Sliding Door Mosquito Screen Install

[bgamej]

When I bought my Westy about 6 months ago the previous owner had purchased a sliding door mosquito screen kit from bus depot that he gave me. The kit however did not come with instructions on how to install it onto the vehicle, it only came with direction on how to install the female portion of the snaps onto the actual material.

I did a search on the topic and there was quite a bit of info on rear hatch screen installs and a little deabte about if the sliding door screen was an original option or not for westy's (i think it was decided that it was not) but nothing on the install.

I'm hoping that there might be someone out there who might have a few pics or maybe a diagram on how to do it and where to actually screw the male end of the snaps onto the vehicle.

[campism]

My bride sewed up her own version of the slider screen with weighted hem (using BBs) to rest on the floor and magnetic (instead of snap or velcro) closure that works great one-handed. What we did to install it was to use existing screws in the bottom of the curtain tray above the slider to locate the top run of snaps and then just went down the sides looking for other existing screws to secure the snaps to, or adding them where needed.

[markz2004]

call Bus Depot, let them know you have one, and I'll bet they will send you the instructions.
_________________
87 Westy, 250k GW 2.4 - 2.0 , 16" wheels

[bgamej]

Unfortunately the response I got back from busdepot was that "Unfortunately no instructions exist. The original screen (of which this is a duplicate) was intended to be dealer installed and VW did not print instructions. " Thie basic advice was to line it up how you think it works best and go for it.

I'll defintely take the advice provided previosuly about using the curtain screws as a guide and see if that makes sense but any other advice would be great.

[woggs1]

I did mine over a year ago and had to unscrew the snaps and re-do it to get it right. My advice is to take your time, make sure each snap placement is where it should be. What I did was made sure the bottom of the screen in always level as I installed the snaps. I started on the rear side of the slider opening, lined up everything and installed the snaps along the door there. Then I would add a snap at a time across the top after ensuring that the bottom of the screen was level and there was not a gap. It got kind of tricky on the front side of the opening, but eventually it turned out pretty good I think.
_________________
4 speed 88 Westy

[Timwhy]

[shepherdsond]

I just put mine in and posted some photos in the vanagon gallery area. Here is a picture from the outside.

I started at top left and did the top snaps first then the sides.

For the top front I used the front curtain snap just behind the passenger door. For the top snaps I used the trim screw holes (they are too big for the provided screw snaps so I inserted some match sticks). I think I put in four along the top and I might add another (the snaps are not very strong). On both sides I used the curtain tie back snaps and on the right 1 additional snap near the bottom (using an existing trim placement). I drilled two holes on the left side for snaps near the bottom of the door pillar. PM me if you cannot find the photos. I made some mistakes and needed more snaps than provided (which fortunately I already had).

[Ben Root]

I know this thread is over a decade old, but there are still no good answers to the question of how to mount these Bus Depot products. I find it truly aggravating to spend money on a product and have no installation instructions. "Thumbs Down" to Bus Depot.

I've owned these products (sliding door and rear hatch screens) for several years now and every spring at the start of camping season, I get them out of the box they came in, hold them up to the van for an hour or so, look at read these same articles on Google, then fold them back up and put them away for another year.

There's nothing on you tube (except one for a type 2...in French)...and all you industrious guys just "figured it out"...if I wanted to figure it out, I would have sewn my own...with a plan....but no, I paid money for a product without a plan.

In my case, I'm installing in a tin top so there are no existing screws, snaps, or holes for the "stock" screens.

On the slider, should I drill holes to mount the snaps into the sliding door track itself (with the vinyl wrapping the curved front edge)? On mine, there is a rubber trim piece that I'd have to drill/screw through. Seems destructive and ultimately unstable due to the squishiness of the rubber. OR I could screw through the headliner into the sheet metal above the slider track, with the mesh then bulging around the track's front curve. Seems ungraceful.

For the rear hatch, I have a plastic A/C shroud on the top and side pillars. The shroud is held in place with plastic trim nuts threaded onto studs in the body. The top center stud seems perfectly placed to hold a snap,,,but instead, it's just in the way since there's no way to attach a snap to it. In the other locations, can I just screw the snap into the plastic, or will they tear out? Getting to the back side to put nuts on bolts seems like an aggravating disassembly of the A/C ducting shrouds (a process that I used expletives on before).

Has anyone installed these products onto a tin-top, non-Westy, that has A/C in the back?

thanks, Ben

PS sorry for projecting my frustration at the group.

[11BC2]

I bought a pack of sheet metal screws and the correct size/opposite sex snaps, and had at it. It will take some time, but it isn't difficult to install.
When I get home, I'll see if I can take some pictures.

[bjrogers86auto]

Buy a roll of industrial velcro and put it where you think you might want it. If it doesn't work out you can adjust as required. The right hand side, looking out, has a little slit where it turns around the armrest of a westy. That may differ in a tin top. That's what I used as a starting point. It made sense because it lined up with something.

Once you are satisfied you can add snaps. I have velcro in between my snaps because around here(East Coast Canada) little bugs can get in wherever you give them a chance!

Good luck,
Brian
_________________
86 Vanagon GL Westfalia 2.1
18 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X
19 Honda Civic Hatchback

A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin and Hobbes.

[Vnyd Dog]

Apparently Kamzcab makes a magnetic version. Trying to get ahold but no replies so far. Kamz! Can I get a screen??
_________________
'87 Westy 1.8T Conversion, Orignal Owner, European Delivery @ Westfalia factory in Weidenbrueck.
The Story:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713391&highlight=life

[fishgo]

[Ciruelos]

http://www.gowesty.com/files/255-413,%20Sliding%20...85-91].pdf

After doing this installation myself, I'll emphasize a point from the instructions - you need patience for this job. Don't expect the final product to match up with some areas of the floor or around the sliding door curtain...or for it to eliminate 100% of flying friends. I'd also suggest replacing the stock "male" snaps with higher quality ones, or you'll find that pulling the screen off occasionally rips a male snap off the mounting.
Overall it does an adequate job. This is a case of not letting the perfect become the enemy of the good.
_________________
1985 Westfalia, 1.9L WBX

[Timwhy]

[danfromsyr]

when I put the snaps in my AC ducts of my tintop, I used a small drill bit and SS pop rivets.
when I unsnap the screen, I make sure my fingers are on both sides of the snap and lever it apart.
other people are not so caring and will just pull it from one corner like bed sheet. and chaos will eventually ensue.
often it's me flying over in a tirade of beratement over their carelessness

they don't understand, offer back a HUFF>.. and move on.. never learning the lesson to take care of XYZ parts. since they're never responsible for fixing or paying for it in the 1st place.
_________________

[bjrogers86auto]

People care less about your old van than you do Dan? Hmmmm....thought it was just me...


_________________
86 Vanagon GL Westfalia 2.1
18 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X
19 Honda Civic Hatchback

A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin and Hobbes.

[goubeaux]

[calo1956]

im surprised, I got mine from the Bus Depot as well, and the female snaps were on the screen, so i just started at the top, and worked my way down. Its a little fagazy but works. Bottom left does a flip flop, but all in all, it works awesome! If you need it, i could lay mine out and take a photo and PM it to you...

_________________
Enjoy the ride....
72 bug
80 westfalia

[drj434343]

Resurrecting this thread again...

I'm staring at this GW slider screen and my mock ups suggest it is too wide for the slider opening. The widest I can mount the snaps is about 49" apart, but the screen is 51" apart. This means the screen, once hung will have snignificant sag and seems like it will make zipping it up difficult.

Has anyone encountered this extra width?

[DuncanS]

All this sound like a lot of work. And why have zippers. If I were to do this I would start with

And then cut it down to size and either sew mag tape around the edge or use velcro.