Cheapass Ron’s Weighted Shift Rod

[Ron Pieper <rapieper@yahoo.com>]

Cheapass Ron’s Weighted Shift Rod

There are many ways out here for a cook-your-own
weighted shift rod, but frankly, I like my way best. 
After you paint up it looks very nice indeed,
perfessional-like.  Here's the process:

The concept:  Slide a piece of copper plumbing pipe
over the rod and fill with lead.

BE CAREFUL.  KEEP YOUR LITTLE KIDS FAR AWAY. WEAR THE
GOGGLES AND GLOVES.

The parts required:
	-(1) piece ¾" dia. copper pipe, 8"or so (or 1" dia.,
your choice)
	-(2) ¾"copper end caps (or 1")
	-?" dia. drill (somewhat larger than the rod
diameter)
	-some lead (cake or shot)
	-a propane torch
	-goggles
	-welders gloves
	-a bench vice
	-pliers to hold the pipe while filling
	-Paint, your choice of color (optional)
	-steel marking crayon

1) Get the pipe over the rod.  ¾" copper won’t fit
over the bent rod ends, so lay it in the vise
horizontally and squeeze it so it’s oval.  Slip the
rod in.  Loosen, rotate the pipe so the wide end will
be between the jaws, and squeeze it back round again.
2) Drill holes in the centers of the end caps
3) Slide one cap over the rod, fit the pipe into it. 
4) Clamp the rod vertically in the vise, with pipe/cap
resting on the top of the jaws
5) Fire up the torch
6) Fill the pipe with lead:
· If using shot, fill the pipe gradually, and heat the
pipe bottom up so the shot melts
· If using cake, melt it down into a container (tin
can?) and pour in, OR hold the cake with pliers, heat
the cake and let the lead drip into the pipe.  This is
messy and time consuming.
· Keep the pipe centered over the rod as you fill! 
Use the pliers!
· Fill it to overflowing.
7) Let cool.  Have a beer.
8) Slide the other cap over the cap and fit over the
pipe
9) You can now solder the top cap if you wish.
10) Let cool some more.  Clean, sand, paint.  With
crayon, mark "Cheapass Ron Products" on the pipe. 
Install, enjoy.

If you like it enough, and if it's worthy of a tech
procedure, I'll get some photos to Brett and burden
him with posting.  Otherwise, it'll go into bit
heaven.

Good luck! 



=====
Ron
'87 16V (Victor, the Famous Cheap Scirocco - ausgezeichnet!  unglaublich!)
'93 Cab (Teufelhasen, soon for sale)
many, many, miles and busted knuckles on seven more past watercooleds...

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