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I Hate FLAPS

Why is everybody out to sell, sell ,SELL? instead of helping a longtime customer? I lost respect for the local vw parts house a few years ago when they insisted I'd be better off with one piece windows rather then re build my stock doors to combat leaks. Then I decided ok, they were ok for valve cover gaskets etc, things they couldn't screw up, but no more big stuff, I mean they never heard of a SVDA but are more than happy to sell you a chrome 009. So the the other day I needed some bushings for the front end of my super, so I grab my WCM catalog and point to what I need, ok 5 bucks each, But the dude didn't mention I would need a $700 press to install them!! I wondered why he was smirking as he handed them to me, at the same time looking past me to the kid who was buying $500 worth of chrome for his Rabbit. I just hate going into these places when I have been driving VW's longer than these kids have been alive!! thanx for listening, that is all.

Reply to
Cletus
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Well usually you can farm out the hydraulic press work for rather cheap. It cost me an hour labor(which I thought was a little steep...) to have the drop-arm removed from my steering gearbox, 4 bushings pushed out, and two ball joints removed/reinstalled on my 74 super. But even at about $65 bucks for labor, that's still a lot less than a $700 press...

Chris

Reply to
halatos

Ditto for me. Two inner tie rod bushings pressed-out for $20 at a local tire shop.

Reply to
David Gravereaux

As you just learned, you can hire out the press work cheap.

But in the spirit of your lament - decades ago I was rebuilding a Harley a little at a time. I'd look at the manual over breakfast, choose a page to follow that evening. I can't tell you how often I'd get half-way through the page when it would say, "Now use Harley-Davidson special tool #@%&^%%$". Eventually I wised up and found I didn't need it after all, but bought it anyway to make life easier for the next rebuild. Hah! Like I'll ever rebuild a Harley Big Twin again!

Reply to
john

FWIW, after replacing the inner control arm bushings (my mistake above) with stock replacements on my `73 Super, I later replaced them again with the stiffer neoprene "sportier" ones that didn't require a press to install.

Highway shimmies solved!

Reply to
David Gravereaux

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