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koolmoe
Samba Member
Joined: November 15, 2008
Posts: 382
Location: Annapolis, MD
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koolmoe
Samba Member
Joined: November 15, 2008
Posts: 382
Location: Annapolis, MD
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 Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 8:20 pm Post subject: Tow Hitch 06/06/09 |
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Got the hitch from GW a few days ago. Got into it today and, overall, mostly done....but I did strip the bolt for the center support, so the towbar is not attached to the center mount...Will pick up one at the hardware store tomorrow and finish it off.
I did the lower support first. A couple splashes of WD-40 and two wrenches, the original bolts yielded pretty quickly. All-in-all, a pretty easy install, this part:
My rear bumper is in horrible shape after a couple smacks in the butt. I had to remove the bumper to get the bolts through both tow loops. To remove the bumper, I found the best way was to just unbolt the mounts (how to do, found after a 5min search here).
You may be able to tell the right mount is bashed in a good bit from the last butt smackin'. I didn't take a picture of the removed mounts, but here are the bolts on the rear-right that attach the bumper mounts to the frame, circled in blue.
The red circles are the side-bumper mounting hole (upper) and odd/creative side-bumper support (lower).
So bumper mounts removed, along with whole bumper. Remove bumper from mounts, replace mounts, finish attachment of the towbar...
(sorry kinda blurry)
Here's a quickie of the bumper, likely going to sit in the front driveway til it drives my wife nuts and I either epoxy it or chuck it. It's in pretty bad shape, especially after removing it (unbolting removed lots of loose fiberglass!). In the meantime, I better look up bumper-requirement laws in Md...
Suprisingly, most all the bolts weren't all *that* tough to move. One in the fender was the hardest, really rusted, but eventually yielded with a ratchet and WD-40. It was revealing how useless my big cordless drill was either due to lack of space/fit or just not enough torque... Did more actual 'wrenching' than I have since I was a teen...
Anyway, annoyed about the last bolt but will fix it tomorrow. Then to find a 2" to 1.8" adapter to fit the bike rack we've got...
_________________
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Current: 1990 Westy GL (Savannah. Good to be back!)
from '95 til 2008: 1995 Pathfinder (frame rusted out, charitable parts donation)
from '91-'95: 1982 Westy Diesel (Smokey. Traded in for far too little!)
from '87-'91: 1980 VW Rabbit (my econoPorsche - passed on) |
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Timwhy
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Joined: January 01, 2009
Posts: 4002
Location: Maine
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kd4yor
Samba Member
Joined: November 30, 2008
Posts: 280
Location: Atlanta, GA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 6:59 am Post subject: |
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Build / rebuild threads are a great resource. Keep it up.
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82 Westy oil burner |
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koolmoe
Samba Member
Joined: November 15, 2008
Posts: 382
Location: Annapolis, MD
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| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:11 am Post subject: |
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Thanks! Pretty pleased with myself in the few things I have done, being pretty much a mechanical newbie. Definitely learning a lot from this forum!
One note: for folks like me with no garage and a stone/dirt driveway, the packing material GoWesty sent with the hitch makes decent ground cover to get under the bus 
_________________
--
Current: 1990 Westy GL (Savannah. Good to be back!)
from '95 til 2008: 1995 Pathfinder (frame rusted out, charitable parts donation)
from '91-'95: 1982 Westy Diesel (Smokey. Traded in for far too little!)
from '87-'91: 1980 VW Rabbit (my econoPorsche - passed on) |
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koolmoe
Samba Member
Joined: November 15, 2008
Posts: 382
Location: Annapolis, MD
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| Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 12:08 am Post subject: Aux battery setup |
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Just updating the old gal's thread with a link to the aux battery setup (so I can find all this stuff in one place if needed):
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4092701#4092701
_________________
--
Current: 1990 Westy GL (Savannah. Good to be back!)
from '95 til 2008: 1995 Pathfinder (frame rusted out, charitable parts donation)
from '91-'95: 1982 Westy Diesel (Smokey. Traded in for far too little!)
from '87-'91: 1980 VW Rabbit (my econoPorsche - passed on) |
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koolmoe
Samba Member
Joined: November 15, 2008
Posts: 382
Location: Annapolis, MD
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| Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:50 pm Post subject: |
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Couple weeks ago my 5 y/old son and I visited dobryan to exchange some cash for a rear bumper replacement and some assistance. It's great to work with someone who's not only nice but who also works on these things as a significant hobby, knows the processes, and has great tools!
Plus his 5 y/old has a huge Lego collection that kept both kids more than occupied for the time we were outside.
So now Savannah finally has something to cover up her bum. The silver with black stripe addition doesn't match the front gray bumper, and first thought was to 'blacken' the rear, but think (someday) I'll try to 'silver and strip' the front instead.
Will try to remember to add a pict or two, especially since there are shots in here of her with the towbar and no bumper...
Also picked up a replacement OE speaker for the front-left that was blown. Of course, as of last week, my two rears sound blown now too. May just need to suck up that the old speakers can't handle loud Black Sabbath and new ones may be a good Bday gift this year.
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Today was a nice day and time to find the local salvage yards. There's a big one a half-hour north of me and another a half-hour south. Flipping a mental coin, headed north.
Primary reason - two replacement side-view mirrors for the '99 Tacoma, but a few other things further down the list...including this relay.
The north yard is an unordered, picked-over mess. I guess that's not uncommon but...dunno. Couldn't they at least section the yard into OEM lots? Fords mixed with Mazda mixed with Honda mixed with Audi...argh.
And I don't know autos well enough to differentiate most models...
Did find a Tacoma and a Ford Ranger, but both were pretty much shells. No Vanagons...and in fact, very few VWs at all (that I could identify, at least).
BUT on the way out, I spotted a Jetta...and it had the 99 relay, and I grabbed it...dammit...cause I need SOMETHING to make this 2 hour deal worthwhile. It works great so far. Will truly see the next rainy day.
Since I still didn't have the Tacoma mirrors though, drove the hour south to the other yard...and go there at 3pm...just as they were closing.
ARGH! That was a terrible drive on one of those roads with stoplights every 3 miles that always turn red just as you've getting close.
So think I'm just going to find the mirrors online and order them.
I cling to the 99 relay as making this day a good one!
_________________
--
Current: 1990 Westy GL (Savannah. Good to be back!)
from '95 til 2008: 1995 Pathfinder (frame rusted out, charitable parts donation)
from '91-'95: 1982 Westy Diesel (Smokey. Traded in for far too little!)
from '87-'91: 1980 VW Rabbit (my econoPorsche - passed on) |
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Alaric.H
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2009
Posts: 2529
Location: Sandy Springs GA
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| Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 2:17 am Post subject: |
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| Did you get your heater blower going? |
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koolmoe
Samba Member
Joined: November 15, 2008
Posts: 382
Location: Annapolis, MD
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| Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:30 am Post subject: |
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Nope, that's still on the ToDo list! And your kind offer to help, if still available, remains on my mind. Next thing, however, is to track down the source of my coolant leak...
KM
_________________
--
Current: 1990 Westy GL (Savannah. Good to be back!)
from '95 til 2008: 1995 Pathfinder (frame rusted out, charitable parts donation)
from '91-'95: 1982 Westy Diesel (Smokey. Traded in for far too little!)
from '87-'91: 1980 VW Rabbit (my econoPorsche - passed on) |
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Alaric.H
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2009
Posts: 2529
Location: Sandy Springs GA
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| Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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| koolmoe wrote: |
Nope, that's still on the ToDo list! And your kind offer to help, if still available, remains on my mind. Next thing, however, is to track down the source of my coolant leak...
KM |
If you bring it over we can hook up a tool I have for that.
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