ford escort van

[madkayaker]

Hi all. got a problem with the rear door on my van. the left side is a real pain to open. tried lubricating the pins at the top and bottom but its still jamming. The handle looks bent and has a busy life for the last 12 years. How do i get the linkage out to replace?

 

[knoba]

I get that on my ford van too, but, it's because I wood panelled the inside of the door and one of the screws catches on the internal locking bars! I don't suppose you have security grills or something like that, that could be causing it?

Don't know otherwise. Someone else, on a completely different forum, mentioned; halfords > haynes manual > peruse > walk away. ...outrageous!

 

[wyn]

Don't know otherwise. Someone else, on a completely different forum, mentioned; halfords > haynes manual > peruse > walk away. ...outrageous!

I'm sure they have them covered in plastic so you can't read them.

 

[madkayaker]

they do have plastic on them but that's hardly a challenge... I don't have anything fowling it Ive check that and it seams to have a mind of own e.g. hard work so you curse and threatened to take to scrappy then next day week etc no problems! Ive taken the panel off but it just looks solid. But surely it must come out! (it went in after all)

 

[knoba]

wyn

I'm sure they have them covered in plastic so you can't read them

It's funny you say that; the person on the other forum also mentioned that the cellophane comes of "really easily" when the book is "thrown across the shop". That's, absolutely, the last time I'm visiting that forum!

I don't know what's the best way forward for you madkayaker!

 

[Unclefista]

Tightarses

My local motor factor does Haynes books for £13. Or about 8-10 mins of labour charged at main dealer rates

And you get to swear at the "refitment is the reverse of removal" bit

 

[madkayaker]

Thanks for the advice. I borrowed a mates Haynes book that he got to fit an alarm. Now as he is going down the road the alarm does the blips and hazards go off and if you forget to turn the alarm off as you get out it goes off!! The book doesn't say anything about the van doors just the Estate and Hatch back. Ive got the part on order and hope to pick it up today and hopefully it will become clear how to do it. Ive had a good lock and it looks like a clip on the end of the rods witch holds the rods to the pins o the catch. If i can't get the clips back on a couple of tacks to stop the rods coming off should do the trick...

 

[madkayaker]

Up date on the doors. Got the new part from Ford (£20) also got two new clips (0.30) glad i did. The clips slide over the end of the rod then push on to the ?nipple? on the lock. Easy to go on very hard to get off ended up bending the top bar up to get the grinder in and restraigning the bar in the vice the door opens lots easier now just need to play with the alignments as it catches a bit on the top and needs a wiggle but i can live with that. Next problem is the washers but i think the answer is in Jugs post.

 

[JML]

We used to use Escort vans then when they stopped making them got a Transit Connect with a tailgate Great for when it's raining but they aren't standard fit so you don't see many tailgates. The mechanism is crap, it just doesn't work right. I put an extra spring inside to make the handle work. Sometimes I can't get in at all and because it has central locking if it doesn't open it locks itself. I have to open the side door quick before it locks again and be careful to keep hold of the keys as it locks when I shut it. i have a permanent bruise on my right hand from thumping the tailgate to get in.

Also the Transit Connect has the stupid idea of unlocking the bonnet with a key at the front. The lock has stiffened up and won't undo. I had to break the fob off my spare and use pliers on it to get under the bonnet.

To be fair, it's an '04 and has done 275,000 miles

 

[madkayaker]

Its a rubbish system on the new fords of using the key to open the bonnet a mate to the key out and put it on top of the engine while he filled the oil then shut the bonnet!