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Wed Jan 13, 2010 2:53 pm

Hello all!
So ive got a few question concerning the sliding door hinge.
We are currently camping in the cancun region in mexico, wifi and in internet acces is not available everywhere so quick help would really appreciated!
We just got back to our kombi and unlock the sliding door and opened it. It got stock and would only open for about 4 inches. I closed it back and reoppened it and it worked no problem. Once finished i closed it back and a few parts fell from the hinge.
Looking at page 25 of the bentley in the Body and Frame section i can identified the parts in fig 5-57. Its # 19-20-21-22-23
So the lower and upper locking lever with the pin, spring and the spacer. The also a part coming from something else where the pin holds in the seem to be cracked at 2 place. It stamped with part #211 843 340A.
Now the sliding door still close and lock properly.

So iam confused as to know what these parts actually do?

Would it be a great risk driving with out them?

Should i be focused on getting it fixed asap or i can do that when the time and location is right?

Can i used parts off a mexican Kombi? My bus is a 1971.

We actually drove from montreal canada all the way here, and we plan to get all the way down to panama!!!

Thanks in advance for all the help! Will check back later.

-Louis

Wed Jan 13, 2010 3:58 pm

Hey Louis,
The parts you speak of keep the door latched in the open position and release from the open position. If the part #5 is cracking there is the possibility of your door falling off the rear hinge at some point when opening.
You would need to replace part #5 in the diagram and get another E-clip #24 in diagram.
Yes I would think you could get these parts from a Mexican bus. Good luck!

If you can't find one, I could mail one to you if you can provide a mailing address......I have a number of the whole assembly.

Would love to hear about your experiences traveling thru Central America.
My wife and I plan to do the same thing in a few years.

Wed Jan 13, 2010 4:51 pm

You might try a VW dealership in Mexico as there may still be old inventory there.

Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:31 pm

Try a dealer, Mexibusses look very similar although I haven't compared that exact part.
It may cause the door to fall off when opening it if it's broken enough but not likely, it definitely will make opening it difficult as the door will catch on the rail cover opening or closing and may not pop out of the rear latch when you go to open it. or the rear carrier may stay latched to the front stop and only allow the door to open as far as the swinging links travel. It does nothing while driving though if the door is latched front and rear, you could remove it and the door wouldn't fall off but it would as soon as you unlatched it.

I hope you're taking pics of your trip for us.

Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:38 pm

busdaddy wrote: It may cause the door to fall off when opening it if it's broken enough but not likely.
I hope you're taking pics of your trip for us.

BD, It could fall off since it's cracked and cracking.......I had a 68 that the same piece cracked on and I ignored it. One week later I opened the sliding door and the rear of the door hit the ground hard, when the crack gave way. Dented the door and had to buy a new part. It was just a warning and better to replace then have it break.

BTW, ditto on the last sentence!

Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:55 pm

Absolutely, some last for years with cracks and some fall right apart, better to change it if you can.

Wed Jan 13, 2010 9:09 pm

be vary careful of the toes if it falls off, it helps like a mutha! If you can get good parts at a dealership down there and they are cheap, you may wanna grab some extras.

Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:12 am

thanks guys!
we might be passing in front of a dealership today so ill stop and ask for the parts. is it quite hard to replace?

we have a blog with pictures, lots of stories and a map but its in french,
heres the link anyway if you want to see the map and pictures...
http://www.enroutes.com/mlpl

ill be setting a picasa gallery with vw pictures soon, we saw millions of beetle, hundreds of thounsand kombi, 3 things, 2 westys and one dune buggy so far.

Thu Jan 14, 2010 7:44 am

louis-123 wrote: is it quite hard to replace?

Not really, but it's easier if the door is off, start hitting all the ends of the threads that you can see with some PB blaster now so they won't put up a fight when you go to remove the bolts.

Sun Jan 17, 2010 12:22 pm

havent been able to find the part so far
i only checked one dealership that was on our path and the guy seemed to have said that this part was out of production since january 15 of 1989.

ill try in a bigger city and other dealer ship, maybe ill get lucky, but the door is still working

Sun Jan 17, 2010 12:58 pm

try contacting this fellow. He might be able to get you one or point you to one.

Antonio Trejo [partsvw@hotmail.com]

Wed Feb 10, 2010 9:26 pm

Does anybody have an image of what the inside of the sliding door should look like? I have one cable that is disconnected. The door handles are both way out of adjustment and only the inside handle works. :roll: Just bought the bus so I'm all WTF about it. Bentley Book is in the mail.

Wed Feb 10, 2010 9:51 pm

Best to wait for the mail. It is a complex system of parts and the good instructions are really worthwhile.

Wed Feb 10, 2010 10:48 pm

peaceful warrior wrote: Hey Louis,
The parts you speak of keep the door latched in the open position and release from the open position. If the part #5 is cracking there is the possibility of your door falling off the rear hinge at some point when opening.
You would need to replace part #5 in the diagram and get another E-clip #24 in diagram.
Yes I would think you could get these parts from a Mexican bus. Good luck!

If you can't find one, I could mail one to you if you can provide a mailing address......I have a number of the whole assembly.

This is why I love the Samba. A guy is stuck in Mexico with a Bus problem, asks for help, gets a solution to his problem, and an offer to mail him the parts. You guys are awesome!