I had this same problem a while back.  I ended up removing the lock from the
van, soaking it in degreaser, then relubing it.  I don't have my bentley handy,
but as I recall, removing the lock is a fairly simple affair once you get the
taiilgate panel off.  Toget the panel off, I used a tool I made from a thin
piece of metal (about the size of a wide ruler) with a V cut in the end.  You
can use this to lever off the panel clips without breaking anything.  Once the
panel is off, pull out the insulation, and I think you'll find the lock is
relatively easy to remove.  It;s also a good time to spray some rust check on
the inside of the tailgate.  Also, when you put it all back together again, put
some thicker and better insulation in there.  When I had to pull the interior
out of my van this summer I took out all the panels and refilled it with nice
new pink fiberglass insulation.  I now find it much comfier for sleeping in, and
it stays colder in the heat, and warmer in the cold.

greg.
82 westy.

David O'Shea wrote:

> I can no longer rotate the key in the lock of the rear hatch of my '83
> Vanagon. Luckily it's stuck in the unlocked position. Lubricating it in
> place was no help. I thought I'd try removing it from the van, flushing it
> with brake cleaner, lubing it with teflon spray lubricant in order to free
> it up. If that fails, I'll take it to the locksmith for a little
> professional TLC.
>
> Questions:
> How does one remove the rear lock cylinder from the hatch? ..does the entire
> latch mechanism need to come out of the door? None of this is clear from a
> quick review of my Bentley.
>
> My typical M.O. is to just dive right in and start taking things apart. Half
> the time I end up creating more work than necessary. This time I thought I'd
> check with y'all first.
>
> Any bright ideas appreciated.
>
> -Dave O'Shea