in reference to my "luggage rack symphonics" post, some of you have
mentioned that there was a recent discussion in the archives. i've dug
all the way back to october 1998 looking for anything related to
"luggage" and "rack". no luck. if anyone remembers this discussion,
could you give me the month and possible subject text so i can track it
down?

-----Original Message-----
From: matt greenwell <mgreenwe@CECASUN.UTC.EDU>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Thursday, February 18, 1999 3:45 PM
Subject: luggage rack symphonics

>first, thanks for everyone who responded to my last call for help (see
>"another gremlin") i'll post the info that i got pretty soon, in case
>someone else is experiencing the same problem.
>
>but first...
>
>another problem which has me puzzled. i have an 87gl westy. at highway
>speeds (65-75) my luggage rack begins to vibrate against the roof,
>turning my van into the worlds largest drum. it's loud. here is what
>i've tried so far...
>
>1. replace the seal (the original was rusted away anyway) I ordered
seal
>from "bus boys". it looked a little strange, and didn't quite seal like

>the original (but better than rust). still the noise.
>
>2. run weatherstripping tape/foam around the roof, and underneath the
>luggage rack wherever it looked like the two would come into contact.
>still the noise.
>
>i then decide that i've actually sealed it TOO well, therby negating
>some intentionally designed aerodynamic effect built in by vw engineers

>(surely they've anticipated this problem!), so...
>
>3. i replace the bus boys seal with a seal bought from the bus depot,
>who advertises a seal that is more like the original. (it is, by the
>way, and looks better too.) STILL THE NOISE.
>
>obviously, it's something more fundamental than the seal, but i'm
>running out of simple ideas, and have started to consider more radical
>solutions (such as some sort of armiture/bracing bolted onto the inside

>of the rack to help stop the vibration). the noise, of course, is
slowly
>driving me insane.
>
>have any of you experienced this problem? any ideas or suggestions
would
>really be appreciated.
>
>thanks, in advance.
>
>matt greenwell
>chattanooga
>