Due to arrive soon

[MiniDave]

You're getting pretty knowledgable on these VW motors! When is your trip west? Do you have everything ready to go on the bus? Are you taking the scooter?

[94touring]

You're getting pretty knowledgable on these VW motors! When is your trip west? Do you have everything ready to go on the bus? Are you taking the scooter?

Everything is ready for the big drive in August.  No scooter this year.  Just the trailer full of gear and a bike. 

[94touring]

Finished making a thing today. Gave it a test and works great.  I bought a vw type 1 valve spring compressor, the kind that sits on a bench and has an arm you pull down on. It works but was tricky holding the arm down while fiddling with the keepers. So I cut the part off that goes over the valve and took an old rocker and made something way better.  Also it can be used in the car without pulling a motor and heads. 

[94touring]

Vacation days have been secured for August, Filipina girlfriend's flights have been booked, 2 tickets purchased, and two different routes to choose from to Burning Man. I'll take 1 route there and 1 back, most likely doing it in 3 day burst.  She'll get quit the tour, in the middle of the summer, in a very hot VW bus. 

[MiniDave]

Not going to the coast then?

[94touring]

She needs to fly back Sept 7th.  Might leave Tulsa a couple days early depending on my schedule and spend a little time in Colorado though.

[MiniDave]

That's a haul! It's plenty hot in the Philippines, she should be able to handle it OK. Going to drive at night?

One major difference will be the lack of humidity on your trip! At least once you get to Colorado.

Has she been to the states before?

[94touring]

This will be her first time here. I'll drive throughout the day most likely.  Not much of a view for her at night.

[MiniDave]

I was just thinking of the heat, You're not taking the A/C unit for the bus so you guys can sleep at night at BM?

[94touring]

I'm taking AC for the day because that's when it's hot. At night you need heaters. 

[Jims5543]

Is your GF planning on any performances while at Burning Man? Seems like a perfect venue for her and her aerial acrobatics skillz....

[94touring]

She is not, but has a bunch of interesting outfits she's going to bring. Although maybe I ask her if she's interested in it.
Her show in LA was canceled, which has given her time to decide on buying equipment stateside rather than have her equipment shipped.  If she ends up buying something to have in Tulsa, maybe I haul it out with us.

Those wondering what she does, she's an acrobatic performer but also teaches classes.  Some are fitness classes that involve a pole.  She was wanting to put one in my condo, which would look hilarious.

[94touring]

See if these post.  Kind of funny because Jen took these classes with her friends years ago and the students results were identical.  Bern vs a student.

[MiniDave]

She reminds me of one of my granddaughters.....she still teaches dance to college students. They call it dance, it looks like complicated aerobics to me!

[94touring]

Had a shop organizing day yesterday. Some of that was getting things together for this big trip.  Got the small generator out and ran it for awhile. The gas is probably ok in it, think I had it at Hallet raceway in October.  Need to swap out fuel jets for the higher altitude on the generator. Have a new set of tires I need to have put on the bus.  I'll have my 200ah lithium ion battery that the generator Will charge while it's running, but to minimize run time and noise, I ordered a 100 watt solar panel to charge it. I think it's probably about enough to keep the mini fridge going.

[94touring]

Solar panel arrived today. About twice the size I expected it to be in my mind!

[94touring]

Spent part of yesterday trying to get the one valve cover to stop leaking oil.  It has twice now begun to leak a fair amount, which wouldn't be half as bad if it wasn't directly over the custom exhaust muffler.  Had replaced the cork gaskets not long ago and that worked till the other day.  Added a little non curing gasket maker to the face to see if that fills in whatever void there is. Ran it for awhile and kept an eye on it but no drips.  Only other thing I can think of is the two bolts that hold it to the head is leaking past the O rings. 

While it was jacked up I was looking over things for this big trip and checking drum brake adjustments. Noticed the one rear wheel was sloppy feeling on the hub.  Quickly discovered that the 3 large bolts that afix the hub assembly to the swing arm were loose.  Which made perfect sense because the last few drives the rear end was feeling squirely in wind or corners.  Tightened those up and all the slop went away.  There's still a little play in and out on the axle, which probably means I'm due to replace the bearing assemblies, or more likely the inner spacer has worn and needs replaced since I did the bearings several years ago already. Will bring a spare set on the trip with tools just in case.

Started loading up the trailer and it's going to be a lot of gear!  What weight I'm gaining by not having the vespa I'm adding in other items.

[MiniDave]

You're not taking the Vespa? I'm surprised to hear that, are they not allowed at BM? taking bicycles instead?

Oil leaks are so frustrating! you think you have everything perfect and the next time you look.....damn it's (still) leaking!

[94touring]

Can't drive motor vehicles around there.

[MiniDave]

Are electrics allowed? Like electric bicycles or such?

You see those crazy cars driving around the place....

[94touring]

There's special licenses for the renegade or whatever it is they drive out there. Mad max looking stuff, which from what little I read it's more of a show thing. Electric bikes are fine.

[94touring]

"Mutant vehicles"  they allow 650 to be registered and the cost varies but isn't listed since the window closed already.  You have to send in pics to get approval.  Can't just be any boring car. 

[94touring]

Today my rear bearings and hub parts showed up and I couldn't help but dig in.  I don't know how I did these before with them installed on the bus. I couldn't for the life of me get the huge circlip off the inner side of the hub to be able to punch out the inner ball bearings, which was a requirement to get the spacer out.  I ended up taking the hub off and was finally able to get the circlip off and used the press to quickly get the bearing out. The I measured the old spacer to the new one and as suspected the old one was about 0.25mm worn down. Which gave me the extra in and out thrust play on that wheel.  Popped in the new spacer and repacked the bearings, put it all together, and voila a nice no play hub.  Between this and the 4 huge bolts being loose, it drives a lot better without the variable geometry rear end! 

[MiniDave]

 

[94touring]

Got everything loaded and strapped down on the trailer. A perfect fit and you can slide the trailer across the floor trying to pull on the bins. Added a couple safety 2x4s as fail safe. Weight distribution is forward CG but very easy to lift from the tongue and move around.