Help, can't open my...
 

Help, can't open my rear door (vw campervan)

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We are currently doing the nc500 and we are near Kyle of Tongue.

My campervan is a VW T6 with barn doors. I've been in and out of them all holiday. Went in this morning to grab my rucksack, opened fine. Then 30 seconds later tried to open it again and it's stuck.

Passenger side rear door (nearside) opens but the drivers side rear door (Offside) doesn't. The top latch is working but it seems the bottom latch isn't letting go.

I need to get in to gain access to things. Any ideas how to open it? I've got a rock and roll bed on front of it blocking any access and a door under the bed.

Thanks

 
Posted : 30/03/2024 1:50 pm
 Spin
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Could you ask someone to bash your back doors in?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 
Posted : 30/03/2024 1:57 pm
kilo, Poopscoop, matt_outandabout and 3 people reacted
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bash your back doors in?

As soon as I uploaded it I wondered how long it would be before those comments 😂

 
Posted : 30/03/2024 2:02 pm
 Spin
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Tongue, back doors... this one could just run and run.

 
Posted : 30/03/2024 2:02 pm
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Can you get the door card off?

 
Posted : 30/03/2024 2:05 pm
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Can you get the door card off?

Its got a Kiravans plastic door store on it secured by plastic rivets. I can only get to a few of them.

Its not looking good!

 
Posted : 30/03/2024 2:15 pm
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Copied from the T6 forum…you’ll need to get the door card off.

I managed to fold back enough of the card to be able to open the door manually. I noted that the end of the handle which pulls against the back of the metal rotating pivot that drives the upper and lower latches had pulled forward to the wrong side of the pivot. I managed to return it to the ‘pulling’ side but unfortunately the fault was easily replicated when using the handle.

A fix to this isn’t obvious except perhaps I’ll replace the handle part of the mechanism in case there is wear in the ‘plastic’ that pulls on the pivot. I have tightened the lower drive rod which seems to be a short term

 
Posted : 30/03/2024 2:16 pm
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Spin
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Could you ask someone to bash your back doors in?

Thanks, was inevitable but made me chuckle!

 
Posted : 30/03/2024 2:17 pm
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Damascus - I assume it's a conversion.

 
Posted : 30/03/2024 2:38 pm
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 kilo
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we are near Kyle of Tongue

No offence to Kyle, but that’s definitely the sort of nickname you give yourself .

 
Posted : 30/03/2024 2:42 pm
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Allegedly you should start with a small snapon tool and once you get it in easily, work your way up to a larger one

 
Posted : 30/03/2024 2:46 pm
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Snapon or strap-on?

 
Posted : 30/03/2024 3:53 pm
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Its got a Kiravans plastic door store on it secured by plastic rivets. I can only get to a few of them.

Prise it off, it might not break, if it does its probably still the easiest/cheapest fix.

I have painful memories of hanging through the bed slats trying to free a heavy horse rug that got slammed in the mechanism between our doors, gradually prising it out as my wife operated the door handle repeatedly.  It came out covered in oil and ripped but did eventually get the door open with just some bruising and a pulled shoulder!

 
Posted : 30/03/2024 6:34 pm
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Thanks everyone for your help. When I got home I managed to pop off all the clips and lost a lot of skin. Managed to prise the door card enough to get my hand in and pull the rod to open the door.

I've used some gaffa tape and a zip tie to hopefully stop it opening again. I've now left a flat head screw driver and trim tool in the van for next time!

Luckily my van is set up off grip and I didn't need the electric hook up and we found enough level campsites to not need the levelling blocks.

Absolutely loved the nc500. Highly recommend it.

Cheers

 
Posted : 09/04/2024 11:41 pm