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spydee's Modification for broken skylight swingarm gliders.
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spydee
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:46 pm    Post subject: spydee's Modification for broken skylight swingarm gliders. Reply with quote

Here is a modification i just finished today on my skylight swingarm plastic gliders that are on both ends of the glider. These things pretty much fell off when i began removing my skylight hardware to install my new skylight.Because of age the plastic is now very brittle, so be very carefull when removing. ok here are the pix, hope this can help someone else with this issue.

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this is roughly what it looked like originally.

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here is what it looked like broken, use a bench grinder to remove the old rivet from the swingarm.

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here is the piece now removed fom the swingarm, notice that i have drilled a hole through the aluminum piece to fit a new rivet through.

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keep these

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the 2 pieces together
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old pieces, new rivet, new washer
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how it looks on the rivet
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here's what it looked like after i applied the rivet using the rivet gun.
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another angle
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the old plastic pieces, going in the recycling.
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old vs new
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one last thing i will add is that when i was reinstalling everything i did notice that the plastic gliders were no longer rolling like they are suppose to.most likely cause the rivet is too tight, so maybe the final modification would be instead of a rivet maybe to use a small bolt and a nut with a nylon insert, the nylon in those nuts will allow it stay tight wherever you decide to tighten it to. i may make a quick alteration if i can find the right size bolt/ nut. anyhow this is spydee's first mod. i will contribute as many ideas as i can to this forum, as it has served me well. thanx everyone for the advice.

spydee
90 westy
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Rodknock
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 5:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was thinking of doing this exact same thing to mine. Thank you for the pics and write-up.
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Raynor Shine
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 6:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

very mcgyver! i have this one noted. thanks for the pics
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riceye
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 6:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great save!

The next time mine wears out I'll try that. The last time I rebuilt it I used rollers I was able to locate at the hardware store in the patio screen door parts selection.

And, just last week I was able to eliminate the incessant rattle of the skylight. As it turns out, the rattle was caused by a baggy hinge at the front of the skylight. I took both off and did some pinching with a vise grips to tighten the hinges up.

No more rattles!
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debbiej
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 7:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ah, like the search. this is why my skylight rattles and leaks!!
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Classicvibe
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 7:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

HOw funny, I had no idea those little plastic things existed. I just assumed that skylight was the single worst designed product I had ever seen. I mean, it still is, but it is nice to know just a tiny bit more thought went into it. Bookmarked!
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K58
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 8:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

debbiej wrote:
ah, like the search. this is why my skylight rattles and leaks!!

It most likely leaks because of a bad seal.
It rained here the last 2 days and I noticed my seal is rotted and the caulking around it is gone. Talk about a bad design..the skylight sits in a groove where water collects.
GoWesty has the items you need
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debbiej
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 7:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

we did replace the seal on both the pop top and the skylight. I think maybe the hinges are loose too. I am trying to decide if I should order the part.

is there a non-operable skylight replacement idea out there?
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PDXWesty
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

debbiej wrote:
we did replace the seal on both the pop top and the skylight. I think maybe the hinges are loose too. I am trying to decide if I should order the part.

is there a non-operable skylight replacement idea out there?


Sounds like you already have a non-operable skylight. Wink

Seriously, all the parts to repair it and make it work properly and seal tight are available at most of the major vendors including the skylight guy.

http://www.theskylightguy.com/main.jsp?p2=shopping/catalog.jsp&catalog_id=50
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joetiger Premium Member
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did a similar repair to mine, but I used nuts and bolts instead of rivets; I wanted to play with it and see if I could make it continue to work using only old crap I could find in my garage. It lasted about 600 miles. Very Happy

I went ahead and bought the replacement mechanism from Van Cafe for $16 or so and am installing it this evening.
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msinabottle
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:44 pm    Post subject: My Problem Reply with quote

I used that screen door part mod findable online... Yours is a good mod indeed and looks a lot more robust.

Y'know what my biggest problem with the lifting/lower arms is? The rivets in the MIDDLE of the arms hang up on each other and I have to reach up and physically push them apart. Anyone have a solution for THAT?

Shocked

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Timwhy
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 3:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used these directions to repair my skylight.
http://www.vanagonauts.com/index.phtml?catid=170

However I cut the plastic tube closer to the ridge than what is stated in the directions.
I used shorter screws also, the longer ones would not allow the skylight to close all
the way down. Pretty ceap fix, I think it was under Five Buck$?
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joetiger Premium Member
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In the interest of full disclosure, I figured something out when I took apart my mechanism again last night to replace it with the new part:

I had installed my modified mechanism backwards. Embarassed No wonder it wouldn't operate correctly.

Duh.

I installed the new one and it works well enough, though.
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K58
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.vanagonauts.com/index.phtml?catid=170
that's waaaay too much work....for 15 bucks I'll buy a new flexarm
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ragnarhairybreeks
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was fussing around making delrin bushes for the swing arm and i decided that the plastic cover need repaint. Krylon Fusion satin black. Then one thing led to another and I made a new knob from an old inline skate wheel.

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alistair
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Last edited by ragnarhairybreeks on Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:47 pm; edited 1 time in total
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debbiej
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

that is very nice!
yep, I do pretty much have a non-operable skylight!
it is good to see what the wheels should look like, mine has no wheels, just the little disks left there.
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r39o
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 3:29 pm    Post subject: Blatant copy Reply with quote

Here's the text to the above URL:

After leaving the skylight up on my '90 Westy and trying to drive into the garage one too many times, the rollers on the ends of the lifter arms needed to be fixed. Here is what I did, based largely on Terry K.'s fix for the problem.

Parts list:
2 nylon bi-fold door top guide/pivots.
2 10/32 x 1/2 or 3/4" machine screws (with the flattest heads you can find) and two nylock nuts.
2 nylon washers. These are optional. I couldn't find any the size I needed, so I had to make the hole larger
and the outer diameter smaller. I put these between the lifter arm and the slotted track.

Procedure:
Remove the screw holding the knob on and remove knob.
Pull off the plastic covers and remove the 4 8mm nuts and washers plus the smaller screw and nut
above the knob.
Remove the plastic cover over the lifter mechanism. Don't lose the spacer washers under the outer ends.
Remove the lifter.
Drill out the old rivets and rollers.
Enlarge the holes in the ends of the arms slightly to take 10/32 screws (or use smaller screws).
Cut the two pivots as shown in the photo, to 1/4" long. Actually, a little less is better. This and the flat screw
screw heads ensure they will not hit the nuts holding the slotted track to the skylight. If they do, you can
mark the point on the nut, remove it and file it down a little.

The optional method uses two flanged nylon bushings, one inside the other, and cut down to 1/4" or less.
The sizes for these two are:
Large one: flange diam.=17/32"; I.D.=1/4"; length=11/32".
Small one: flange diam.=13/32"; I.D.=3/16"; length=11/32".
.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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r39o
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 3:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I *MUST* do this fix. You know just how annoying that skylight is rattling down the road, ya know, eh?

So I have questions for the above text(S) and posts.

Where do you get "bi-fold door top guide/pivots?"

Where is Terry Ks fix?

Where, from what application, do you get any of the little nylons / plastics mentioned?

Where in the Homie Despot do I go, for example?
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"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!

1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....

Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently)
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K58
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 4:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Update:
Whatever you do don't waste money on the GoWe$ty junk.
I thought I was buying a direct fit replacement gasket but when I received it there was a warning that it was not. The "fix" resulted in a worse leak than I had before Mad
Now I have to spend more money to fix the fix.
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ragnarhairybreeks
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 4:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

r39o wrote:
I *MUST* do this fix. You know just how annoying that skylight is rattling down the road, ya know, eh?

So I have questions for the above text(S) and posts.

Where do you get "bi-fold door top guide/pivots?"

Where is Terry Ks fix?

Where, from what application, do you get any of the little nylons / plastics mentioned?

Where in the Homie Despot do I go, for example?



I wrote up Terry's mod years ago on my old website, here is the link:

http://members.shaw.ca/albell/mods2.html


alistair
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