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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7462 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 11:11 am Post subject: Cleaning ground trees: how to? |
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I know there are plenty of "cleaning grounds threads" but I haven't seen this answered...
Cleaning ground trees...
Does polishing/removing the coating (zinc?) on the ground trees increase the likelihood of corrosion?
My dad used to say that the coatings on oem electrical contacts provided corrosion resistance and to not polish it off (tough to do when it's corroded). Does polishing like this increase the likliehood that it will corrode? Does adding a smear of Dielectric grease return corrosion resistance?
Alternatively, what's a good method for cleaning oem contacts?
- Polish (if corroded)
- Deoxit contact cleaner ?
- Reassemble
- Smear with dielectric grease?
_________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50336
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 11:30 am Post subject: Re: Cleaning ground trees: how to? |
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A wire brush, a small piece of emery cloth that you can bend over the tab and twist around the remove the corrosion. I typically just use dielectric grease to keep further corrosion in check, but a NO OX grease would be fine.
I don't live in an area where corrosion is rampant, so what I often do is remove the female spade, put some dielectric grease on the male and slide the female on and off several times, figuring the sliding action provides me with a sufficiently cleaned male spade. Of course if the female terminal is a loose fit, replacement or at least careful pinching of the female terminal may be required. |
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sphet Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2016 Posts: 345 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 11:45 am Post subject: Re: Cleaning ground trees: how to? |
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My dumb question is — can you do this without removing the dashboard? _________________ 1982 Diesel Westfalia 1.6 NA - The Shellakabuukiee |
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7462 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 11:59 am Post subject: Re: Cleaning ground trees: how to? |
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Yes, those two came off while the dashboard was in place. I do remove the driver's seat for this type of work (reaching under the dash). It takes a minute or so to R&R.
Remove driver's seat > unscrew and drop the fuse box > contort yourself, get acquainted with the ground trees and wires > remove connectors and clean. Grab a stubby phillips if you want to actially remove the ground trees.
Here they are above the fuse box on the driver's side of the dash. There are 15-20 grounds on the van described in the Bentley or a pretty good thread here.
_________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
|
Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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ALIKA T3 Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009 Posts: 6346 Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:19 pm Post subject: Re: Cleaning ground trees: how to? |
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Definitely protect these ground tree now you cleaned them, their yellow zinc coating is gone.
Oftentimes the corrosion on these trees is due to a leaky rusty windshield bay.
The crimp connectors also corrode and become brittle, one side of the curl cracked and about to fall out causing bad connection. When you pull the wire, or when you put it back will reveal such issue. Some of them will crack when you try to tighten them a but too. Things to pay attention to _________________ Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22639 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 7:26 pm Post subject: Re: Cleaning ground trees: how to? |
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Dremel tool _________________ .ssS! |
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7462 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 9:18 pm Post subject: Re: Cleaning ground trees: how to? |
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^^^ Agreed. The Dremel is in the photo above. The wire brush was there just for show. _________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
|
Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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alaskadan Samba Member
Joined: January 09, 2013 Posts: 1857 Location: anchor pt. alaska
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Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:01 am Post subject: Re: Cleaning ground trees: how to? |
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I bought one of those scratch pens with the refillable fiberglass inserts. Read about it here. It kicks ass for those kind of things. Was like 19 bucks with an extra package of refills. No more folding a piece of sand paper over a whatever to reach those little spots. As the bristles wear they are always new and sharp, it's like a 120 grit sanding tip that's always new. |
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7462 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:45 am Post subject: Re: Cleaning ground trees: how to? |
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^^^I had no idea such a thing existed. It looks useful.
https://www.amazon.com/Fiberglass-Scratch-Brush-Pe...amp;sr=1-6 _________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
|
Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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Glenn Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001 Posts: 76897 Location: Sneaking up behind you
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Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 8:05 am Post subject: Re: Cleaning ground trees: how to? |
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Might want to consider a chemical cleaner since oxidation is a chemical process and reversing it is a better way.
Using abrasives is a sure way for the oxidation to quickly return and is a short term solution.
Just saying....
https://www.techspray.com/contact-cleaners _________________ Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
Member #1009
#BlueSquare |
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7462 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:42 am Post subject: Re: Cleaning ground trees: how to? |
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^^^ I've been using Deoxit to remove oxidation. Are there any favorites out there?
https://caig.com/deoxit-d-series/
https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-D5S-6-DeoxIT-Contact-C...&psc=1
_________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
|
Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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Mark Lewalski Samba Member
Joined: June 19, 2010 Posts: 406 Location: Safety Harbor, FL (Tampa Bay)
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plummerdesign Samba Member
Joined: September 04, 2010 Posts: 539 Location: PNW
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Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2020 10:24 pm Post subject: Re: Cleaning ground trees: how to? |
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ALIKA T3 is right.
Those female connectors are ANCIENT. They are brittle too.
Make a day of under dash fun!
Get new ground trees AND a bag of German female connectors. They take a different crimping tool, one you will wonder how life was doable without. I use an IWISS #IWS-1424B to crimp these and any other OEM crimp (fuel injector connectors, temp II connectors and so on).
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I know, its a bad party. But great grounds get the good party started!
: D _________________ It is old and green and it makes me grin.
1984 Westfalia 1.9 |
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