[T3] Front Latch Hard to Release (was RE: Posting for a friend any ideas?)

Wed Apr 13 18:46:28 PDT 2011

Ah!  I thought you meant the body latch... Thank you for the VERY detailed description: will be very helpful when replacing the hood.

Yes, Joe and I did fiddle with it, but there was not enough movement front to back to make a difference.  I do not recall if we adjusted the cone.

The resistance is in the latch, especially the slider that catches the cone.  There is a good bit of rust on the slider and the mating surfaces.

The hood shutting goes squeak, scrap, thunk/bang.  There is nothing nice about it, or the way most hatches open and close.  Had a good amount of use/abuse over the 335,000 miles. ;/

Thank you,
Adriel

----------------------------------------
> From: dave at hallvw.clara.co.uk
> To: type3 at vwtype3.org
> Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2011 02:04:54 +0100
> Subject: Re: [T3] Front Latch Hard to Release (was RE: Posting for a friend any ideas?)
>
> I'll try again - there's a bolt in the lid at the front that sticks down
> next to the hook that is holding your hood from flying up when driving. The
> head of it spreads out like a cone and there's a moveable flange with spring
> behind the head. The cone goes into the round hole in the latch assembly,
> and the latch is pushed aside until the cone gets past it, then the latch
> springs back and stops the cone moving up - locking the lid closed. That
> bolt with cone head can be adjusted to make the lid easier to close.
>
> If you have a lot of rust on the bottom of the lid at the front, it might
> make it too tight to close easily.
>
> Anyway, take a look when you get near your car again. Maybe it's the
> problem, and when you get the cable back in, you may need to adjust the bolt
> to get that nice 'click' that is a sign it's adjusted just right!
>
> Dave.
> UK VW Type 3&4 Club
> ===================
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org
> [mailto:type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org] On Behalf Of Adriel
> Rowley
> Sent: 14 April 2011 01:03
> To: type3 at vwtype3.org
> Subject: [T3] Front Latch Hard to Release (was RE: Posting for a friend any
> ideas?)
>
>
> I did not want to hijack his thread, but since it needs to be addressed,
> will branch off with my own. ;)  I will start before I got the Squareback.
>
> The Squareback was parked on the street, in a somewhat hilly neighborhood by
> the ocean (noted due to salt).  Next door there was a work truck in the
> driveway, with a repairman inside.  Somehow the truck started rolling, went
> down the drive, out the drive, and made a loop around the Squareback,
> backing into the front.  Sue was in her house and heard the crash, and could
> not believe her eyes; have trouble myself believing it, but truth is
> stranger than fiction. ;)  She does not remember what all the repairs were,
> but there is two layers of apron along the bottom seam.  There is also over
> spray on the cable housing and the paint inspection tag.  I am also missing
> the build tag.
>
> The apron seems to be in the correct place, though the tire is a tad tight.
> If someone wants to measure the distance, be greatly appreciated.
>
> Sue does think the hood was replaced, and when they installed it, they did
> not adjust it far enough back.  I was able to do this, and did make an
> improvement on the latch release.  However, the damage was done.  Water
> coming from the front would hit the apron and go behind the hood, where it
> would get trapped.  Over time, the hood rusted from the inside out.  The
> whole inner side is almost completely gone, and there are many holes though
> to the outside.  I believe this moister issue also caused the rust that is
> on the cable clam and the release.  Dave, is this what you mean by the pin?
> I did tighten the cable but really did not solve anything.
>
> I was given a replacement hood, but I need to paint it.  I have two front
> fenders also to do, so has daunted me, but now that I have repainted the
> rear inner fenders and wheel wells, not so much, and even less since Jack
> taught be the joy of an orbit sander.  I am currently in Tempe studying
> Design, so cannot work on the Squareback which is in San Diego.
>
> I was thinking since the body latch is a bit rusted, to replace it, and keep
> the old as a spare.  Is this not a good plan?
>
> Dave, any way to depict what you are talking about?
>
>
> Thank you,
> Adriel
>
> ----------------------------------------
> > From: dave at hallvw.clara.co.uk
> > To: type3 at vwtype3.org
> > Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:14:05 +0100
> > Subject: Re: [T3] Posting for a friend any ideas?
> >
> > There are a few million of these cars where the front trunk latch does
> > work, or did until they were scrapped. If the lid isn't excessively
> > tight, which it could be if the front has been flattened and you've
> > not been able to adjust the hinge position to compensate, it sounds as
> > if you may not have the striker pin adjusted correctly. If the locking
> > nut is loosened, you can unscrew the pin until it latches OK, then
> > tighten the locking nut. I guess until you have the glovebox back in
> > with the correct cable, you can't easily release the lid even if you
> > adjust it properly. You will get water in the front if you don't shut the
> lid!
> >
> > Dave.
> > UK VW Type 3&4 Club
> > ===================
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org
> > [mailto:type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org] On Behalf Of
> > Adriel Rowley
> > Sent: 13 April 2011 07:28
> > To: type3 at vwtype3.org
> > Subject: Re: [T3] Posting for a friend any ideas?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------
> > > From: jadney at vwtype3.org
> > > To: type3 at vwtype3.org
> > > Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:02:47 -0500
> > > Subject: Re: [T3] Posting for a friend any ideas?
> > >
> > > On 12 Apr 2011 at 14:00, Adriel Rowley wrote:
> > >
> > > > There was a lady on theSamba that had her Squareback trunk latch
> > > > get stuck and used a ruler. I would not use the latch in the glove
> > > > box as it destroys the glove box, Instead, grab the actual cable
> > > > with vise grips.
> > >
> > > > P.S. I no longer leave the spare in the well. Never could get my
> > > > latch to work right so unlatch it by getting into the spare tire
> > > > well and releasing it.
> > >
> > > Sounds like the screw that anchors your release lever to the dash is
> > > missing. This screw is commonly left out after the glove box has
> > > been removed for some reason. If that screw is in place, the glove
> > > box will not be damaged.
> > >
> > I no longer have the glove box installed. Took it out to get the
> > wipers out, I.I.R.C.. It did not have the screw installed, but found
> > it in the ash tray, where Sue and now I, put all the loose stuff we find.
> >
> > I replaced the cable because the end was slipping through the latch.
> > It takes two hands to unlatch the trunk and sometimes have to lean
> > into it. I no longer do this, as I saw what forcing it was doing and it
> was annoying.
> > Tried lubing it, but nothing has worked. Used bike brake cable for a
> > tandem, but found it stretches too much.
> >
> > Once I get the hump replaced, get the air box back in, and the wiper
> > system greased and installed, will go at the front next. I bought
> > another latch that goes on the body and the correct cable. First plan
> > on replacing the hood to stop water getting into the trunk, which may
> > be the reason the latch is so stiff. Then replace the latch and
> > instead of rivets use bolts to allow removal for cleaning and greasing
> > in the future, like the early type 3s. Finally replace the cable,
> > install the glove box, and adjust the hood if needed.
> >
> > > You can't pull directly on the wire without destroying the outer
> > > housing. It's a LOT better to just replace the screw and fix the
> > > root problem.
> > >
> > I can: done it several times. Just get it where it comes out of the
> > housing. The housing does slide back, F.Y.I..
> >
> > I have not done this for over year, as was so annoying to have to pull
> > so hard. It is not simply installing a screw. It all goes back to
> > the front apron and hood being replaced in the '80s I.I.R.C.. What I
> > do is just leave it cached in the first position but if one of the
> > children or Jack being kind shuts it, I go into the spare tire well.
> > The hood stays in one place when driving, so I do not latch it down.
> > Folks seem to leave the Squareback alone so not really concerned.
> >
> >
> > Thank you,
> > Adriel
> >
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