VDO wind MHU repair

[Ardenfour]

Below is a photo of the VDO mast head unit. The square section plastic spindle in the centre of the photo accepts the wind direction vane, which has a square hole underside, and held on with a set screw. A closer look will reveal a crack in this spindle, so the screw won't remain tight as the square bit splays.

So, how to repair this spindle? My thoughts were, weld the crack with a soldering iron, but the wall thickness at the crack is very thin. Bind the square spindle with terylene thread then epoxy, much in the way fishing rod rings are attached. I would then have to enlarge the windvane hole to fit.

Any other ideas?View attachment 54303

 

[Norman_E]

Yours looks like an older version of the ones I have. My solution would be to take a piece of the 4mm thread brass studding that VDO use to fit the instruments and stick this into the hole with araldite, clamping the square part whilst the adhesive sets, so that its cracks are closed and stuck. Leave the stud long enough to fit a nut on top of the actual wind vane. If that is your vane in the background it looks quite different to mine, which is part 14394 here https://www.svb24.com/en/vdo-spareparts-for-sensors.html

 

[pvb]

Yours looks like an older version of the ones I have. My solution would be to take a piece of the 4mm thread brass studding that VDO use to fit the instruments and stick this into the hole with araldite, clamping the square part whilst the adhesive sets, so that its cracks are closed and stuck. Leave the stud long enough to fit a nut on top of the actual wind vane.

That sounds like a workable solution.

 

[Ardenfour]

Thanks Norman_E, sounds like a plan, and well spotted, in the background is a Stowe vane, which I plan to modify to fit. VDO ones are around £70...
The only thing, I've never managed to stick any plastic with Araldite, will give it a go, tho