Sean,

I'm still in the process of repairing the droopy handle, using the
Alistair Bell system attached.

Tom Hanlom
Palm Springs, CA
84 Westfalia

Alistair Bell wrote:
>
> Tom wrote compaining of a droopy handle...
>
> Some thoughts...
>
> Remove the interior handle, held on by a screw which is probably loose.
> Remove the rear handle if present.
>
> Take the door panel off, do this in a warm place or else you will break at
> least one of the plastic clips. A putty knife is handy for prying.
>
> Have a look at mechanism. Note the cable running to the rear latch
> mechanism. The tension of this cable can be adjusted which affects the ease
> of latching/unlatching the rear meachanism.
>
> You can remove the outside handle and have a look at the plastic "washer"
> that goes between the handle and the door, maybe its worn out?
>
> Replace both inner and outer handles, use locktight on the screw that hold
> the inner handle on. If that screw is tightened too much the handle is
> stiff, too little and your handle droops.
>
> Its a compromise, all the parts are getting worn and old.
>
> Clean and lubricate lightly both the front and rear latches. I found some
> stuff at CT called, and I kid you not, "Nutz-Ease" which works well on
> locks (despite the name it doesn't seem to makes things stiffen up in the
> cold).
>
> Have a look at the spring loaded mechanism at the rear of the door that
> travels along the rail on the side of the body. Its the "U" shaped bit.
> Clean and lube that too. If that part is cruddy and bound, the rear of the
> door will not pop out smarlty when you open the door and the interior rear
> handle (if fitted) can hit-scrape the body door opening.
>
> Clean and lube the top and bottom door glide assemblies. The top is a nylon
> block and needs more cleaning than lube, the bottom is a two wheel assembly
> which is no doubt filty and gritty.
>
> If you notice that the bottom "track" in the door opening is scraped at the
> point where it makes a bend into the van then you might be want to do the
> following fix.
>
> The scraping is made by the bottom L shaped bracket that supports the front
> of the door. Actually the scraping is being made by the cast metall part
> attached to the "L" shaped bracket. The bracket is held onto the door by
> two 13mm bolts. Support the door and marke the position of the bolts before
> removing them. Now you have the L shaped assembly complete wtih crungy
> wheels that you can take to the benche and really clean.
>
>  Now to correct the age induced sag, undo the two 13mm bolts that hold the
> cast metal wheel piece to the stamped metal L shaped bracket. Find a washer
> similar to the ones used on the bracket. Place that washer BETWEEN the cast
> metal part and the bracket and lining up with the INBOARD bolt. Put both
> bolts back on an tighten. Now the cast assembly is cocked slightly (by the
> thickness on one washer) with respect to the bracket.
>
> Put the bracket back on the door and realign/tighten bolts.
>
> The door should open and close easily reducing the wear and tear on that
> poor handle!
>
> I apologize for such a sketchy outline, but its late....
>
> Alistair