The bed in my 87 Vanagon GL (not a pop-top) is hard to unfold and
seems to be getting worse.  I have to pull up very hard on the handle
and often give it a hard whack on one side to get the catches to
release if from upright position.  Yesterday I took a look at the
little plastic-shrouded metal pin on the side that seems to be the
problem and found it to be loose.

Is this a know problem for which there are known solutions?  Has
anyone any advice to offer?  I'm thinking of at least trying to
tighten up the pin in question.  Perhaps I should also squirt a load
of lithium grease into the various mechanisms?

Help.

Tim Leek
Technical Staff
MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Lexington, MA, 02144
tleek@ll.mit.edu