The sliding door on our '76 Kombi works pretty well when opened from the inside but lately it's been getting hard and harder to open it from the outside i.e. you need to push REALLY hard on the outside handle to get it to budge (sometimes it won't and you have to jump in and open it from the inside) before it will slide.

Suggestions please as it's becoming a real pain, especially in the cold weather on your hands!

Scot

Ther a pain in the back side I can suggest that you pull it all apart and clean it if your confident. Lubricate it will oil after cleaning.

However if you want someone to look at it call Boris at Vintage 9789-1777.

They do take a bit of time so cost will be labour if nothing is broken.

the rollers sometime collapse and you have to get another one from a different lock.

The easy way: turn the handle on the outside with your left hand, and at the same time use the fingers of your right hand to pull the back edge of the door outwards. It only needs a little pull to get it started.

Thanks for the replies.

Purple Martin, sorry I should have explained it a bit better, the sliding part is ok, it just seems that the handle doesn't go down easily all the way to enable you to begin the slide. Does that make any more sense?

Dave, tempted by your suggestion to pull it apart. In the last three weeks I've pulled apart and fixed problems with the TV, clothes dryer and fridge at home so who knows I may have some success or maybe I've used up all my good fortune! Anyway if that doesn't work I will take on your suggestion and call the pros in.

Cheers

In the meantime, I used to have the same problem with my door and found it helped if you pull the handle down, then jiggle the handle firmly. Not too hard to remember, because it seems the natural thing to do when you get frustrated anyway!

As Dave said, it probably needs to be pulled apart, cleaned and inspected. :thumb

i used to jiggle the handle, then when that didnt work i used my right hand like purple suggested, i have now gotten to a problem point, but it looks like the rod that connects the mechanism to the handle has just come loose, check that on yours maybe, its easy to adjust.

Sound smore and more like the pull apart job but will I find the time before Valla :o

Thanks for all the suggestions though

Different door, but my crew cab door was really giving me heaps, all seemed okay, but it wouldn't close.
Took it out of the door, found the 30 something grease had solidified, and gave it a kero bath (not just for retirement home inmates) overnight and gave it a good brushing.

Dry thoroughly, then cooked up some motorcycle chain grease, the real stuff you melt, not the aerosol. Immerse the lock mechanism fully, then hang over the grease. The excess hot liquid grease drips out of the mechanism leaving everything well lubricated, reaches the parts you can't.

yeah thats a great method of lubricating locks. Makes them actually work.