Listees,

Even with the number of kind folks' suggestions that I have received, I am
still struggling with this spare tire tray mystery.

Is there any help for this problem shich has become similar to dandruff.? I
scratch it, and it still won't go away

"Thomas D. Hanlon" wrote:

> Listees,
>
> I have a baffler in that I am unable to store the spare tire in the tray
> under the front of my 84 Westfalia.
>
> After removing the spare tire, the tray and the spring, to clean and to
> lube the shifter linkage under the shift lever, I have been baffled by
> the reinstallation of the parts to store the tire. Same spare tire, same
> parts, not any different pieces, with all parts present and accounted
> for.  It appears s if the springs are not interchangeable. That is, they
> appear not to be  able to to be switched, in error, from one side to the
> other.
>
> I went to the VW dealer, obtained a print-out of the parts
> descriptions/numbers, reinstalled the spring and the tray according to
> my interpretation of the placements, and I am still not able to store
> the tire.
>
> The tire is "bowl"up, that is the inner portion of the rim faces the
> "box" in which the shifter linkage is situated. The "springs" are placed
> with the cotter pins toward the center of the tray fitting,  with "bows"
> (outer circumference) of the springs facing the front wheels of the van,
> as one faces the van from the front, and, yet, the tray will not close.
>
> Comments, and a solution, would help me restore the spare tire to its
> proper place and free the space on the floor of the van behind the
> driver and the passenger seats.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Tom Hanlon
> Palm Springs, CA
> 84 Westfalia