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Mon Mar 04, 2024 8:55 am

Hey everyone,

I know pretty much everyone reading this is rolling their eyes thinking 'we need another sliding door thread like we need another hole in our heads', but after combing through my several books and the Samba forums, I can't find an answer to my sliding door issue.

In short, the outside handle releases the door just fine, but the door only unlatches, and moves outwards maybe a half-inch. I have to reach behind the back of the door with one hand and pull it outwards to get it to the point where I can slide it back with my other hand using the handle.

I have tried adjusting the cable (it's a 1981) and have determined that the cable 'doesn't do what I think it does'. I think my next steps would involve removing the door completely, and since the Vanagon sits outside, I want to make sure I'm not about to expose the inside of the Westy to the elements without knwing what parts I need to order / have on-hand and what I actually need to fix.

So again, I apologize for the new sliding door thread, and hope someone can quickly help me understand what I need to fix so we can close this thread and be done with all sliding door questions once and for all. :wink:

- Carsten

Mon Mar 04, 2024 9:02 am

You may need to clean and lube the hinge. Mine was doing this and after cleaning and adding some oil it is smooth. Might as well sand and grease the track as well.

Good luck

Brian

Mon Mar 04, 2024 9:28 am

On board ^^^

I suspect it takes a ton of handle rotation to even open it at all?

When you force it open, any grinding or resistance?

Adding to the above, I’d clean the hidden guide rail the latch assembly rides in. The panel does come off but I prefer not doing that. I soak the rail heavily with solvent and a rag soaked in it, you wouldn’t believe the crap that gets in there!

Once cleaned I just use lithium grease, but have used WD40 and other stuff to good effect. Same with the lower parts on the door, the rear latch, and the upper track at door top. Any and all of these can cause binding.

On the door cable, the more threads that are available (visible) to adjust, the
more rotation it takes to open the door — hope that makes sense.

In another vein, when cables stretch, the only helpful adjustment is having a longer conduit (housing) to take up excess cable. A small adjustment makes a *much-bigger* difference than is first suspected.

Mon Mar 04, 2024 10:08 am

In addition to the above suggestions, try lubing the “hook” of the latch that holds the rear of the door secure when fully closed and open when the door is slid fully to the rear. Of course, thoroughly cleaning and lubricating all moving parts of the slider mechanism does wonders to restore that “new car feel”.

Mon Mar 04, 2024 10:35 am

Thank you all for your suggestions. To clarify, the door unlatches easily and there is no looseness in the handle (I replaced the handle as my very first repair) and the door itself slides back fairly easily once it has unlatched and been (with my left handat the back, as mentioned) pulled outwards from the body. I took off the track cover and cleaned and lubricated the tracks, top, middle and bottom, so it slides back and forth smoothly. I can also close the sliding door with a good forward push of the handle. The only issue is that initial release action after unlatching. Reminds me of pulling a below-dash hood release on a car and the hood doesn't pop up all the way to the safety latch like it should.

-Carsten

Mon Mar 04, 2024 11:04 am

Have you tried adjusting the cable at full tight and at full loose?

Mon Mar 04, 2024 1:46 pm

Quote: Have you tried adjusting the cable at full tight and at full loose?

I have. Full tight gets me closest, while full loose doesn't allow me to unlatch the door at all.

Here is a quick video of the issue:

https://youtu.be/YpfGUItaAJg?si=3ZyMNFlebu83vlsp

Thank you everyone for your suggestions!

- Carsten

Mon Mar 04, 2024 2:11 pm

CarstenR wrote: Quote: Have you tried adjusting the cable at full tight and at full loose?

I have. Full tight gets me closest, while full loose doesn't allow me to unlatch the door at all.

Here is a quick video of the issue:

https://youtu.be/YpfGUItaAJg?si=3ZyMNFlebu83vlsp

Thank you everyone for your suggestions!

- Carsten

The spring on the U is likely too weak somehow...

Mon Mar 04, 2024 2:12 pm

Have a look at this GoWesty maintenance video at 4:48 to 4:54. The spring you see in that segment can be tightened a bit if cleaning and lubricating as depicted does not give the "pop" that you want. However, that should not be necessary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5UrduOCJws

Mon Mar 04, 2024 3:31 pm

Deleted, fixed.

Mon Mar 04, 2024 3:31 pm

Quote: Have a look at this GoWesty maintenance video at 4:48 to 4:54.

Well, although that spring wasn't the issue, I did fix my problem thanks to the video. The comment about moving the part back and forth to get the lubricant into the innards struck a nerve, so I hit both the door and the slider mechanism (the parts connected by the big u-shaped piece of metal) with more lubricant and opened and closed the door about fifty times. Sure enough, it moves much more freely now, and when I put down the outside handle to unlatch the door, a modest pulling back of the handle towards the rear of the bus and the door slides back as it should.

TheSamba wins again. Thanks, guys!

- Carsten

Mon Mar 04, 2024 3:33 pm

Quote: We’ve been working with a supplier on getting these cables right, and am doing a thread this week.

Sign me up! I have the adjustment nut all the way out and it works now with the 'old' cable. But I have no margin of safety.

- Carsten

Mon Mar 04, 2024 3:36 pm

Haha, I deleted that post after it wasn’t the cable. :lol:

Exactly. My new cable is dead on with maximum adjustability for later stretch.

I might post the thread tomorrow. Old problem solved.