my quarter lights and me need help !!

Thin bits of metal and bright blue light. Including glass & trim.

Moderators: User administrators, Moderators

zak
Registered user
Posts: 123
Joined: 18 Jan 2009, 00:38
80-90 Mem No: 11553
Location: Deepest Essex

my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by zak »

Hi

Can you help please got a few problemettes with the quarter lights.

The driver side latch is wobbling around on the glass, I took off the latch part by pushing the roll pin out but could'nt tighten the spindle at all on the glass, it is a screw fit right?? I soaked it with penetrating and will have another go over the weekend, (maybe undoing this time) can I get a replacement anywhere if it all goes pete tong ? Should there be a felt washer or something under the round part on the outside?

The Torx screw on bottom hinge was very loose so tightened em up a little but scared of breaking the glass, should there be a felt washer or silicone etc under the screw etc.?

Also got the whistling thing so suppose I'll be looking at new rubbers sometime in the future, but did a 'temporary' repair today with some sticky back neoprene strip on the glass edge which seems to have reduced the whistle.

rgds

Les
RHD Holdsworth Syncro

Cruz
Registered user
Posts: 3919
Joined: 12 Oct 2005, 10:40
80-90 Mem No: 2092

Re: my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by Cruz »

I've never taken a catch apart but here's a parts list. Some of the parts MAY be available from VW Commercial dealers. V heritage or VW classic Parts

http://autopartmaster.com/en/?action=ca ... VOLKSWAGEN" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Typ 2 1990 Кузов

zak
Registered user
Posts: 123
Joined: 18 Jan 2009, 00:38
80-90 Mem No: 11553
Location: Deepest Essex

Re: my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by zak »

Thanks Cruz, that's useful.

My main problem is with the spindle or axle for the opening latch. (think its parts 3a 11, 12, 13, 14 in your link). Its loose and wobbling about on the glass. Maybe its not a screw for but pressed on.

Anyone have any experience here?

rgds

Les
RHD Holdsworth Syncro

bootie3367
Registered user
Posts: 278
Joined: 28 Nov 2011, 17:48
80-90 Mem No: 10560
Location: Enix pueblo, Almeria, Spain

Re: my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by bootie3367 »

2 years on and I found this thread after searching for a 'how to' to fit opening quarter lights.
So in reply, there is no felt or extra rubber on the latch. It is a screw fit just not very deep. If the old rubber washer has become perished then that would cause the 'looseness' as described.
I have taken photos and will post them up later.
I have a set of glass and rubber seals ready to be fitted to the alloy frames I bought a couple of months ago........so I thought I would take them all apart and see what's what. The inserts in the glass appear to be lead or a very soft metal, the screws for the hinges are very short, wide head torx and there is a narrow washer that sits between the glass and the screw. I guess over time the lead insert can be mishapen and start to protrude through with a subsequent tightening every now and then, this is all speculation on my part judging from what I saw when dismantled. I suppose it would indeed be possible to make a very thin gasket to fit between the glass and the hinge side, probably about 1mm thick to give back some thread to the screw side and make this tight on the glass again.
I know what you mean about not wanting to overtighten for fear of cracking the glass!
As for the latch part, I very carefully took out the roll pin then gripping the security headed flat bolt with needle nose pliers proceeded to undo the latch from that (very short) screw, once out and removed from glass it is easy to see the original fitment could indeed have wear and become loose despite the presence of a wavy spring washer. Again it should be possible with thin rubber as a gasket to make this tight again. I will be experimenting over the next day or so and hopefully if the camera keeps working be able to post up results.
Personally I don't think felt would suffice as it would tend to suck up any moisture and very quickly deteriorate. It's possible a fibre washer of say 1mm thickness would suffice, I will take some more measurements tonight to determine the depth of the threads and the length of the threaded part of the machine screws.

So, the measurements, depth of the threaded hole is 3mm, the thread on the security bolt is 7mm, when screwed in moderately tight, the distance between the two inside faces is 7mm. The glass thickness is 5mm so the rubber washer should be and is 2mm. I would say when tightened it would compress about 1/2mm and probably with age would stay that thickness. A possible solution to alleviate that rattle or looseness would be to increase washer thickness to 2.5mm?


Hope this is some help.
Cheers
Jon
'89 Westy Joker Hitop
1.6TD JX engine

User avatar
CovKid
Trader
Posts: 8409
Joined: 30 Apr 2006, 13:19
80-90 Mem No: 3529
Location: Ralph - Coventry (Retired)
Contact:

Re: my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by CovKid »

Pics very useful Jon. I'll WIKI it for you then. Quarterlights tend to be a dark art. :)
Roller paint your camper at home: http://roller.epizy.com/55554/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for MP4 download.

bootie3367
Registered user
Posts: 278
Joined: 28 Nov 2011, 17:48
80-90 Mem No: 10560
Location: Enix pueblo, Almeria, Spain

Re: my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by bootie3367 »

Some pics.
Image is the component parts of the latch, you can see the slightly perished rubber washer.
Image is the glass in situ in the new frames
Image you can see there is scope for an additional thin rubber gasket between the glass and hinge
Image same as this one, scope for additional gasket
Image best view of lead? insert in glass, the others are a bit manky still, they will be cleaned up prior to final fitting.
Image the bolts and hard washers, these washers fit over the slight protrusion of the insert to level it off.

More pics as work goes on.

Quick question, what do others use to clean the rubber seal, not so much the outside, but where the old frame rotted away leaving rust residue inside the seal, so far I have only been carefully scraping the worst away but I would also be looking for something to help keep the seals supple, any ideas/tricks/experience?

Cheers
Jon
'89 Westy Joker Hitop
1.6TD JX engine

User avatar
CovKid
Trader
Posts: 8409
Joined: 30 Apr 2006, 13:19
80-90 Mem No: 3529
Location: Ralph - Coventry (Retired)
Contact:

Re: my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by CovKid »

If you are chummy with someone in the print trade, a small quantity of Methy Ethyl Ketone (MEK) will do that perfectly but to my knowledge its not available in any shop.
Roller paint your camper at home: http://roller.epizy.com/55554/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for MP4 download.

bootie3367
Registered user
Posts: 278
Joined: 28 Nov 2011, 17:48
80-90 Mem No: 10560
Location: Enix pueblo, Almeria, Spain

Re: my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by bootie3367 »

Did a bit of research and found out ATF is good stuff, apparently it's designed to help prolong life for all the seals in a slush box. I made do with silicone spray seeing as I had a newish tin anyway!

Some before and afters here
Before
Image
Image
Image
After
Image
Image
Image
Fitted to frame
Image
Glass loosely fitted to check fit and see where I may need to 'plump up' the sealing face
Image

So next question is, what do I do with the frames?
Leave as is
Image
Or paint black before fitting, bearing in mind they are all alloy........suggestions?

Maybe even have time to fit them tomorrow, depends on how good the fiesta is tonight!!!!

Cheers
Jon
'89 Westy Joker Hitop
1.6TD JX engine

Plasticman
Trader
Posts: 8047
Joined: 12 Oct 2005, 20:55
80-90 Mem No: 1948
Location: lincolnshire

Re: my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by Plasticman »

anodise black
mm
good picks too

bootie3367
Registered user
Posts: 278
Joined: 28 Nov 2011, 17:48
80-90 Mem No: 10560
Location: Enix pueblo, Almeria, Spain

Re: my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by bootie3367 »

Aye, I thought anodised as well, don't know of any around here but will look into it.
Gonna have a go today at fitting one side just temporary for now.
Going away to work tomorrow for a month so will refit the fixed quarterlight then see about getting them anodised..... depends on how it looks with bare ally.
'89 Westy Joker Hitop
1.6TD JX engine

bootie3367
Registered user
Posts: 278
Joined: 28 Nov 2011, 17:48
80-90 Mem No: 10560
Location: Enix pueblo, Almeria, Spain

Re: my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by bootie3367 »

I really didn't need to go any further than take out the existing upright post, of course you will all know that it comes out the bottom of the door!
Therin lies the problem. The opening quaterlight frame is in one piece, riveted at the two joins.
There is no way that the fixed frame is going in!

Duly replaced the fixed quarterlight and am now looking at modification to the fixed frame by way of drilling out rivets and fitting with some kind of captive nut at the joints. This will now not be done until I get back home at the beginning of November.

Regards

Jon
'89 Westy Joker Hitop
1.6TD JX engine

bootie3367
Registered user
Posts: 278
Joined: 28 Nov 2011, 17:48
80-90 Mem No: 10560
Location: Enix pueblo, Almeria, Spain

Re: my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by bootie3367 »

So now I'm back at work..... waiting for the cargo work to complete before getting underway, rig tow to Nigeria from Congo, slightly bored and thinking ahead to that job......
Does anyone have an exploded view drawing of the original set up for the opening quarterlights?
All the aftermarket frame kits I have seen are all one piece, (I'm guessing to keep their costs down) so everyone who buys those will have the same problem as me.
Has anyone else bought these frames, has anyone else done a workaround? If not then I will (hopefully) be able to post up a 'how to'.
I will do one side first then if that's successful will do the other side in stages documenting as I go along.

I'm intrigued really, why would the aftermarket make something that cannot be fitted easily, sorry that should read (ever, unless you have a good engineering mind) because there is no way these are ever going in unless modified. I should really ask them what they had in mind.....maybe I will when we are on the tow.

Anyhoo, it's going to be at least 4 weeks before I am back at the van so plenty of time to ponder!

Cheers
Jon
'89 Westy Joker Hitop
1.6TD JX engine

Plasticman
Trader
Posts: 8047
Joined: 12 Oct 2005, 20:55
80-90 Mem No: 1948
Location: lincolnshire

Re: my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by Plasticman »

They go on from the top mounted to the upright part that is also the channel for the main glass,I'm on the phone now so will detail when on pc
mm

bootie3367
Registered user
Posts: 278
Joined: 28 Nov 2011, 17:48
80-90 Mem No: 10560
Location: Enix pueblo, Almeria, Spain

Re: my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by bootie3367 »

Hey Guys, got a good email back from Adam at the suppliers. He included a set of pics showing how it's done.
Although it's not that clear all the glass has to come out to give you maneuvering space which with hindsight makes sense.
Due to being at work our LAN policy makes it impossible to download pictures :x although I can view them :?

I will be producing a set of pics as I do the job but that won't be for a while, currently on tow from Congo to Nigeria taking about 12 days........ boring!

Will be getting back home shortly after the beginning of the month so hopefully will be able to finish the job and the how to then.

Cheers

Jon
'89 Westy Joker Hitop
1.6TD JX engine

mbcamper
Registered user
Posts: 187
Joined: 04 Jan 2014, 10:25
80-90 Mem No: 13121
Location: East Lothian

Re: my quarter lights and me need help !!

Post by mbcamper »

I'll be very interested in how you get on with your fitting.

Like another posting I'm interested in this item http://nlavw.com/gb/body/54-opening-qua ... 5-lhs.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Did you get your parts from the same supplier?

I'm very tempted with these as I've got fixed quarterlights and I can't get replacement rubber seals to put my van back together after painting. Rustoleum hates old rubber I'm told. Being able to get the parts for opening quarterlights might be a good way forward.

Hope your remaining journey passes quickly so you can get back to more exciting things :-)

Mark

Post Reply