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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 7:32 pm Post subject: Cheap DIY ARGs |
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I get a lot of questions about ARGs, more specifically combing the mounting points with a pop-top shock kit, which can work well, but for anyone that doesn't have ARGs mounted yet I think the best place to put them is under the roof hing mounting bolts and they can be made easily from a piece of 1x2 square tubular steel, and you can make more for your front load bar for a total cost of about $4, heres an image of the piece of steel and how it needs to be cut/drilled,
Here is a pic of one installed on my van, although this one is a little different as I flipped it upside down and welded another piece onto it so the rack would be above my solar panel, but you get the idea,
Another benefit of these besides price is that they also keep your rack and all the weight on it farther back so the roof is easier to pop.
With the rear bar that far back a rocket box may hang off the back a bit, but then you can stand on the rear bumper to get at stuff in the back of it, and stand on the tire to get at stuff in the middle front of it.
I know a lot of people like to mount them forward so they can stand on the floor with the sliding door open, but thats a pretty bad spot for minimizing effort needed to get the top up.
At any rate, maybe some of you can save some money with this idea _________________
Gas struts to pop your top easily!
Pop Top strut kits now available for late Bay window Westies
Samba ad here.
DIY artificial rain gutters (ARGs) |
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Inlet Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2010 Posts: 287 Location: SF Bay Area
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Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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only two holes?
edit: nvm I see what you did
Last edited by Inlet on Mon Jul 12, 2010 8:43 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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funagon Samba Member
Joined: March 09, 2006 Posts: 1308 Location: SLC, UT
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Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know what "A - R - G" stands for. _________________ 1990 GL 7-passenger
2.2 liter WBX |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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climberjohn Samba Member
Joined: January 11, 2005 Posts: 1840 Location: Portland Orygun
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Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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Warning, mystery TLA alert . . .
(Three Letter Acronym) _________________ '86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often. |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 8:42 am Post subject: |
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Bump.
With rack mounting season upon us I though I'd bump this to possibly save people some money.
For cutting the steel an angle grinder and a cut-off wheel work well, you can pick one up from any harbor freight for $20-30, probably the cost of a set of ARGs, and then you have a grinder left over which is a very useful tool to have around IMO. You'll need a drill too of course, but most people already have one kicking around. _________________
Gas struts to pop your top easily!
Pop Top strut kits now available for late Bay window Westies
Samba ad here.
DIY artificial rain gutters (ARGs) |
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peasant Samba Member
Joined: April 25, 2009 Posts: 321
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Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:40 am Post subject: |
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Cool post. I'm thinking about putting a roof rack of some sort on my westy _________________ 89 wolfsberg weekender carat
89 Westfalia |
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vanagonjr Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010 Posts: 3431 Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 11:36 am Post subject: |
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Any recommended wall thickness for that square tubing? So glad I have not mounted my racks yet so I can take advantage of what I have learned here.
Thanks to JackBombay and others too.
John
LiMBO |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 11:42 am Post subject: |
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vanagonjr wrote: |
Any recommended wall thickness for that square tubing?
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12 gauge should be plenty. I just used whatever I had laying around for mine and it was probably closer to 14 gauge (thinner than 12 gauge). I never put a massive amount of weight up there, but have done 2 canoes around on the roof several times (about 150 pounds) and all was fine. _________________
Gas struts to pop your top easily!
Pop Top strut kits now available for late Bay window Westies
Samba ad here.
DIY artificial rain gutters (ARGs) |
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GMByers Samba Member
Joined: December 07, 2008 Posts: 642 Location: Retired in NW PA
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 2:11 pm Post subject: |
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Just my opinion.
ILO - It looks odd and
ILU - It looks ugly _________________ And then there were two...downsized to 83 Doka &
74 Thing. |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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70coupyel Samba Member
Joined: September 06, 2006 Posts: 1657 Location: So.Cal
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 3:35 pm Post subject: Thanks Jack |
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Thanks Jack. I missed this last year. When I need Thule ARG mounts and found some I craped my pants on how much they cost. I payed almost $50 bucks 6 years ago. So if you do not have the fab skills expect to pay around $60 now a days.
Check http://www.rei.com/product/494360 _________________
TheAndante wrote: |
Saying that specs are different than dimensions doesn't make sense. Porsche specs/VW specs/engineering specs are nothing but a series of dimensions,sizes,percentages,measurements, etc. |
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=338946&highlight=
70 KG Coup
83 Westy Waterboxer |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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bjrogers86auto Samba Member
Joined: March 26, 2009 Posts: 1375 Location: Halifax, N.S.
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Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 5:58 pm Post subject: arg |
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Now that I to know what ARG means I can comment. hehe
It's amazing what you can come up with if you take some time to think it through. These are cool. I spent a little less at GW for the Yakima ARG's but still seems expensive for what you get. I didn't see this thread before I bought!
Got the shocks Mark...now can you melt our snow so I can get my van out?
Brian. _________________ 86 Vanagon GL Westfalia 2.1
18 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X
19 Honda Civic Hatchback
A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin and Hobbes. |
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floggingmolly Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2007 Posts: 1106 Location: San Diego, CA
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:39 am Post subject: |
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Another great idea Jack. Too bad I spent the $$ about 2 years ago! Thanks for trying to keep us fully equipped on the cheap! _________________ '85 Wolfsburg Weekender |
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crowinghen Samba Member
Joined: July 12, 2010 Posts: 423 Location: near Seattle,wa
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:44 am Post subject: |
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I don't seem to have any steel tube lying around - where would I buy some?
thanks!
Susie _________________ 1984 Westfalia a work in progress " Butters" |
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r39o Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 9800 Location: San Diego
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:21 am Post subject: |
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crowinghen wrote: |
I don't seem to have any steel tube lying around - where would I buy some?
thanks!
Susie |
You buy metal like this where they sell metal, interesting enough. Google and you will be rewarded. Most bigger cities have metal supply houses. Look for the ones the specialize in surplus and scrap. You only need a little piece, like a cut off, which is exactly what these sorts of places have laying around. You buy by the pound. CHEAP..... _________________ "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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crowinghen Samba Member
Joined: July 12, 2010 Posts: 423 Location: near Seattle,wa
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:27 am Post subject: |
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r39o wrote: |
crowinghen wrote: |
I don't seem to have any steel tube lying around - where would I buy some?
thanks!
Susie |
You buy metal like this where they sell metal, interesting enough. Google and you will be rewarded. Most bigger cities have metal supply houses. Look for the ones the specialize in surplus and scrap. You only need a little piece, like a cut off, which is exactly what these sorts of places have laying around. You buy by the pound. CHEAP..... |
I guess I wasn't thinking--" scrap" being the key word here. I had already googled it--
thank you!
susie _________________ 1984 Westfalia a work in progress " Butters" |
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buildyourown Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2009 Posts: 1668 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:28 am Post subject: |
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It can actually be hard to buy shorter pieces of steel or aluminum.
Tube comes in 20ft sticks, buying less will cost you a cust charge. For only a foot or 2, check onlinemetals.com
They will sell buy the foot and ship and prices are reasonable. |
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Dobie Dude Samba Member
Joined: September 14, 2008 Posts: 56 Location: 33950
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 11:30 am Post subject: |
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Metal suppliers either keep what is left from custom length orders or recycle the pieces that are too small to be resold. If you look in their shop you will see a dumpster full of this sort of thing. _________________ "Of all the things I have lost I miss my mind the most" |
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