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

Dave Hall dave at hallvw.clara.co.uk
Thu Apr 14 04:45:21 PDT 2011 

If the lever doesn't pull the latch back smoothly when the lid is open,
there certainly wouldn't be any point adjusting the 'striker' until it does.

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 02:46
To: type3 at vwtype3.org
Subject: Re: [T3] Front Latch Hard to Release (was RE: Posting for a friend
any ideas?)


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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