Installing sliding door track cover on a 72?

[bwaz]

Any tips to getting the slider door cover back on, on a 72 bus? It's got the long piece that has the adjusting screw at the front. I've tried to put the cover and the rod thing together, or just the cover on top, but without success. Any tips?

[skills@eurocarsplus]

it's a pain in the ass if the retainer clips are gone. keep messing with it, you'll get it
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[bwaz]

Retainer clips? This is the piece i'm working on.

(not my photo)

[Tcash]

[bwaz]

Thanks for those links Tcash, but unfortunately those are all great at disassembly, but not re-assembly. the video magically has the cover back on, but neglected to give the magic words to make that happen

[busdaddy]

Ah yes, that diabolical locking strip, VW ditched it on later models, no doubt to speed up the production line.

I've had some luck using a couple wide putty knives or those really wide ones for wallpaper, shove them in first so they guide the cover into the slot.
Worst case scenario is leave it out, you won't miss it, the cover stays put with just the end screws nicely.
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[bwaz]

Tried it without. but seems a little sloppy. will give it another shot. don't feel too bad spending the day in the garage with the rainy weekend.

[skills@eurocarsplus]

right above the notch where you remove the roller assy, there is a notch in that rippled track. iirc, there are 3 of those notches that held spring like retainers. they pinched the lock strip tight to the track so you can just slide the cover on.

I don't think anyone knows they exist, as 99% of the time they are long gone.
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[dirtkeeper]

[Tcash]

What type of screw is supposed to be used there.

thanks to jersylooker

[bwaz]

Got it. In the end, it worked best as a two man job (person) so that we could start at one end, while the other person held the other end and three pieces together. I tried the retainer (clamping strip) by itself then tried to slide the cover and seal in... without luck, then tried to put the cover in the track and slide the retainer in from underneath... without luck. The way we got it to work was to have the whole assembly put together as it would live in the track, and slide it in as a complete unit. Once in, I could add the end screw fairly easily by the door opening, and the two screws underneath. (after I drilled out and tapped the broken one at the front!)

[airschooled]

[bwaz]

Yep, everything squeezed together and drop it in. I thought about trying to put some sort of sealer/glue to hold the seal to the cover, but that would have been the next attempt. Lining up the clamp strip took a bit of time to see that it was lined up correctly with the track for it to drop in from above, while angling it a bit to allow the tab under the cover to get around the slider mechanism.

[SGKent]

it has been a long time since my 1977 does not have that but the 1971 did. Try a longer bolt to push it back then use the bolt pull it forward to catch the rail, and replace with the correct bolt. I think that is how I got it once when it was fighting me. I do remember that it was easier when Linda helped with the process than by myself.
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"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin

[VWSunny72]

I used this MacGuyver process to get the rail cover into the channel of the locking strip on my 72. Basically, I put some strong pink yarn (courtesy of my daughter) around the locking strip in a few places. My father pulled the string to widen the channel between the locking stip and the chassis while I worked the cover in from back to front. Similar to others, the wooden block and rubber mallet were my friend. I pulled the yarn out before tightening that hidden screw that forces the seal to the chassis. Oh, and don't forget to loosen that screw all the way, just before it falls out before you start...you'll figure out how/why that works like that. Fairly over-engineered for so such a simple thing.

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I am owned by a 1972 Westy named Sunny. She has a 1979 2.0L engine w/ dual Weber IDF 40s.

[WithTheFlow]

What does 19 do?

[Ceckert64]

[Scrumblero]

I am trying to get this back on today. Does it need to be installed slightly forward and then slid back for the screw tab to go under the latch block on the front of the rail? Mine has been repaired at the front edge, so bending it to get the tab over is probably not an option without having to repaint it.

[Scrumblero]

Never mind... I got it I just had to do some light trimming on the tab to get it to slide by

[soissisc]

I know this is an old thread, but I got mine back together pretty easily. I loosened the screw on 19 and pushed rearward, until it gave the most clearance, and then carefully slid just the cover in place between 19 and the body, and then slid the seal in between the body and the cover. Then I tightened up the screw that pulled 19 into clamping position.

My 19 was pretty rust free and 2 of the 3 little clips were still there believe it or not.

I did have to bend that tab underneath on the front of the cover out a little bit to get it over the stop block on the body, but it easily just flexed back into the correct position so the screw from underneath could get started and tighten it down the rest of the way.

Now what holds that driver side cover on there so tight?!?
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Mark

68 Westy
92 Jetta (oh it is retired)
99 Eurovan
05 NBC
06 Audi A3
72 Westy (I am going to fix it up)