Fixing slider window rattle

[AbqWesty]

[Saguache]

Thanks MightyArt,

I've been looking for these guides forever. Just ordered a few for Zeno and I'm excited because the right side slider won't wiggle open any more. Its cold out there!
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Matt Thyer
http://zenoswagen.wordpress.com/

[MarkWard]

Art, thanks for sharing. I too thought these were NLA.

What slider guide? Kidding.

Replacing the guides seems much easier. mark
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[FNGRUVN]

I thought I got really lucky the other day when I saw these plastic pieces offered at Van Cafe. I thought they were NLA. I remember seeing posts from people that were carving them out of plastic, so I bought a bunch of them.

Since none of the vendors sells a "kit" to rebuild the slider windows, I went looking for alternative replacements. The felt strips I found at Home Depot. They come in a 17' roll for about $5. Made by MD and referred to as storm door & window replacement weatherstrip(item#04267).

I noticed that the upper felt channel that the slider rides in is the same as the felt channel for the front edge of the front window. GoWesty sells the front window channel but not the channel for the slider. I called GW and asked them why couldn't their supplier just cut some a little longer and they could sell it for the slider. Well, there's no way that could possibly be done according to the guy I talked to, so I went on a hunt for a decent replacement. I think I found something that might work pretty well. JC Whitney sells it. Item# 18-4879. You can request a free sample(item#665557) to see for yourself if it will work.
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"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin

[shizzon]

Does this help seal the sliding window into place better? My sliding window whistles when I'm driving with a crosswind, and I'm wondering if I need to replace this guide piece (which is missing), or pull the window and change the felt.
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1989 Bostig Syncro Westy

[slunk33]

Would this fix a window that doesn't lock? My driver's side won't latch, its nice if I were to lock my keys in, but it also poses a security risk.

Thanks!
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Current VW's:
'70 Standard Beetle Convertible, '89 Vanagon Wolfsburg (Bluestar) "Gonzo", Peg-Perego Magica

Former VW's:
'72 Bus, '75 Bus, '78 Sunroof Bus, '87 Vanagon GL, '00 Jetta TDI (Gas companies don't miss her, but I do), '04 Passat Wagon

[Pascal]

I believe the only ones available are for the later vanagon. They have a small lock/barb (like you can see in the picture) that mecanically hold them into position. The earlier vanagons did not have this barb and they had to be glued into place. My '84 Westy had the glue inplace kind and I could not find them anywhere. I got the newer kind with the barb and then used a dremel to cut a small notch inside the window chanell to accept the barb so it would stay in place. I had to take the window out to do this. Gettign the window out requires you to remove the rubber felt channel and the window latch. I then used carpenters clamps to slightly spred the window fram appart and the window comes out relatively easy.

[RCB]

Thankx much art....I think I'll order up a few

[tencentlife]

I second that. Just redid one of my windows, and they are a very tight fit. One went in pretty smoothly, the other gave me a bear of a time, but I managed not to break it. Having extras would be good because of that risk, and they're pretty cheap.

[mightyart]

http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=281847723B
Buy one or two extra in case you bugger one up putting it in, they go in tight.
It's a dealer part so it might take a couple of weeks to get it.

[RCB]

Greetings mightyart.............Wow, you must have ESP. Today Im at the local park putting a coat of wax on Madam Helga (shes been acting OK so I felt the need to reward her) and noticed the small popsicle stick I fashioned to keep the sliders quiet had just wasted away so I whittled a few more to take their place.
This afternoon I log onto the Samba for the third time today (NO!!!! I am not an addict, I swear!!!!!!!!! ) and lo and behold I come by your timely posting.
Do you have a part number for that critter or the heading under which you found the part?
Bus Depot is a favorite of mine and Im putting together a "buy it list" and would like to order a few of those as well.
Best 2U,
RCB

[mightyart]

Long ago when your Vanagon was new it left the dealership all nice and tight and rattle free, over time parts have become worn, worked loose, or have fallen off.
A simple part of soundproofing is finding and fixing the small problems, one of them is the slider windows.
When your Vanagon was new it had two small plastic pieces that kept the window tight on the track.
Over time these break, or fall out making the slider loose.

Does your slider windows look like this ? they are missing something.

This is the part, two go on the bottom track of each slider, I ordered mine from Bus Depot, they are relitively cheap, you may want to order an extra in case you "chew" one up to bad putting it in.

I used a pair of needle nose vice grips to compress it and slide it in, a shot of WD-40 helped also.
They put up a good fight going in. also make sure all the old one is out before trying to put a new one in.

All in and ready for another 25 years.