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Tue Apr 24, 2012 8:24 pm

Let me first say that I've searched and read a bunch of threads and I've studied my Bentley religiously. But, for some reason, I can't improve the situation.

Here's the situation...the sliding door handle on my '74 Westy is impossible to use. I crank it all the way down and nothing happens. I followed the Green Book procedure...took of the inner panel, adjusted the tension on the rods, etc. The thing that drives me nuts is that the inner handle works effortlessly. It's just the outer handle that doesn't feel like it's 'engaging' at all. One note as well, it feels like the handle is 'sloppy' if that makes sense. Like it's not fastened as tight to the door as it could be.

Sorry for the rambling post...I've been fighting this all weekend and now two week nights and I'm a at a loss. Any words of wisdom would be appreciated. I gonna have a beer...

Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:08 pm

How does everything look when you remove the handles? The square shaft and all is secure?

Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:37 pm

What happens when you remove the handle and jam a flat blade screwdriver into the square hole the handle shaft went through and twist? While the hande is off is that square shaft securely attached to the handle?

Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:37 pm

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1284232

If I remember right the inner handle and the outer handle, work independent from each other. Good Luck

Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:03 pm

soupy07 wrote: Let me first say that I've searched and read a bunch of threads and I've studied my Bentley religiously. But, for some reason, I can't improve the situation.

Here's the situation...the sliding door handle on my '74 Westy is impossible to use. I crank it all the way down and nothing happens. I followed the Green Book procedure...took of the inner panel, adjusted the tension on the rods, etc. The thing that drives me nuts is that the inner handle works effortlessly. It's just the outer handle that doesn't feel like it's 'engaging' at all. One note as well, it feels like the handle is 'sloppy' if that makes sense. Like it's not fastened as tight to the door as it could be.

Sorry for the rambling post...I've been fighting this all weekend and now two week nights and I'm a at a loss. Any words of wisdom would be appreciated. I gonna have a beer...

Pay a visit to Austin Veedub and snag a door mechanism for a post'73 bus.
Colin

Wed Apr 25, 2012 5:19 am

Inner and outer handle are on the same square shaft. Check closely to the multitude of small parts on the shaft. I am missing some (noticed after getting a key code) but luckily mine works. SF.

Wed Apr 25, 2012 6:25 am

stubing wrote: Inner and outer handle are on the same square shaft..
Not on a 74+ unit.

Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:43 am

busdaddy wrote: What happens when you remove the handle and jam a flat blade screwdriver into the square hole the handle shaft went through and twist? While the hande is off is that square shaft securely attached to the handle?

I took the handle off and it appears that I'm missing some parts. The Bentley manual shows several pieces and only have:

1) the actual handle
2) a small black plastic insert piece
3) screw & washer the attached the handle to the door from the inside.

Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:31 am

Careful you aren't confusing the early and late mechanisms, yours should be the late style with the separate key cylinder on the side like the one pictured in the door (not the upper and lower inset drawings).

Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:33 am

busdaddy wrote: Careful you aren't confusing the early and late mechanisms, yours should be the late style with the separate key cylinder on the side like the one pictured in the door (not the upper and lower inset drawings).

I will double check...I will try and take a picture tonight of the parts disassembled, that's probably the easiest thing to to do.

Wed Mar 18, 2015 4:52 pm

Question,

Is there anything securing the outer handle in aside from the screw from the inside. Mine is either seized or there is an E clip or something keeping the outer handle from coming out. Trying to remove the entire assembly to clean and lube and I just can't get this handle out. I'm trying to tap it out but the threads are near mushrooming.

Thanks

Thu Mar 19, 2015 1:51 am

Its been a while since I cleaned and lubed mine but I don't remember any thing other than the one screw on the inside. I think it needs to be unlocked too but you've probably already got that covered. I'd take a small hammer or the handle of a screw driver and see if some judicious tapping might work it free. remember that thing is made from pot metal and it will break if you bang on it too hard.

Thu Mar 19, 2015 6:05 am

Is it possible that the sliding door has been swapped with the other style?

Fri Mar 20, 2015 12:16 am

Last night I was bored and went to check on the door handle. It is definitely held on by one screw. However I have a 1971 bus so I think the mechanism is different than yours.

Sat Mar 21, 2015 9:33 pm

Does this help?
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7305321#7305321
Scroll up from there and there are several photos of the door mechanism as well.