> Date: Fri, 22 Nov 1996 11:19:25 -0900
> From: vwvan82@ptialaska.net (Lotus Blossom)
> To: vanagon@lenti
> Subject: Sliding Door Handle

> Argh! My outside sliding door handle broke off yesterday. Broke!
> The metal inside just under the lock looks like it was ripped
> apart by some wild beast. Is this handle going to be easy to find
> and replace? Any ideas on the best place to go for it? My Vanagon
> is an '82 GL. Oh, another thing -- does anyone know if it is

Not an uncommon problem, particularly on pre-85 Vanagons.  I
recently disassembled my sliding door hardware just to clean
everything up and relubricate and unstick the lock where the key
goes in.  Off hand, I'd try Recycled Parts in Michigan as VW or a
junkyard, as VW will probably want the grandson for a new
handle.

> "safe" for me to use the inside handle to open and close the
> door, or is that one in danger of falling off, too? The drawing
> in the Haynes manual leads me to believe the handles were not
> attatched in a straight line. Thanks for any help.

Not positive on '82, but it's probably the same as my '84.  Safe?
Sure.  The outside handle is held in place by a washer/screw on
the inside.  Inside handle has another washer/screw on a separate
axis.  To tell for sure, you have to remove the panel/cover to
expose the lock.  If you can unscrew and remove the square shaft
of the outside handle and see the separate shaft for the inside
handle, it's not in danger of losing the inside handle too.
Inside handles have a tendency to break as well, though.  I ended
up putting one made of splitanium on the inside (off a '67) to
replace the original which broke.

-Jim Bryant