Found new drug + the rack

[brett@netacc.net (Brett Van Sprewenburg)]

...well, a new chemical that is.

After being a sworn Liquid Wrench fan for many years, I tried 
something Pep Boys
was pushing on special.  PB Blaster.  I'm really impressed with it's 
performance.

I'm still in the tearing apart stage on one of my latest projects, 
and I was taking
off the exhaust system from an 87 16v, the original system by the look of it.
As many of us know, it can be a real pain in the ass getting the rust 
welded pipes
apart, but with only a cold chisel and a few blasts from the PB, I 
got the muffler
and pipe separated.  This might not seem so amazing except for the 
fact that this
is the second time I attacked this particular problem...with all 
kinds of chemicals,
heat, air chisel, etc. to no avail.  After pulling the pieces apart, 
I noted that both
the pipe and the inside of the muffler area coming off the pipe were 'wet' with
the PB stuff, indicating it had really worked it's way all the way 
around the two
surfaces and got between them FAST.

I used it on a few other parts too, notoriously tough ones also...like rusted
front brake pad carrier-to-hub bolts, and (favorites) both from tie rod to
hub (totally rusted) stubs.  I've broken 5 ton pullers on them before.  POP,
right out, and I noted again the entire surface was wetted down with the PB.

Seems like great stuff, I recommend those of you living in the rust belt might
want to give it a try if you're not using it already.

Oh, on another totally unrelated note, removing the power steering rack even
with the engine out of the car is not fun.  I think I would nominate 
this as being
one of the most difficult parts to R&R, as I used my imagination to guess at
how it would have been with the motor installed (motor in the way, transmission
and transmission linkage in the way, axles & exhaust in the way, 
etc...)  But I did finally
figure out what this tiny notch was used for on the passenger side body hole
where the tie rod passes through...it allows just enough clearance 
for the rack to
be shoved to that side where the notch allows a protruding power steering metal
line a place to go so it'll pass that way far enough for the drivers 
side tie rod to
clear.  I guess otherwise they would have had to put the body together around
the steering rack. :)  (note I realize there probably exists another 
way to maneuver
the rack out, but I didn't have to find it)

==Brett

-- 
 \/  `87 Scirocco 2.0t project | "Hot VW's, take two home. They're small"
\/\/ '88 Scirocco 16v,  '84 Scirocco ITB racer project | - brett@netacc.net