Date: Sat, 23 May 2009 21:04:09 -0400
Reply-To: Greg Marshall <mr.marshall@SYMPATICO.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Greg Marshall <mr.marshall@SYMPATICO.CA>
Subject: Re: sliding door issue, 81 Air Cooled.
In-Reply-To: <000501c9dbfe$8abdf210$0301a8c0@dad>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
You may also have to remove the inner door panel to solve the
problem. I've also has the door not popping out enough issue, and
it's caused by the cable inside the door going slack. When you pull
down the handle, this cable pulls a latch mechanism at the rear part
of the door. If the cable is too slack, the latch doesn't fully open
and keeps the door from popping free. Once you take the panel off
snugging up the cable is done with a simple barrel adjuster.
Greg.
82 westy
On 23-May-09, at 7:31 PM, vanagonvw wrote:
> My van has been sitting patiently for nearly two years, while I
> scrounged
> parts and "rebuilt" the engine. Today I pushed it into the garage to
> ready
> it for the engine, which ought to bring up a whole lot of questions
> for
> anyone with an air cooled vanagon, so you have been warned :-)
>
> I would think all vanagon doors are basically the same mechanism.
> Mine is an
> 81 Air Cooled.
>
> I opened the sliding door, and discovered that it doesn't work too
> goodly.
> The tracks are all well greased, the door slides back and forth
> smoothly as
> it should, the problem is with what happens when I open it. My
> handle is a
> drooper as it is, so this really makes it a bummer to open.
>
> When pull down the handle, the latch opens, and previously, the door
> would
> pop away from the van at the rear, and I could just slide it open.
> What
> happens now, however, is when I pull down the handle, the latch
> opens, and
> the rear of the door pops about half an inch, and I have to reach
> back and
> pull it out, at which point, it slides nice and easy to the fully open
> position. I have looked at the Bentley, and there are some lovely
> pictures,
> but no real hint as to what has failed, or gone out of adjustment.
>
> When the door is open, and pulled away ready to slide back, there is
> a lot
> of up and down play in it, which I don't know if it is normal or
> not. Is
> there some adjustment I can make? I know its not the latch, because
> it is
> clearly letting go the door.
>
> I hope that was a lucid explanation. The door still works, it just
> needs
> that extra step of pulling it out and away at the rear, before it
> will slide
> open, whereas it used to pop out nicely. What makes it "pop out?"
>
> Can anyone comment or suggest a course of inspection/action? A spring
> broken, something misaligned? I stand in awe that it was quite
> functional
> and happy when I parked it nearly two years ago, and now its acting
> up.
> Can't be a good sign for what is to come with getting the engine in
> and
> running <g>
>
> Much obliged for any ideas or recommendations.
>
> John
>
| 
