Jack -

I would do that incrementally at first on the striker plate.  I did
that on mine and had a devil of a time getting it open again with a
new seal.

Just my nickel's worth ;-)

--
Jim Thompson
84 GL 1.9 "Gloria"
84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
75 914 1.8 "Nancy"
Full Timing From March 1999 To January 2012
oldvolkshome@gmail.com
http://www.oldvolkshome.com
Find me on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Thompson/100000710343835
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On Sun, Sep 23, 2012 at 12:42 PM, Rocket J Squirrel
<camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote:
> Huh -- it never occured to me that the striker plate might be
> adjustable. Shows how little I know about how these things are put
> together.
>
> Using a slip of paper to test the seal tightness I find that the sides
> and top of the hatch seal very tightly, but the lower edge not so much.
> So I've slid the plate all the way forward now to see if it reduces dust
> ingress.
>
>
> --
> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
> 1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
> Bend, Ore.
>
> On 09/23/2012 11:47 AM, Alistair Bell wrote:
>>
>> I got a little bit of same issue. Rear hatch just barely does a good job
>> sealing. I can see that the hatch is not quite aligned perfectly and I have
>> fiddled with lock striker plate and the 2 screw in stops on either side.
>>
>> That did get me an adequate seal (procedure in Bentley, funnily enough),
>> but I need to work on the hinges to get  hatch perfect, but that needs a
>> helper....
>>
>> alistair
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 2012-09-23, at 10:57 AM, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
>>
>>> A couple years ago, my van was struck by a parked 70s bay window VW bus
>>> which had been struck by a passing car.
>>>
>>> <https://www.dropbox.com/s/oflgt0o802iffgq/IMG_1951.JPG>
>>>
>>> The body shop did a pretty good job replacing parts and getting things
>>> to fit again, but the rear hatch doesn't seal as tightly as it used to
>>> and I get a lot of dust coming in the back. The existing
>>> weatherstrip/gasketing is in good shape, I guess the issue is that the
>>> door no longer seals as tightly against the body as it used to.
>>>
>>> I'd like to figure out a way to improve the seal. Ideas?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
>>> 1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
>>> Bend, Ore.