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splittie65 Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2023 Posts: 42 Location: Surrey, UK
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Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2024 5:19 am Post subject: Long heater tube |
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I have noticed that the long heater tube (OEM Part Number 211-255-785/A) under my van has rotted out at each end. The previous owner has held it in place with zip ties around the long gear change rod...not ideal! the rest is all okay.
Replacement tubes are available but I wondered how they are fixed in place and supported normally. I have no welding skills or equipment, so is this something I need to get done in a workshop? |
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Stocknazi Samba Member

Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 5454
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Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2024 8:24 am Post subject: Re: Long heater tube |
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The center and forward heater tubes are held together with a couple tack welds. _________________ WANTED:
58 Westfalia cabinet knobs (3 needed), roof rack, and (7) privy tent poles (silver painted).
"When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty."
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
Thomas Jefferson |
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Eric&Barb Samba Member

Joined: September 19, 2004 Posts: 25893 Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2024 2:03 pm Post subject: Re: Long heater tube |
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Well there are things such as pop rivets or even self tapping screws that you could use. Not optimal, but would work.
If you like to work on metal things like cars and work with your hands, do consider getting a decent quality wire feed welder with gas bottle ASAP. Then get some scrap metal to learn how to weld on. Very liberating being able to do ones own welding. _________________ In Stereo, Where Available! |
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Stocknazi Samba Member

Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 5454
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Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2024 2:08 pm Post subject: Re: Long heater tube |
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For the price you'd pay to have someone put them in, you could probably buy at least a cheaper welder. _________________ WANTED:
58 Westfalia cabinet knobs (3 needed), roof rack, and (7) privy tent poles (silver painted).
"When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty."
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
Thomas Jefferson |
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kguarnotta Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2004 Posts: 1207 Location: Woodstock, NH
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2024 12:04 pm Post subject: Re: Long heater tube |
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here is an old thread - with info on working on that heater tube.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...p;start=20 _________________ -Kevin
Lincoln, MA
2001 Eurovan
'86 Triple Knob Syncro w/EJ22
'78 Westy
'69 Single Cab
'65 Kombi - EZ-Camper |
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EJZero1 Samba Member

Joined: June 12, 2004 Posts: 184 Location: Colorado Springs
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2024 5:19 pm Post subject: Re: Long heater tube |
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Just did this job myself as part of a lot of metal replacement. Quite honestly one of the easiest parts of the bigger project so far.
Front of my main tube was rotten, along with the front cross brace.
Fairly solid from their back, but with a pretty good crunch near the rear.
Ground away the tack welds that remained and removed the whole tube.
For the extent of my repairs, I found the new tube to be about 4” too long. Cut it to the right length for me and slid the sleeve (don’t forget to order the sleeve with the tube) over the front end of the tube. Inserted the rear end of the tube through the rear cross brace, raised the front of the tube to align with the hole in the new front cross brace, and slid the sleeve forward through the hole to mate with the front heat tube assembly.
A few tack welds at the sleeve/cross brace union, a few more at the rear of the sleeve to join it to the heat tube itself, and finally a few more to secure the rear of the heat tube to the rear cross brace.
All in all, not a terrible task. YMMV, depending on the extent you wish to dive in. _________________ ‘60 Kombi, The “Bob Dowell Van” |
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