I have actually had better luck with a 3/8 inch drive large Phillips
“socket” than with an impact driver. You can really put the torque to it
with an 8 or 10 inch wrench, but it’s critical that the socket is an exact
fit to the screw head and not an approximation.

Jim

On Wed, Dec 7, 2022 at 6:56 PM Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:

> Impact driver, manual kind. And they do work. Good tip dave.
>
> Other way wouldn’t be impact gun.
>
> Or a big square shanked Phillips screw driver, hit the end of then driver
> with hammer to try to break the hold, then a wrench on the shank of the
> driver to turn, pressing down with other hand to keep driver in screw head.
>
> Ab
>
> > On Dec 7, 2022, at 2:52 PM, ddbjorkman@verizon.net wrote:
> >
> > A tool is available, I don't know the name, made for turning
> ultra-tight screws.  It is a cylinder probably twice the diameter of a
> normal heavy screwdriver.  It is made so that one seats the driver end
> (phillips or straight) into the problem screw and then you slam the other
> end of the cylinder with a heavy hammer.  It turns the screwdriver end, by
> means of an internal thread in the cylinder, about a 1/4 to 1/2 turn and
> breaks it free.  The pressure from being hit keeps the driver in the
> screwhead and does not damage it.Ask the list what it's called (I wish I
> could) and see if you can get one.
> > Dave Bthe Boston one
> > P.S.  Merry Christmas and hopes for a healthy and happy New Year!!
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Eric Caron <ericcaron96@COMCAST.NET>
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Sent: Tue, Dec 6, 2022 9:46 am
> > Subject: Re: [VANAGON] Tips on rear hatch lock adjustment
> >
> > Thanks Dan,
> >
> >         I’m learning and will get there.
> >
> > I’ve been able to turn out and in the side plastic, or rubber hatch
> bumpers.  So far that makes no difference.
> >
> > I’ve also moved the latch on the hatch bottom in and out.  I’m settled
> on in toward the front of the van as slightly better.
> >
> > Pushing on the hatch seems to make it easier to open.  I’m dreading
> working on the striker plate on the rear deck as I’m afraid of messing up
> those screws.
> >
> > But, I soaked them last night in BP Blaster and plan to see if I can
> move that.  I think it needs to go back toward the rear of the van.
> Compared to my 85 that opens easily the striker plate seems more forward on
> the 84.
> >
> > Again any tips or experiences appreciated.
> >
> >         Amazing that I’m still learning about these vans after all these
> years.
> >
> > Eric
> >
> >
> >> On Dec 5, 2022, at 9:42 PM, Dan N <dn92610@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> >>
> >> in my experience/trouble with the rear hatch... but you may find
> something
> >> differently... There are 3 points to adjust the rear hatch...
> >> - The center latch mechanism (moving it in and out slightly)
> >> - The 2 rubber bumpers on the left and right side of the body. Turning
> them
> >> to the Left to move them out, turning them to the right to move them in.
> >> - Move them OUT too much and make the hatch hard to catch...
> >> - Move them IN too much and make the hatch hard to open...
> >>
> >>> On Mon, Dec 5, 2022 at 6:14 PM Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Turn to the right to increase the height, turn to the left to increase
> the
> >>> depth.
> >>>
> >>> Jim
> >>>
> >>>> On Mon, Dec 5, 2022 at 8:04 PM Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net>
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> OK,  Now I understand what plastic bumpers we are talking about!
> >>>>
> >>>> So, looking at those rubber and plastic stops, how do I adjust them
> in or
> >>>> out?  I feel a nut shaped exterior but it looks fragile.  Do I somehow
> >>> turn
> >>>> that or does the rubber end pull off?  Or does it adjust from the
> inside.
> >>>>
> >>>> I want to avoid braking the stop so knowing how it works would help.
> >>>> Eric
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>> On Dec 5, 2022, at 8:22 PM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Plastic bumpers: extreme left and right of the back hatch opening,
> not
> >>> on
> >>>>> the door.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Jim
> >>>>>
> >>>>> On Mon, Dec 5, 2022 at 6:44 PM Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net>
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> OK,
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>       I need a little more simple direction here.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> I don’t know where there are two plastic bumpers.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> If the Striker plate is on the deck then I see a little rectangle
> >>> rubber
> >>>>>> thing on the left and the post on the right.  I feel three Philip
> head
> >>>>>> screw.
> >>>>>> The screws seem very locked in place.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Not sure how to proceed to make it so the hatch will go a bit more
> >>>> forward.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> On the hatch side I have three hex head bolts.  They are able to
> turn.
> >>>>>> This has the moving latch.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>       I have noticed that pushing on the hatch makes it easier to
> >>> open
> >>>>>> so I need to figure out how to adjust something.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Another description of how to adjust from a blind perspective of the
> >>>> rear
> >>>>>> hatch parts is greatly appreciated!
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Eric Caron
> >>>>>> 84 Westfalia
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On Dec 3, 2022, at 8:56 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Sorry ' made mistake in last message…set the striker plate more
> >>> forward
> >>>>>> than original when testing first…..
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Alistair
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> On Dec 3, 2022, at 4:44 PM, Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net>
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Hi folks,
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>     My 84 rear hatch is hard to open because the lock button takes
> >>> a
> >>>>>> great deal of thumb pressure to disengage.  My 85 is much easier.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Can someone give me some tips on what can be tried to relieve the
> >>>>>> pressure a bit?  I’m guessing there is some adjustment on the latch
> >>>>>> somewhere but this is not something I’ve done before.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Tips on my starting place appreciated.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Eric Caron
> >>>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>
>