When installing the front splash apron (?) (the flat piece that goes from the grill to the bumper) is there any rubber that goes between the mounts and the back of the bumper or on top of the bumper support arms? Yes, I got a bunch of hardware and am ready to start putting my truck back together! (Bout friggin time~) Thanks for your knowledge base, as usual!
As far as I remember, it's metal to metal with no rubber in between. However, now that you bring it up, why wouldn't you want to insulate the pieces with a gasket? An old bicycle inner tube, cut into shape, would make a great addition and keep the metal to metal contact from forming your worst enemy, RUST, from forming!
Rubber gasket And with a piece of rubber between the mounting surfaces, your splash pan,,bumper,,etc,,would never be tight. Youd be losing bolts and other fasteners while going down the road. Put it together the way they did 60 years ago. Or to get the real picture,, remove your wheels and make a 6 lug rubber gasket put it up against your brake drums and re-install your wheels. Then go for a drive.....................
The connections are not slip critical; using a lock washer and bolts torque to over 40 lbs. and/or the use of any of the permatex / loctite products would stop any worry of nuts falling off while bumping down a gravel road or two. And if one is really worried after putting a cushion between the parts and losing the nuts, you can drill a hole in the end of the bolt and put a cotter key in it.
I would try the gasket idea, maybe make a nylon gasket. The idea, you would always have loose parts..., doesn't make sense to me at all. Transmissions, pumps, rear axles, pto's, engines of every kind would be loose all over.
Oh, and Zig, I can't wait to see your truck all put together and drivin' down a Kansas road. Still photos will not be good enough, VIDEO MAN!!!
Thanks, Steve! I just bolted it together as original. If it sets off a rattle, I'll silence it if I can. 'Course I'll only know if it's making noise if my wife is driving it and I'm standing by the road as my wife drives by in it... I got everything I needed to put this thing back together EXCEPT the ding-dang welting! I was hoping that came with the kit that had the stuff for the inner/outer fenders. Nope~ Good news, I'll have extra time next week that hopefully will allow me to hang the fenders. I painted the yellow stripe where the fenders will meet the cab, hung the bumper and tried tapping a hole for the hinge spring, (The old bolt busted off, and there wasn't anyway to get to it from behind.) but I need a new bit to drill the hole so the tap will work. (It's always something...) A video is on my list of things to do, believe me! Thanks all!
Zig, Check with someone who sells VW parts- I heard that the welting is about 1/3 the price of repop stuff for Stovebolts. Glenn
Too late~ my roll just arrived yesterday! Only $19, so no big deal, but thanks for the idea! (Others may be able to take advantage of this~) I'm really looking forward to this weekend!
