On Nov 8, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:

> Hokay, So I removed the sliding door's inner panel to get at the  
> backside
> of the outer handle to find out why it was getting loose.
>
> Removal of the panel was much easier than I thought it would be. In my
> earlier thread ("Sliding door inner panel removal -- and gotchas?"  
> I got
> some good advice about getting that door off, taking care not to  
> break any
> of the plastic clips, using a trim removal tool to keep from  
> breaking the
> hardboard, etc., and I bought that trim removal tool from my FLAPS in
> preparation for the job.
>
> Only to find that the panel was held in place by eight or so oval-head
> screws in dress washers. All that needed to be done was take off  
> the two
> inner handles and those screws and it slid right off.
>
> Maybe the 1984 van have their panels mounted differently?

You panel attachment has been modified-stock 84 westy has the clip  
thingys  that we talked about-yours has been modified because of said  
issues mentioned earlier.  Later westies have the blind clips under  
the vinyl covering over the panel, which are much easier to remove &  
thus not applicable to the discussion in regards to stock 84's.
>
> ANYWAY, I found that the screw at the back end of the sliding door  
> handle
> was loose, which was good news because I didn't want to find the stem
> cracked.
>
> There seems to be a part missing, though. The illustration for the
> 1980-1984 front sliding door lock on page 58.2 in Bentleys shows three
> dingi on the handle stem: Seal, Trim Ring, and Spacer.
>
> On my handle, I found the spacer, no Seal, and a plastic part that  
> looks
> like it could be the Trim ring.
>
> But it is stamped "251.843.711" -- Bus Depot shows this part as the
> Escutcheon, for outside handle, 86-91 Vanagon.
>
> Bentleys shows the Escutcheon on page 58.18 (From 1985 m.y.)
>
> Did I mention that this is a 1984 Vanagon?
>
> How the heck did this van get a 1985 Escutcheon? Do I need a Seal?
>
> ALSO, There is a black ring on the outside of the sliding door itself,
> surrounding the hole for the handle. It's like a thin black washer  
> stuck
> to the paint. It's hard to say what that is or was. A vinyl decorative
> appliqu� bit? Or the remaining traces of a substantial part that might
> have vanished, like the mysterious Seal?

Sounds like it.  The seal  rots away & the door handle does not mount  
as solidly as when that seal is replaced,

YMMV,

Mr. BZ-missing the same part
>
> --
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> 74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
> Bend, OR
> KG6RCR

Tom Buese
tombuese@comcast.net