Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 08:16:27 8
Reply-To: Wes Neuenschwander <wesn@ESKIMO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Wes Neuenschwander <wesn@ESKIMO.COM>
Subject: Re: Rear Hatch Power Lock Problem
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Steve,
Thanks, Steve (and John)! This was exactly the post I was looking for
(and had Gerry's search engine choking on).
John's mini-FAQ on the rear door latch system was very helpful in
understanding how the rear hatch locking system works. However since my
problem was the opposite of John's - so was my fix. In my case, I
couldn't get the door to lock properly. The problem was that the pivoting
actuator, the device that is pushed between the lock cylinder and door
latch mechanism by the lock motor, was hanging up part way through the
stroke, causing the lock cylinder to engage the actuator (and release the
latch) regardless of whether the key slot was in the vertical or
horizontal position.
Actually, in my case, there was very little wear at the detents on
pivoting actuator, but the spring loaded pin that engages them had
developed a rough spot and the original lube on the slide area had dried
up, causing just enough resistance that the motor couldn't drive pivoting
actuator entirely clear of the depressed lock cylinder. With the actuator
stopping 4-5 mm short of the fully extended position, it would catch the
lock cylinder, depressing the latch release and opening the door.
I spray lubed the actuator assembly and wiped dry to remove all the old
lube, and then relubed with a grease designed especially for aluminum and
softer metals. I also found it necessary to bend the connecting link
between the motor and actuator slightly to increase the effective length
~1-2mm, ensuring that the motor pushed the actuator all the way to the
far stop (it's too bad the motor mounting holes aren't slotted to allow
this adjustment).
I can see where continued wear could be a problem. The day will come
where the soft actuator metal will become sufficiently grooved or the pin
will bind causing the power locking mechanism to fail for good.
Fortunately, it will be easy to disconnect the motor, allowing reliable
key-only access.
> Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 07:34:42 -0800
> From: Steven Johnson <sjohnso@JPS.NET>
> Subject: Re: Rear Hatch Power Lock Problem
> Wes and all,
>
> I saved an article posted by John Anderson and thought this would help
> with the problem. Thanks to John for this great post!
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> --- --- Finally got to pissed at the constantly locking itself when I
> closed it rear hatch lock today, this seems a fairly common malady on
> late central locked Vanagons. This may have been dealt with once before
> I don't recall, here it is again.
>
> So took it all apart and started looking, became fairly obvious that the
> power solenoid and the latch mechanism were just fine, so I went ahead
> and removed the lock cylinder unit. Upon very careful inspection the
> true root of the problem presented itself. The whole thing is a rather
> poorly engineered half assed afair IMNSHO, the power solenoid slides this
> giant pivoting actuator back and forth, here is how it fails. In the
> power unlocked position the sliding affair is held under the lock
> cylinder plunger in position to contact the latch trip mechanism by a
> little spring loaded brass pin on an arm opposite about the pivot from
> the arm that contacts the latch, which stops in both (power) locked and
> unlocked positions by falling into a divots in the pot metal casting of
> the lock cylinder. You must remove the cylinder to see this, this is
> done by first removing the latch (3, 6mm flat SHCS) then by popping off
> the power linkage, then by pushing the lock cylinder into the door from
> the outside pivoting it clockwise as you look at it through the latch
> hole until the little alignment tab can slide into the door through the
> slot ground for it in the door metal. Anyway after removing the lock
> cylinder you will see the little pivot arm and spring loaded pin, which
> has likely worn the side of the divot it stops in to the point where it
> barely holds in the unlock position. What happens is when you slam the
> door momentum carries the pivot arm out of the unlock position a little
> ways and as the contact surfaces slope toward making the assembly locked,
> pushing the button does not, or only partially unlatches the latch. My
> solution, took the dremel and a little milling bit and chewed the divot
> to about twice its existing depth, removing almost entirely the worn ramp
> surface that the pin slid (too easily) up (about 5 seconds with the
> dremel, the stuff is REAL soft.) Total fix would take about 15 minutes
> and a dremel now that I know what to do. Put it all back together and
> slammed it ruthelessly in the power unlocked position repeatedly, never
> locks unitentionally now. The power unit still has more than sufficient
> guts to move the arm past the now deeper divot. Greased all contact
> surfaces with dabs of moly, and it is all good (or better) than new.
>
> John
> janderson@iolinc.net
>
> At 09:57 PM 2/12/99, Wes Neuenschwander wrote:
> >For the past month or so a problem has been evolving with the rear hatch
> >power lock on my '91 Westy: Whenever I lock and unlock any of the side
>
> >I'm perplexed. I checked the Bentley - nice pic's and R&R sequence, but
> >of course, nothing on trouble shooting. I recalled a thread here on the
> >subject some time ago, but with Gerry on the ropes my search attempts
> >have been futile. I plan on popping the rear hatch trim panel this
> >weekend and poking around a bit, but I'm not sure the cause of the
> >problem is going to be self evident. Any guidance, tips or work arounds
> >would be most appreciated.
> >
> >-Wes
> >
> >Wes Neuenschwander
> >Seattle, WA
> >wesn@eskimo.com
> >
> >
>
Wes Neuenschwander
Seattle, WA
wesn@eskimo.com
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