entertaining. But now that I'm cooking in or just outside the van everyday, usually in the National Forest, I figured I'd get a can just in case. I've actually had way more trouble from humans while camping and have felt threatened pretty good a couple of times. And there's the occasional dog that wonders into camp. I didn't worry so much when I had Loki, my late great Pitbull since he could take care of himself and would usually intimidate the dogs and they'd leave. But now that I have my new sub-30 pound dog, I have to worry about her.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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

The order was supposed to be for one can with a hard plastic holder that I thought would mount well, as seen in the link, https://amzn.to/3ea8wZy. But they sent me two cans with cloth holders instead. At first I was a little disappointed, but using a couple of strong neodymium magnets on the belt loop, it mounted fine, and I got two cans. It's nice and secure and I can pull out the can easily if I need it in a hurry. And the bonus is I have a second can to take with me on hikes.

Here's my broken antenna and you can see the muddy paw prints on the bumper and windshield. I had just replaced that antenna about a month earlier, but at least it went much faster the next time since I knew how to do it.
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Another encounter with a bear happened when I took my sister into Rocky Mountain National Park to take some video of the elk rut. While I was filming the elk in front of me, she tapped on my shoulder and said, look behind you. About 40 yards away, just past my parked van was a bear eating berries, so I whipped my camera around and got some footage. This is a frame grab from that video.
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This was the view in front of me, by the way. Horseshoe Park in RMNP during the fall is a great place to be!
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Vanlife Geek
Current:
1986 Syncro Westy
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1983 Westy
1981 Westy
1972 Bug (Last year you could buy a new one for under $2,000)
1965/66 Bug (2 bugs from a junk yard combined to make 1 functional bug)
1959 Bug (Pre Gas Gauge Era)
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rowan
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 6:49 pm    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

dlosey wrote:
Over the past two weeks I have ... replaced the rear window washer hose (what a PITA), and maintenance on the slider.


Any hints on this job. I don't seem to have a hose going back there (89 Syncro) so I have no ideas about how or where to look.

Thanks,
r
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dlosey
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:14 am    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

Rowan,
Its pretty straight forward (Bentley has a good photo of the hose routing and tank location, mine was complicated with the factory A/C as the hose is routed above and over the cabinet housing. I was able to use the original unbroken sections to "fish" the hose thru the structural columns. Getting the hose thru all the grommets and wire/hose looms was pretty tricky but doable by a single person. Good Luck!
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Steve M.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:53 pm    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

Rowan if you add the tank and hose be aware that they can leak out of sight and mind until you see the seam rust above the rear wheel!
Just something to check yearly.
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joyfulpursuit
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 11:58 pm    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

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Today marked the completion of my gauge cluster overhaul.. can you spot the one thing added to the cluster that is not on this list? Smile

1. T3 Technique plasma gauges
2. Kai Yu ‘s fantastic blue foil replacement kit (slowbridgeinnovations.com)
3. New clock from campervanculture.com
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dhaavers
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 4:18 am    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

^^^ OK, these are my absolute best guesses:

1 - (bottom left) engine case shrapnel warning light?
2 - (bottom right) 10:30 AM coffee break indicator?

That's all I got... <shrug> Wink

- Dave
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4Gears4Tires
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 6:00 am    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

Cruise control and CEL lights?
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:04 am    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

dhaavers wrote:

2 - (bottom right) 10:30 AM coffee break indicator?
- Dave
I like it! And where's the 'Beer O'Clock" warning lamp? Cool
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bobbyblack Premium Member
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:15 am    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

Seat heater switch/indicator?
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vanis13
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 8:06 am    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

joyfulpursuit wrote:

2. Kai Yu ‘s fantastic blue foil replacement kit (slowbridgeinnovations.com)


link doesn't work for me

http://slowbridgeinnovations.com/
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StuckinMoran
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:15 am    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

So many little things in the last few weeks:

- Replaced and fixed horn, added the load reducer from GoWesty
- New dual windshield sprayer nozzles
- all LED external lights (excluding headlights)
- Diagnosed/fixed broken heater blower fan
- replaced the dome light and door switch
- Diagnosed/fixed the Back Up Lights
- replaced the original grille that was brittle and breaking

I have some electrical issues I am working through.
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joyfulpursuit
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:32 am    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

Awesome guesses! Yes, the custom center cluster indicator panel from a seller on the samba was the missing piece. I haven’t yet hooked up either the CEL nor the cruise.

I have a small car 1991 EJ22 kit that the PO installed in the westy; the CEL is at the ecu under the bench seat. I plan to one day swap all parts to KEP to make it california compliant, which includes moving the CEL to the dash.

I also plan to retrofit cruise control one day, so this custom panel was a no brainer, especially when he made them back in 2010 and is offloading his final pieces. Only a handful left.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php...WbDqsoLSFU
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BCE56
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 12:58 pm    Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? Reply with quote

vanis13 wrote:
joyfulpursuit wrote:

2. Kai Yu ‘s fantastic blue foil replacement kit (slowbridgeinnovations.com)


link doesn't work for me

http://slowbridgeinnovations.com/


Try this:
https://www.slowbridgeinnovation.com/vanagon-instrument-cluster-repair

Worked for me.
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