Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2000 20:02:42 -0500
Reply-To: "Byron Hildebrandt (by way of Derek Drew <drew@interport.net>)"
<dink@GOLDEN.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Byron Hildebrandt (by way of Derek Drew <drew@interport.net>)"
<dink@GOLDEN.NET>
Subject: Euro-Body: 82 Volkswagen Vanagon, sliding door, door lock
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_______________________________________________________
1982 Volkswagen Vanagon 2.1 L
Trans: Standard
Mileage: 180,000 kilometers
VIN: [No VIN available.]
Misc Data: camper
Affected Item: door lock
Condition: won't lock
____________________________________________________________
Greetings Vanagon Gurus
This Vanagon came in with the side sliding door stuck in
the closed position. I eventually got it open by removing
the panel and pulling on the actuator cable with vise
grips. Anyway, the lock button on the inside of the van
just flopped around when I was done so I got a new catch
mechanism for the front of the door. I freed up all the
swing mechanisms and blew out and lubed the slider channels
and tried to adjust the door height. I also found some of
the bolts for the rear catch had fallen out or were loose
and fixed those. The door now slides back and forth nicely
and closes well.
This is the part I cant figure out. The little lock button
is very stiff to move when the door is closed and you would
not dare try to lock it using the key for fear of twisting
off the key. However if you manually trip the rear latch
with the door OPEN, the locks work easily inside and
out.The rear latch is like a little horeshoe as opposed to
the Rabbit-style catches I have seen on other Vans.
So it would seem that the door being closed physically on
the strikers is a factor. We have tried to adjust front and
rear Strikers and the door height every which way and have
tried to simulate pressure on the latches to gain a clue as
to why the lock is very stiff when the door is closed but
nice and free when the rear latch is closed with the door
open.
One other clue maybe; the adjustment for the cable that
goes between the front and rear latches has to be adjusted
quite tightly before the rear latch will trip reliably.The
threaded sleeve is near the end of its travel before it
will trip the rear latch which seems wrong.
Any ideas? Some of you West-Coast guys ought to know whats
going on here.Thanks in advance.
Byron.
Byron Hildebrandt
dink@golden.net
Technician
Cambridge Volkswagen
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
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