How To Make Adjustable Stand-Offs Part 2

[Islandman]

Now its time to bend the solid rods (all 4) to the correct angle. Mark the rods 3 inches from one end:

Stick the rods in a vise at the 3 inch mark and hammer the center until it reaches the required angle of 2 inches as shown in the picture below. This stuff is soft so take it slow:

Now its time to weld. Get yourself a 7/32 drill bit and drill 3 holes on each side of the hinge half spaced however you want it and right above the short end of the rod like in the pic. Your going to plug weld the rod to the hinge half for a clean look. You can just weld down the side if you want but either way make sure both are perfectly parallel with each other like in the pic:

Once you complete your welds, clean them by grinding/sanding smooth:

Make sure to check each rod for the 2 inches a tweak as needed:

Next time we'll set-up everything like below to make our template for the gussets that will attach to the other half and hold the tubes in place. You can start to see how the back half will telescope from the forward half. more to follow"

wm

[jmsmilin]

you should keep this all in one thread, great work
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Der Schmutzige Süden.

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[Islandman]

I was wondering about that but figured with a new post everyone can see that the next part was ready. I guess those who are following it will check anyway. I think you're right and I'll keep the rest of it in this one. Thanks.

[azwrenchjockey]

I couldn't wait for part three! But thanks Islandman for creating this How To. It works awesome.

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my everything hurts.

[Islandman]

Hey azmousejockey, you're not getting off that easy.

Lets see some close up pics of how your hinges came out.

[azwrenchjockey]

Ok, Ok.. so i guessed on the rear gussets, and I don't think I drilled those holes for the clip pin things in the right place, but it all works! I really wanted to wait for part 3, but I was just too excited. this is a really nice tutorial and very easy to understand. Seriously, if I can do it anyone should be able to.
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my everything hurts.

[Budes45]

Very nice idea!

Now all you need to do is wire up a small electric motor and a switch that opens the deck as the temperature rises and closes when turned off.

[Islandman]

Good deal azmousejockey! I would say however that the gussets should have been a wee bit bigger to provide more support.

The last section of this mod is coming at you before sundown. I hope you guys enjoy tinkering on this one.

WCM

[azwrenchjockey]

[Lotrat]

Anyone need some brackets to play with?

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=624772

[Islandman]

Grab your piece of sheet metal and lay some masking tape on top. You're going to make four of these:

Use the hinge bracket to get that curved line like so:

I would use a jigsaw with a fine metal cutting blade to cut these out but a pair of sharp tin snips work just as well:

Check fit and file all your pieces so they fit perfectly. I've found that not all hinge supports are exactly the same. Get them looking like so:

Now spot weld these in a couple spots to hold them in place. If you look closely, you'll see that I go the extra mile and chamfer both pieces so after welding it can be ground smooth without sacrificing strength. I find it easier to fill a valley than butt weld an edge and you cant beat the finished look:

Tack weld the other side plate in place as well as the two tubes. The best way to make sure the tubes are aligned correctly for smooth operation is to tack them to the side plate with the assembly in the closed/retracted position. Make everything look like so:

Now slide everything back and forth and slightly bend the tubes to adjust for a smooth operation before final welding:

Final step. Get your clip and get a drill bit the next size larger than the diameter of the clip:

You're going to extend the rods so they are flush with the forward side (as installed) of the tubes. Now center punch a hole about 1/2 inch from the end and drill all the way through both the tube and rod. A little bit of oil helps while drilling and hold things tight so the rod doesn't move around on you. I only install a clip on one side (outboard):

Use a rat tail file and clean things up inside the tube. Test fit your clip and I do believe you are done with the hard stuff:

Finish up the welds, wire brush, grind, sand, prime, and paint away gents. Here you can see how they compare to the aluminum stand-offs and here's a shot of my own set. You can get creative with these with lighten holes and different curves on the side plates. A nice finished set sent to the chrome platers would be cool as well:

Good Luck

[Islandman]

OH Yeah! I was asked about a hole to clip things up in the retracted/closed position. I did drill one on my very first set but found it unnecessary. The lip on the top of the deck lid once closed prevents extension of the rods and the weight of the lid keeps it in. I guess it wouldn't hurt to have it so if desired, use the same hole in the hollow tube as a guide and just drill through the rod with the assembly in the closed position if you want it clipped.

[azwrenchjockey]

Holy cow. I thought mine looked bad, then I saw your finished set, and I realised mine look really really bad! Those came out awesome Islandman!
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my everything hurts.

[Joey]

Islandman, you should of been on Monster Garage

This thread (along with part 1) should defiantly be a sticky!
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Joey

‘60 Kombi - '74 Bus - '79 Panel - '65 Beetle

[Islandman]

One good thing about metal, you can cut it all apart and keep tweaking on it until she's right. I think all you need are the larger side plates to stiffing things up and you're set.

[JimA]

How does the deck lid spring work with this?
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Jim (o\ l /o)

[azwrenchjockey]

[Islandman]

[Mark33563]

Another question, how did you determine the desired length of the rod(s)? Did you just try to match the commercially available standoffs or did you use them as a gauge and add a little more to it?

I am going to have to make me a set of those. I have a deck lid with no vents, so it should help a bit down here in Florida (land of the hanging chad) except this time of year (T-storms).

Oops, one last question, when retracted, do you 'park' the clip on the rod for safe keeping or glove box it? Just curious...
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"That's an ultra-rare Dung Beetle... in reverse, it rolls up giant balls of crap. " - Dave24

[Islandman]

Like you said, I used a stock hinge with an aluminum stand-off bolted to it as a guide to see how long the rods should be. I figured someone may have done a little homework to set that length so I just kept it the same. My original design called for a shorter rod but because the rod comes 36 inches, I adjusted the tubes to accommodate a 9 inch rod. This allows the whole 36 inches to be used(9X4=36). I guess I might be cheap.

Yeah, I always leave the clip on the rod when parked. There's a couple extra in the glove box as well.