Aircooled VW South Africa

jahjuan wrote:Question, where do Splitty rear valances and engine lids go after a bus is parked?

jolas wrote:dissappears for a few minutes and comes back with : 2 split bus headlights, 1 x rear bumper AND 1 x rear engine valence.

Aha! So Mark is the cookie monster of VW's.

That is really such a cool story that just keeps getting better!

Hi Volks, I need some help/suggestions : I'm trying to remove the front doors off my bus so that I can repair them, but hell, the pins on the bottom hinge of both doors will not budge. I have been doing the Q20 thing, tapping it now and then with a punch and hammer, and finally I heated it up with a gas flame and used a bigger hammer with no luck at all, I'm worried that I damage the hinge at the door pillar mounting with the heavy hammering.

Has anyone had the same problem and resolved it successfully?

Cheers

Paul

Cool man, its bloody awesome that you guys breathe new life into these wonderful pieces of history, preserving the aircooled culture for our next generations, I commend you guys for that and only hope that I could be the proud owner of a splitty one day!

Looks like you will have to fabricate a pressing tool.... wait what about using a puller. You hook the arms over the A of the hinge as if you want to pull it and then dial the screw in where the pin is. Do you think that has a chance? Otherwise you'll have to weld a nut to some sort of brace and then turn a bolt through the nut to press the pin out.

Hinge pins are best drilled out and replaced with new ones. I prefer to remove front doors by removing the four screws holding each hinge to the A-pillar. You need to use the correct very large philips screwdriver or a correctly sized impact driver or you'll damage the screw heads and not loosen them.

Thanks Drusky and Fig. I tried with an impact screwdriver, unfortunately someone also tried in the past and messed up the screws heads. I also found it difficult space-wise to swing a hammer to the impact screw driver on the bottom hinge.
Spoke with Jacques earlier, he has had good results with an air-chisel, but attaching a "bit" thin enough to go up the shaft forcing the pin upwards and out

If all else fails drill out the screws, but you may have trouble finding replacements and it's hard on drill bits.

Cool, tks Fig, I certainly hope that does'nt have to happen !!

All under a roof, ready for Cape winter rains .............
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Oh my greatness...3 busses...and if you had to make space then what on Earth did you have to move outta there???

I heard that the folks on this forum share and share alike...now which one can I make an offer on? It will also be a groot trek for me to come down there. I get 17.8l/100km.

Great find friend...hoping to see lots n lots of nice pics of the work-in-progress. G'luck.

fig wrote:If all else fails drill out the screws, but you may have trouble finding replacements and it's hard on drill bits.

I had to drill mine out on the fleetline, but not all the way, just drill partially into the head of the screw. I purchased this tool that has a reverse thread of some sort and screws into the seized screw, as it's thread turns the other way it forces the old screw out. I had to use this as the phillips head screw was stripped. Using this tool I was able to use more leverage to turn the screws out. I don't know what it is called off hand. I can check when I am back home after the weekend.

This obviously will not work if the screw is really seized in place, then it will have to be drilled out.

I was able to get replacement screws from a nut & bolt shop except they were countersunk allen key screws instead of a phillips head.

Is it the "Easy out" you are talking about?

When trying to remove the pin, also try supporting the hinge on top with a socket over the pin and a large hammer or brick on top of that. (For mass). Then try hitting the pin below.

What worked for me was to use a very hot concentrated oxy-acetylene flame close on the star screws for a few seconds. As the screw gets very hot, it slightly stretches and releases tension, making it easier to remove.
I would not use heat there for too long, (Doing so would remove protection primer-paint from places where a spray gun can't reach).

sean wrote:I had to drill mine out on the fleetline, but not all the way, just drill partially into the head of the screw. I purchased this tool that has a reverse thread of some sort and screws into the seized screw, as it's thread turns the other way it forces the old screw out.

Yes, that's known as an Easy Out. Every time I've used one on a seized fastener it broke off. They are harder than drill bits, so when they break you've really got problems. I won't use them any more.

sean wrote:I was able to get replacement screws from a nut & bolt shop except they were countersunk allen key screws instead of a phillips head.

Allen head screws will be much easier to remove than philips head once they've rusted in there.

Paul, another trick to remove these is to weld a short 8mm bolt onto the head of the stuck screw, then turn it off with your trusty 13mm spanner.

fig wrote: Allen head screws will be much easier to remove than philips head once they've rusted in there.

Using the right tool in the first place would be the easiest option. If I remember correctly it is a Philips 3. But it could be a 4.
If you still battling with it in 3 weeks when I get home, I'll bring a few bits around and we can try get the door off.

Thanks Fig, Dawie, Sean. Tony, cool, will let you know, may take you up on your offer, but will persevere in the meantime ....

Guardian, what car are driving that gives you this mileage