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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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 Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:10 pm Post subject: And this is why we bring spare parts, kids! |
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It happened on my drive home from work just now. I was pulling away from an intersection, getting ready to merge onto the highway, and my accelerator pedal fell, limp, to the floor. The cable had snapped clean at the front hook.
"Oh shit!" 
I was able to put on my hazard lights and pull over quickly without anyone ramming me. I dug through my glove box and found my spare clutch cable...
"Oh no, what if I don't have a spare accelerator cable?"
Luckily I found it, and installed it in about 10 minutes. I took city roads the whole way back with mixed feelings. I was proud that I'd been able to fix my car and get it on the road again (without needing a tow), but a little bummed out that I'd had to. 
I guess you guys know the moral of this story...
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car
049 > 070 > 053 > 009 |
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Ian Epperson
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2005
Posts: 2262
Location: Alameda, CA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:59 pm Post subject: Re: And this is why we bring spare parts, kids! |
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| Towel Rail wrote: |
| I guess you guys know the moral of this story... |
Yes, but never going to work again isn't yet an option for me! 
Seriously though, good on ya! |
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Bajavwracer
Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2004
Posts: 190
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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| i always carry enough parts to re-do the whole car in the middle of nowhere even when i just go to the super market |
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GSD_Master
Samba Member
Joined: March 20, 2007
Posts: 138
Location: Arkansas
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 9:47 pm Post subject: |
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I had this same thing happen to me when I was out driving once. The cable even broke in the same place, behind the front hook. I did not have a spare accellerator cable. I did have a screwdriver, which I wedged between the throttle at the carburetor. I drove all the way home in second gear and without a functioning gas pedal.
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Is that the new Hummer! |
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uberautowerks
Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2005
Posts: 1600
Location: Longmont Co
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:32 pm Post subject: |
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Great that you had a spare! Now make sure you correctly adjust the new one and it will last forever.
With the pedal to the floor you should be able to open the carb just a bit more. Otherwise your cable goes guitar string tight when you stomp on it!
_________________
--- The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair.
- Douglas Adams -
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'74 Thing (White)
'71 Single cab (White too)
'70 Weekender (White three)
'05 Evolution VIII (White also!!!)
'68 F-250 (White over black) |
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hoserbug
Samba Member
Joined: September 26, 2006
Posts: 155
Location: Chicago area
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Did you remember to buy a replacement for the glove box? |
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:50 pm Post subject: |
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| uberautowerks wrote: |
Great that you had a spare! Now make sure you correctly adjust the new one and it will last forever.
With the pedal to the floor you should be able to open the carb just a bit more. Otherwise your cable goes guitar string tight when you stomp on it! |
Me too! I knew I'd bought a spare a long time ago, but couldn't remember if I'd used it already or not.
The way I adjust it is to have someone else mash the pedal to the floor, and check to see if the throttle plate is all the way open, with a little extra travel to go.
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car
049 > 070 > 053 > 009 |
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:51 pm Post subject: |
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| hoserbug wrote: |
| Did you remember to buy a replacement for the glove box? |
I ordered 3. 
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car
049 > 070 > 053 > 009 |
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markie61
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2005
Posts: 583
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 5:40 am Post subject: |
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My first Thing back in the early 80's had this happen. Didn't have a spare. Found something and wedged the carb's throttle to middle RPM's. Took back roads too! Probably a little hard on the clutch, but it was only a couple of miles to get home.
The beauty of ACVWs: simplicity.
Mark
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Whut is that-there Thang!?
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Chicks dig my Thing - so what if it's little and yellow...!? |
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chuy
Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2004
Posts: 38
Location: Carlsbad, ca
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| Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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Same thing happened to me, but I didn't have a spare cable. What I did have was some 3/8" rope. Some minor routing of the rope in the engine compartment to the outside and I was able to drive home.
That is the last time I want to shift with one hand and accelerate with the other.....
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72 181 Radio Car - Weekend Driver
71 Baywindow Riviera Camper - Excellent for Surf Trips
68 Sunroof Squareback
71 Sportsmobile (Under Construction) |
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HOTBAJA
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2005
Posts: 225
Location: Lakewood ca
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| Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 9:03 am Post subject: |
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Mine broke on a baja I had 25 years ago, no cable middle of BFE Made my buddy ride on the rear cage and operate the throttle (safety first) for about 10 miles. Now that I think about it I havent heard from him since.  |
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krewe01
Samba Member
Joined: December 04, 2006
Posts: 49
Location: Abita Springs LA
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| Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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| You gotta love old VWs. Try doing any of that in a new one or any other car |
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vwthingboy
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2004
Posts: 83
Location: NY, NY
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Pinky
Samba Ass Bandit
Joined: December 31, 2003
Posts: 554
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| Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:56 pm Post subject: |
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| GSD_Master wrote: |
| I had this same thing happen to me when I was out driving once. The cable even broke in the same place, behind the front hook. I did not have a spare accellerator cable. I did have a screwdriver, which I wedged between the throttle at the carburetor. I drove all the way home in second gear and without a functioning gas pedal. |
Aw man- I did the same thing with a cigarette butt a few years ago. People were staring at me pretty hard at stoplights with my engine running at full rev... No- I didn't roast the bearings- |
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kubelmann
Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2003
Posts: 3266
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 12:41 am Post subject: |
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| I have this HD cable set up on all my VWs I will never do a roadside repair on this issue ever again. I have perhaps 20 or so heavy duty stock style throttle cables for sale. NowI only run the aircraft style cables for throttle. i also have a big suppy of the sylvania 6024 halogen sealed 7" headlights for all VWs for half what they cost new retail. $18 |
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