Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2022 18:04:16 -0500
Reply-To: "Jim. Felder" <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Jim. Felder" <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: VAN Rear Inside Hatch Opener
In-Reply-To: <CA+az7_7mD+3VHpddPcAQco6V4MPU1O+9R0o2JkyGyktJnE+PaQ@mail.gmail.com>
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John, there has been a lot posted about it, and I did mine long ago so I
will try and remember. When it is light enough tomorrow I will try to send
you a picture of where the wire goes through the inside hatch sheet metal,
that is the one of two holes you have to drill. A picture will keep you
from having to make a couple of trial holes like i did. They are tiny
though, and they are hidden by the rear mattress unless you look up at the
inside of the door with the hatch open.
1. Acquire a bicycle brake cable at a bike shop. It will have a small piece
of metal swaged onto the end of it that will act as a stop. Pick up a small
cable clamp. I don't remember where mine came from but I doubt it was a
bike shop, probably Ace or Home Depot. Pick up a garage door pull handle or
whatever you want to use as a pull handle. The poly garage door pull handle
is safe on things if you shut the hatch with something in the way, and it
is easy to find in the dark. I think I took mine of the emergency release
on my garage door and replaced it with something else like a lawn mower
pull handle.
2. Remove your rear door card.
3. Work from inside the car. Examine the mechanism to locate the metal
piece that, when pulled (from the inside, or pushed by the button from the
outside) and punch a dimple and drill a hole through it large enough for
the brake cable to pass through but not large enough for the swaged end to
fit through. Insert the cut end of the brake cable through the hole from
the inside.
4. Going by the picture I send or your own good sense, drill another hole
through the inside door sheet metal that will allow the new hole to align
as closely as possible with the first hole you drilled. The idea is to give
the cable a fair pull without a lot of angle that could make it stick or
wear the cable out easily. Lead the cut end of the cable through the rear
hatch sheet metal hole you just drilled and test it to make sure it works
by pulling on the wire to ensure it will release the hatch lock.
5. Use the small cable clamp and the handle of choice to affix the handle
to the end of the cable and trim the cable.
6. Refit the rear hatch card.
This works the same on all years and all styles as far as I know.
Jim
On Sun, Mar 27, 2022 at 1:09 PM John Rodgers <jrodgers113@gmail.com> wrote:
> Jim, I have an electric lock but the driver motor is mechanically
> disconnected from the lock. Don't plan on putting it back that way. Can
> you better describe your solution? Or send a picture. It could be that I
> have a different lock.
>
> Planning to come your way one of these days for a visit now that I have my
> van back. Be nice to see you again.
>