Closing the sliding door from the inside...is there a trick?

As @Top Banana Racing said up there ^ if its a 72 or 73 you can lift the handle to swing the back end of the door in, I think indicator to this is if your outside has the lock in the handle itself.

Other than that, Is it a new seal? and is it the correct seal, fitted the correct way round?

 

leaving the door open can work for some , you never know your luck

 

If anyone actually knows who does the plates then let me know or if someone can make some up? Ive worked out how to make one in my head which shouldn't be too difficult but the real deal or a repro would be preferable!

 

They're just a small metal plate with a tapped square-section rod peened into them.

 

That's kind of what I was looking at making. Flat plate with tapped square bar - countersunk screw from back, standard handle screw/bolted through as per normal handle. But if its a few quid to buy one then why bother!

 

That's it. Someone does make them, tho'

 

Here you go: http://have-a-nice-bay.nl/product_info.php?products_id=7590

 

thanks.

 

Ouch - can see why you said make one. Havent worked out the postage yet!

 

Email them, I had something from them recently though i cant remember what. The postage wasn't too bad, They also come to some shows over here.

 

At night I shut it from the outside then climb in through the drivers door so not to wake everyone up if takes a few slams

 

i wounder if something like this would work
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FREE-P-P-...284?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2c9868b65c

 

Take the rear latch mechanism out and clean the 35+ year old dried out grease off, then re-grease and re-fit, adjust and then it will shut really easily. I did this and it shuts like a dream now, no run up required

 

So, here's a debate....... What grease?!?!?!?!?!

 

Not really a debating point, just general purpose grease

 

You are meant to use the rounded metal plate above the handle which engages with the latch when the door is open as the handle to push the door shut as you will break the plastic handle trying to close the door.
And then fit a little pull handle at the

 

I couldn't open the door from the indide, let alone close it. So I took the door card off to see what was wrong. Turned out to be a simple solution of tightening the wire cable from the handle to the rear latch. Now it opens easily and closes fine but I use the handle, lifting it as I slide the door forward. This helps to engage the latch and is also used for closing the door from the outside as well.

 

Just checking - everything greased up ok?

 

Thats what ours had, probably though the door mech does need some tlc, i had ours closing a treat both inside and out, outside without having to push the back in, ie just with the handle ( as vw designed), now van is with new owners!

 

So....I had a further poke around yesterday evening, following on from all the posts - Thanks, BTW.

• The upper & lower tracks are well greased, but the rollers attached to the top & bottom of the door that run in the upper & lower tracks have a little play. Maybe up to 1/8th of an inch, or so. This is not play in the spindles...its as a result of their diameter in relation to the width of the track. This seems to be the cause of the front catch not catching when I close the door fro the inside - the 'finger' on the door lock fractionally misses the hole on the 'striker plate' on the B-post. The solution is to ensure I slightly pull the door towards me as I close it (not a problem from the outside, as I'm pushing it anyway).
• The rest of the mechanism seems to be in good condition & well greased.

The root of the 'closing from the inside' problem seems to be that once the front lock has caught, the bear claw on the rear of the door takes quite a push/pull to fully engage. Without pushing or pulling, the claw itself touches the pin (that it hooks on to), but extra effort is needed to cause the claw to wrap round the pin & lock in the closed position. I've only managed to do this dynamically - the added momentum from closing the door is needed to get the lock to catch, I can't close it slowly, then just push (or pull) it until it catches.

There is clearly something getting in the way here...the rubbers are not obviously to blame. I'll keep investigating...

Also, I spotted the 2 rear support bolts that are on the door - where the suggestion has been to mount an addition handle or strap...that sounds like a potential fix...but I'd prefer to get the door working properly, rather than just patch the problem.

If the issue is question of adjustment, as opposed to something getting in the way...where/how are these doors adjusted?!

cheers

P.