Date:         Mon, 30 Jun 2003 13:05:16 -0400
Reply-To:     Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Sticky keys
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

So after this years wonderful weather (lots of snow in DC, woo!), the
lock mechanism for the drivers door on the GoldBrick got so bad, I
couldn't lock the door.

Well this weekend I finally got around to looking into the issue. I
popped the door panel (unnecessary as it turns out.) removed the handle
and the latch mechanism.

So the first thing I did was use brake cleaner on the door handle
innards (removes grease and oil, which frequently have bound dirt
dust.) Then I used some WD-40 as a lubricant (temporarily as I didn't
have any clean grease or light machine oil handy...I'll correct this
next weekend when I have the proper lubricants.)

Reassembled and it is amazingly easy to lock the door now. (I also see
why thieves don't bother with jimmys on VWs, but instead just knock the
door handle off...it's a really simple mechanism.)

And maybe next weekend I'll take the sliding doors lock (which is
similarly gummed up...the passenge door is operational, though not
nearly as easy to turn as my drivers door is now.)