side door falling off???

[paulandjo]

Hi newbies here. Any advice on why my sliding door keeps falling off? Damaged the cover over sliding rail, need to put this back on but door no longer running smoothly. sticks about 3 inches from fully closing then jumps off the external runner

[kevtherev]

early or late slider? (big handle or small)

[pedro100]

cant answer that but would ask does anyone know how to adjust the sliding door i need to pull mine in as there is a gap at the top when shut, top left side vw man says it needs adjusting not bent etc!! any help would be good!!

[devoncamperman]

Mine also used to fall off, the reason was where the runner bracket on the body work slides along the channel, this bracket has a finger shaped cast that goes under the metal channel on the van, when people throw open the door the door jumps up and snaps this finger off. You should only be able to remove the door with it half open as there is a notch in the channel.
I fixed mine by replacing this bracket for a good second hand one. Also you can get a rubber stopper that fits on the bodywork that the bottom bracket hits against stopping the door going back too far which stops the middle brackets finger getting broken.

[phade]

Brand new sliding door hinges (complete assembly) are still available brand new as well from VW Classic Parts Center, but they are not cheap. It cost me about £160 for my one.

To fit or repair the sliding door mechanism you will need to do the following:-

- Remove the sliding door's centre runner track cover

- Remove the sliding door

- Remove the broken centre hinge meachanism

- Refit the replacement centre hinge mechanism. Make sure that the foam is attached to the replacement centre hinge mechanism and the bolts are aligned exactly as they came out.

- Do up the front bolt of the centre hinge mechanism to 23Nm (17 lb ft).

- Do up the rear bolts finger tight or to 23Nm if you are certain that the bolts are aligned correctly. Adjustment of the sliding door centre hinge (as in panel gap) is done by the two rear bolts.

- Lubricate the spring with LM grease

- Clean out and oil all other rollers and the rest of the centre hinge mechanism

- Clean out the centre sliding door runner with an oil soaked rag and use LM grease.

- Clean out the other two runner tracks and use LM grease. Make sure that the rubbers do not have grease on them

- Refit the sliding door (and adjust if necessary) and replace the centre sliding door runner's cover.

The later type 2 T3 sliding door centre hinge is different to my early one but the same principle and torques remain the same.

Early type 2 T3 centre sliding door tracks have a cut-out at the bottom of the track and the later ones have a cut-out at the top of its sliding door runner track.

Good luck with getting your sliding door fixed.

[paulandjo]

thanks for the tips will check it all out now the weekend is here