Sliding Door Hinge Assy Refresh FAQ

[SBL74]

I have a 1973 Campmobile, and my problem is that the door needs extra oomph at the very end of closing, by pushing "in" with your left hand placed on the left side of the door, while sliding the door it forward with your right hand at the handle.

It opens easily, and rides on the track effortlessly. If I use the left hand method, it closes ok most of the time. If I don't, it closes but it is not flush, which is best seen on the left side.

I think it may be this piece of weatherstripping at the bottom, that gets caught in the seam.

The test would be to cut it out (?) or someway reposition it (it is glued in very well). And if I am wrong, then I have messed up that seal, although it is not right anyway.

Any suggestions?

steve

[SBL74]

Well, I taped that weatherstripping back, and it is well interior now, and the door still behaves as described. Basically the front of the door goes in, but about 1/2 inch of the back (left as you look at it) does not unless you use the technique and more muscle that I think should be necessary. Is this an alignment issue?

[busdaddy]

That seal definitely has some issues and likely isn't helping with the final latching of the rear striker. But in case you aren't aware a 73 slider requires you to turn the handle fully upwards (back on the inside) until it clicks to draw in and latch the rear of the door, even if it has the correct seal.

Sometimes on a summer day when the seals are really soft and all the windows are open you can get the rear to latch with just a good slam, but in most cases it needs a handle turn to finish the job.
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[SBL74]

Bus daddy,

I DID NOT know that. Easy enough to check tomorrow. Thank you.

steve

[vwwestyman]

That feature (pull the handle up to latch) confuses a lot of people nowadays, but it is actually quite nice because it prevents you from having to slam the door and therefore results in quieter operation.
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[SBL74]

I am amazed. I tried it. The door closes at the front with very little effort, and then you pull up the leaver and the back end of the door pulls in flush.

Thank you.

steve

[vwwestyman]

Nice!

It is very refined, indeed when compared to the slamming the later buses require!

I bet you'll find the interior sliding door lock works now, too.
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[markd89]

The rear of my sliding door no longer pops out away from the bus when the door is opened. This just started happening.

I have been a bad bus owner and haven't lubed it recently, but as there is no hint of springiness where there was some last week, I'm thinking that the long spring or something else has broken.

Anyone have this happen? What was the cause?

Thanks,
Mark

78 Bus

[Antigrav]

[cellobus1]

[NorCalWeekender]

I'd originally started following this thread because I knew I was going to have to swap out my nylon block. Turned out my entire roller unit was broken and needed replacing. This thread was invaluable. Thanks so much!
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9th Owner of a 1971 Tintop Westy

"Eventually, we sold to a guy for $500 who towed it away to live in it in his parents' driveway. We didn't think it would ever avoid the junk heap on that day." -The 3rd Owner, 1995

[61Ragster]

(Photo from above, by cdennisg. Thank you, cdennisg)

Has anyone replaced this failed (assumed bronze) bushing or found an acceptable work-around?

[SLVRSRFR]

https://www.busdepot.com/j18875
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Brian

'78 westy, '64 sedan

[61Ragster]

Perfect! Thank you SLVRSRFR.
Have you or anyone else had the pleasure of performing this sort of corrective maintence? Easy? Difficult? A press fit? Freeze the bushing and heat the door-actuating-spring mounting case? Any special tools required? Just wanted to ask, and maybe avoid any surprises.

[SLVRSRFR]

I had no problems just tapping them out from the other side with a brass drift...
If I remember right they were not too tight in there.

And because I love the before and after shots - here is mine...!

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Brian

'78 westy, '64 sedan

[61Ragster]

Nice! Like brand new!
Thanks, Brian.
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[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate2-12938.png]Click to view image[/URL]

[airschooled]

Now THAT needs filtering from forum users at work! Do I smell zinc? 🙃

I hope your door rolls as well as it looks,
Robbie
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[SLVRSRFR]

For the first time in 20 years I have a sliding door that people other than myself can operate (without the very likely possibility of it falling off) - it is a think of beauty!
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Brian

'78 westy, '64 sedan

[mcdonaldneal]

I have recently serviced the whole of my sliding door assembly, thanks to this amazing thread, along with Colin’s roller assembly thread:
Roller refresh thread

I was nervous taking the project on, but it turned out to be fairly straightforward. I’ll post up a few pictures of the component assemblies you end up dealing with as it might help people orientate themselves.

First off, the rear latch mechanism and the forward door lock. The springs on the latch can be released to help with cleaning, but the lock doesn’t come apart:

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1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

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[mcdonaldneal]

This is the latch from the outside, and the hinge assembly from the outside, before removal:

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1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!