Sliding Door Hinge Assy Refresh FAQ

[beetleman217]

My sliding door pops free fine when opening, but it seems I have the opposite problem - it doesn't shut properly. The rear part of the door is not completely flush with the body when closed. If I apply pressure by hand, it does become flush, but even then the rear mechanism does not fully engage, so when I release the pressure the door pops back a bit. And because the rear mech doesn't fully lock, I also cannot lock the door manually from inside the bus. Please HELP!!

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If all else fails, stop using all else

1977 Westfalia
1961 Beetle

[wcfvw69]

To pull the back of the door in and lock it flush with the body, you go up with the door handle. The cable inside pulls it in and locks it. Hopefully no one has messed with those cables inside.
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[beetleman217]

[Stuartzickefoose]

That's a late bay door it doesn't latch by pulling up like pretty 73 doors do.

Does slamming it engage the latch? Looks like the latch is sticky and worth a clean lube and make sure that it moves freely.
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2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

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[beetleman217]

I cleaned and lubed the rear mech. It seems to be working properly. The latch moves to the locking position when I push down the handle and apply pressure to it (it's spring loaded) with my finger.

With the door open, standing outside the bus, I push the outside handle down with my right hand and press on the rear mech locking 'tongue' with my left hand. When I let go of the outside handle, the tongue now stays in the locked position, mimicking a closed door.

Now I check things on the inside, and voila, flipping the plastic knob does lock the inside handle. Then I flip up the plastic knob, and depress the handle, there's the click sound of the rear mech disengaging and the door is now in the open configuration. Everything is working properly in the door itself.

However... when trying all of the above with closing the door, the door does not close all the way and is not flush with the bus body. This causes the tongue of the rear mech to not fully lock. Because of this, the mech does not pull the cable all the way and the door cannot be locked from the inside.
_________________
If all else fails, stop using all else

1977 Westfalia
1961 Beetle

[Tcash]

If you are having to pull down on the handle in order to get the rear of the door central latch to latch. Leads me to believe the problem is in the central latch or the adjustment.

Inspect the door for any broken or missing parts. Try adjusting per the Bentley and Sliding Door Interior Overhaul Part III.

thnx to mayor ratwell
http://www.ratwell.com/technical/SlidingDoor.html

thnx to eche bus
Sliding Door Interior Overhaul Part I
Sliding Door Interior Overhaul Part III
Sliding Door Interior Overhaul Part III

Bentley
Volkswagen Station Wagon, Bus (Type 2) Service Manual: 1968-79
ISBN-10: 0837616352
ISBN-13: 978-0837616353[url]

Good luck
Tcash[/url]

[busdaddy]

From the looks of the rear striker the door needs to be adjusted forward and up a little, the forward may happen by itself if it's sagged at the front as well and binding on the front striker.

Is the cable sleeve still coming out of the ferrule after the lube job?

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[aeromech]

On my 1971 the latch that's supposed to hold the door open has a broken spring. In the past I've purchased the whole assembly but this time I'd like to ask if anyone knows of a replacement spring?

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[aeromech]

Well, I answered my own question. Available from the Netherlands

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1775969
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[VWsArent4Hippies]

The return spring inside of split bus ice pick handles can be made to work pretty easily as well

[Tcash]

[aeromech]

Thanks Tim, I just ordered 4 springs from Wolfgang Intl.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[Vova]

Not sure if it was already mentioned but I just found out the hard way that the early and late model latches are not interchangeable.
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1978 Westfalia
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[williamM]

ME too- replaced the replaced slider and it broke the back latch off--twice now and probably the original as well- so baby makes 3-

So going to order another when the opportunity show up and do a complete door alignment and make sure it works this next time.

The blue one came with the bus and the white one was a classified ad replacement- as you can see both failed in the same way.[img]
[img][/img]

[/img]
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[Spike0180]

Alright, I have an interesting problem. My inside locking mechanism near my handle doesn't stay up, it likes to lock my handle making it so I can't get my second click from the outside of the car. I didn't immediately see a way to open that front mechanism, It can be done right? but how? Any suggestions?
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[airschooled]

[Spike0180]

[surfbus23]

I seem to have hit a snag in refreshing my sliding door hinge. I'm pretty sure I have the orientation wrong, but I've assembled according to this guide twice and both times it's come out the same.

Problem seems to be that I'm not able to get the door shut without really slamming on the rear. On top of that when I get it latched it seems to be jamming the plastic block out of position. Right now I've got only the rear catch installed. I've left the front off while I try and sort out the rear. Some photos.


Angle of installed hinged. Not completely perpendicular.

When my door is installed this catch that Colin talked about never actually does anything. It's pretty much always in this position.

Plastic tracks fine when open, but when closed it gets jammed up against the wall of the bus.

Thanks!

[kool kombi 79]

[surfbus23]