Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 11:41:46 -0800
Reply-To: BenT Syncro <syncro@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: BenT Syncro <syncro@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Need sliding door handle for '82 (outside)
In-Reply-To: <41D28656.30432.E9D42E0@localhost>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 10:26:30 -0800, Shawn Wright
<swright@zuiko.sls.bc.ca> wrote:
> My new '82 has the exterior sliding door handle broken off. (I have the
> broken one). EKTA suggests that the newer style was, or could be,
> substituted. Is this correct? How hard is it to swap the lock cylinder?
> Does anyone have a good spare?
>
> Also, this van has two interior handles - a second one just like the main
> interior one is mounted at the rear of the door onto a square post which
> does not turn. Is this normal?
>
> --
> Shawn Wright
Shawn,
The exterior handle in the 85 and later vans are shorter but have a
longer return. You make them fit by cutting off that curved end
shorter. Otherwise, it will scrape the door.
The lock cylinders are easy enough to remove. Once you have the handle
off the van, take the tiny set-screw used to retain the cylinder. You
may have to do some cleaning to find the tiny hole on the part that
normally sticks inside the hole in the door. Then stick an old key in
the keyhole and slowly pull out the cylinder. Replace with your old
cylinder or shuffle the wafers around to match your key. If this is
beyond your abilities, you can take it to your local locksmith or try
Listee Steve's Lock Shoppe at http://www.steveslockshop.com/
You can find used handles on ebay. There's one there now w/o a key for
$45. Bus Depot still has a few new ones for about $80. They are at
http://busdepot.com/index.jsp. I recently bought a few on ebay for
much less. Pmail me if you can't find one for a decent price and don't
want to try the two options suggested above.
There is normally ONE handle on the inside. There should be a lower
locking latch activated by a button. That button can be unscrewed. The
handle itself is normally held by a Phillips head screw. Normally
position should be vertical (handle pointing down). To open you pull
towards the rear. It will seem to not work if the locking latch is
engaged. Sometimes the rear latch of the door is stuck. Give it a
shove to open. The handle you wrote about to the rear of the door is
not normal. There is a secondary latching mechanism there but is
normally activated by the single handle on the opening side
simultaneously with the main latch.
Hope this helps.
--
BenT
