Date:         Fri, 12 Aug 2005 10:36:23 -0400
Reply-To:     Dennis <guskersthecat@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis <guskersthecat@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Drivers door hinge assembly - spot welds failed?

My 90 Westy driver's door recently became hard to latch.  Upon closer
inspection I realized the lower hinge was floating at the door insertion
point.  Optimistically thinking that the hinge assembly bolted in the door,
I removed the door panel and realized that the hinge was welded into a
fairly large sheet metal assembly that itself is spot welded into the
door.  No less than 10 spot welds were "broken" with no rust.  I say broken
because I've never seen spot welds fail.  When repairing panels before,
they have to be drilled out, and often coaxed with a cold chisel.  There is
no indication that the van has ever been in a collision.

From the outside, the welds look stamped as they normally would.  The sub-
assembly and attached hinge however is floating around in the door.  I
removed the door, drilled out the bad spot welds, and redid them.

Nothing in the archives on this.  Has anyone seen this before?  I could
only explain this as a factory assembly flaw.