Westy Hitch Info

Jawohl · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:06 am Post subject:

Does any one know if the Westy hitch would clear a cheap non merged style header? I have the hitch coming next week, but I'm currently installing the engine.
_________________
I have no problem with God.
It's his fan club I can't stand!

Reverend Peytons Big Damn Band.
http://www.bigdamnband.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ra0DsbiNs0

1957 Logo panel "We Sell ICE"
1966 Vert
1967 Westy
1963 Ragtop
1964 Single Cab

thom · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:17 am Post subject:

Jawohl · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:35 am Post subject:

definitive enough for me. thanks.
_________________
I have no problem with God.
It's his fan club I can't stand!

Reverend Peytons Big Damn Band.
http://www.bigdamnband.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ra0DsbiNs0

1957 Logo panel "We Sell ICE"
1966 Vert
1967 Westy
1963 Ragtop
1964 Single Cab

Stocknazi · Samba Member Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 5150

Does anyone have a pic showing the profile of original Westy hitch side-arms?

I was told these were not flat stock, but have a convex shape for extra strength.
_________________
WANTED:
58 Westfalia cabinet knobs (3 needed), roof rack, and (7) privy tent poles (silver painted).

"When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty."
"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God."

Thomas Jefferson

matthew henricks · Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2016 2:49 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Hitch Info

Barndoor are flat.

The rest are not flat and do have a convex bed but only in the part of the wing that curves up to the bumper. The attachment point to the hitch and to the bumper area is flat. It looks like when it was formed the convex part was formed too.

Below are a few pictures i have here on my PC. I can get better ones if needed. First is non BD. Other two are BD

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_cat.php?cat_id=36

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

oldbusboy · Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 9:33 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Hitch Info

Wish these were being reproduced still

I would buy one immediately.

Trevor
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1968 porsche

Stocknazi · Samba Member Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 5150

Thanks for posting those pics of the arms; interesting there are 2 different styles of arms. I wonder if the early style arms was used on all press bumper hitches, and the newer style arm was introduced with the 40hp motor?

Anyone have any idea as to when the narrow style hitches started to be made?
_________________
WANTED:
58 Westfalia cabinet knobs (3 needed), roof rack, and (7) privy tent poles (silver painted).

"When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty."
"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God."

Thomas Jefferson

BarryL · Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 9:16 am Post subject: Re: Westy Hitch Info

matthew henricks · Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 10:28 am Post subject: Re: Westy Hitch Info

I agree with Barry. I have had all three styles. Best i could tell was:

- Press bumper. Very unclear when these were made. Have seen two and both were a bit different in the tranny mount area. Could not help but wonder if these were made to order or very limited availability for customers of older transporters having a westy kit installed later on. (Lots of speculation there)
- Special welded flange to mount to the back side of a press bumper.
- Flat outrigger arms with flatish profile and "notch" to avoid exhaust.
- Narrow beam mount.
- One style had weld on tranny mount. One had tube clamps.

- Wide mount non-press style. Guessing 59 to 66ish based on part number on ID plate and drawings i have seen.
- Special welded flange to mount to the bottom the bumper.
- Clamp bar for bumper bottom flange. Almost always missing.
- Clamp bars for outriggers. Also always missing.
- Outrigger is swoopy with the already mentioned concave profile.
- Mounts to tranny with flange.

- Narrow mount non-press style. Guessing 66 and later. I Always figured these were available long after splits stopped being made until Westfalia said "no more".
- Special welded flange to mount to the bottom the bumper.
- Clamp bar for bumper bottom flange. Almost always missing.
- Clamp bars for outriggers. Also always missing.
- Outrigger is swoopy with the already mentioned concave profile.
- Mounts to tranny with flange.

There was also a bracket that mounted the European electrical hook-up. It was clamped to the tube running out to the hitch. I have only ever seen one original one and i purchased it though what i felt was a reliable history chain. Speculation though again as i have never seen literature on it but you had to somehow get your electrical out there. I used to make these but they are cost prohibitive now to make. (You guys would not pay what i would need to get for them)

AFAIK Tom was the only to make a true repro. That was many, many years ago though.

Clara · Samba Member Joined: June 14, 2003 Posts: 12401

Stocknazi · Samba Member Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 5150

What does the clamp bar for the rear bumper mount look like?

Thought I would post this variation of the narrow style hitch here as well.
(the center body mount is 2 pieces).
Peka on the left/ 65 Westfalia on right:

_________________
WANTED:
58 Westfalia cabinet knobs (3 needed), roof rack, and (7) privy tent poles (silver painted).

"When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty."
"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God."

Thomas Jefferson

BarryL · Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2016 6:58 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Hitch Info

matthew henricks · Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 6:41 am Post subject: Re: Westy Hitch Info

I'll take pictures this weekend. I believe they were used for all hitches that had the wing to mount under the bumper.

I believe the hardware for a hitch were as follows. Somewhere i have a Westfalia document in German that shows and i am sure says more. Will dig it up.:

Torsion Tube:
- Two U-bolts with washers and nuts. Same for all styles although i cannot swear they are all the same thread size.

Tranny Mount:
- Tube Clamps. Barn Door as posted by Clara
- Welded tab. Barn Door as posted by me.
- Bolt on with clamp plate. Rest of styles. Cannot say i have ever seen original hardware here.

Bumper Center:
- Bolt through. Tab that conforms to rear of Press Bumper. One or two holes. Have never seen original hardware. As posted by Clara and me.
- Below bumper. Two bolts and nut plate. Have never seen original hardware but will post the nut plate next week. Press Bumper as posted by Clara and the later two styles.

Bumper Mounts
- Bolts on with bumper although longer bolts needed. Have never seen original hardware. Same for all styles.

Matthew

BarryL · Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 10:01 am Post subject: Re: Westy Hitch Info

BarryL · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 9:22 am Post subject: Re: Westy Hitch Info

Photos of later style Westy hitch arms. These were made by Alex in England but he no longer makes them. They are duplicates of original except the cross section is different on the curved part.

Crown shape of arm part.

These next two photos shoe the transition from crowned barstock to flat at the mounting points.

The paper is 1/4" grid.

matthew henricks · Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2016 8:22 am Post subject: Re: Westy Hitch Info

Awesome.

When i looked at making these 20 year ago i figured you need one heck of a press and/or lots of heat to get that bow in the cross section.

I also took a long look at the ball area. Forged or turned/heated/bent. Pro's and con's to both.

In the end i gave up. I think the ones Thom was making were turned and bent. As long as you do not weaken the part that is fine.

Liability always scared me too....

Matthew


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