Don’t use a Stainless Steel Tailgate Air Vent Lock Latch Standoff for T4/T5/T6 on a T6.1

[phil keegan]

I’ve just managed to jam one of these in my T6.1 Coast tailgate lock and have just finished cutting it off…… While this forum often has great advice on it of how to do things here a cautionary post of something to avoid!

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[GrahamB]

The Brandrup airsafe works well…
(Image stolen from another thread)!

 

[Shuftie]

Never really “got” what these gadgets do, can anyone shed some light / share a picture of one (that fits) in action?

 

[GrahamB]

It allows you to leave the tailgate slightly open and locked for airflow. Useful if camping in very hot conditions, especially at night.

 

[dspuk]

We just have the fly nets in both side windows and the front windows down an inch. Zero issues with airflow. This always seemed like a solution looking for a problem to me and looks like you found the problem!

 

[phil keegan]

We just have the fly nets in both side windows and the front windows down an inch. Zero issues with airflow. This always seemed like a solution looking for a problem to me and looks like you found the problem!

I guess having been in France recently for the heatwave I was interested in as many ways of keeping cool as possible. The problem I had today was I using a device that isn’t suitable for a T6.1…….


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[AlisonF]

We just have the fly nets in both side windows and the front windows down an inch. Zero issues with airflow. This always seemed like a solution looking for a problem to me and looks like you found the problem!

I use them for keeping airflow for the dogs when training or at comps. The Brandrup one works perfectly on a T6.1.
Fly screens would not be a good solution for this use.

 

[dspuk]

I use them for keeping airflow for the dogs when training or at comps. The Brandrup one works perfectly on a T6.1.
Fly screens would not be a good solution for this use.

Sounds a perfect use case with dogs in the back. For us, sat in front, screens (inc pop top screen down) and a window crack have worked well.

 

[calibusje]

For me (and each his own idea about that) an 'air safe hook' it is not a gadget nor a solution looking for a problem; We find it very useful, we even use the one shown in the first picture last holiday (July, in France) and used it a lot (we were in France for 18 days in July and it was hot, hot, hot).
Now seeing the picture of the hook bent and stuck, looks very annoying. Might it be it's the wrong one? There are of that model some only for T6 (T6.1). Or did the tailgate slam into it (they are heavy)? We used a similar like that one in our T4 westy for 10 years without any problem just found it sometimes hard to keep that sort of hook straight so that the tailgate grabbed it right away that is why I ordered the model you also have. Anyway, this one (used in the T6.1 coast) also sometimes had some trouble to sit right in front of the closure of the tailgate and maybe it is bent like that with you?
Thanks for the cautionary post! I will have a look at our hooks and determine if I will keep using the hook (I even ordered the long version oops which set the tailgate even a little bit more open.) or just buy another one like brandrup.
Fly screens we also use (the flexible, flimsy one and a metal one) and it's barely doable at night (no air movement outside also means no air flow in the van and we had many nights like that).
for the children who sleep upstairs, we unzipped the windows on both sides and the front windows for a good bit. This made the nights a lot more pleasant for them. However, these interventions have little effect downstairs, so that's why we use the hook and the fly screens. What it did do for us was sleep headfirst during the hottest nights (so with the feed back to the back).

 

[andyinluton]

Now seeing the picture of the hook bent and stuck, looks very annoying. Might it be it's the wrong one? There are of that model some only for T6 (T6.1).

I understand that there are two different models, one for the electric power latching tailgate & one for the slam shut tailgate.

I don't know what comes as standard now but in the UK it used to be the SE/Ocean were electric & the beach wasn't ( the side sliding door was the same as well)

 

[calibusje]

I understand that there are two different models, one for the electric power latching tailgate & one for the slam shut tailgate.

I don't know what comes as standard now but in the UK it used to be the SE/Ocean were electric & the beach wasn't ( the side sliding door was the same as well)

Don't know what happened but maybe the tailgate slammed onto the hook because they don't always line up: hook - tailgate lock. I will certainly check our hook if it is still straight.

 

[phil keegan]

Don't know what happened but maybe the tailgate slammed onto the hook because they don't always line up: hook - tailgate lock. I will certainly check our hook if it is still straight.

I definitely didn’t slam the tailgate but it definitely got jammed nonetheless! I think it’s definitely worth considering the alternative hook recommended above as it would be a real pain to have it jam during a trip away from home. I take your point about carefully aligning it but wouldn’t want others to repeat my experience!


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[GrumpyGranddad]

The Brandrup airsafe works well…View attachment 97414
(Image stolen from another thread)!

Got one but in 19 months we’ve never needed to use it (so far).

 

[calibusje]

I definitely didn’t slam the tailgate but it definitely got jammed nonetheless! I think it’s definitely worth considering the alternative hook recommended above as it would be a real pain to have it jam during a trip away from home. I take your point about carefully aligning it but wouldn’t want others to repeat my experience!


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True, I was just thinking along. The tailgate is heavy and when almost closed and not aligned, it maybe can bent the hook. Maybe it’s just the hook model that’s no good then. Yes, it would certainly be a big burden should this happen while traveling.
Hopefully you got no damage with what happened.

 

[SamSara]

Not wanting to be a know all or throw in my tuppence worth, but I will. Surely it is better to close all blinds when leaving the van then open doors on return. If there is a breeze it will not take long to cool and if not the outside air could have been warmer than inside whilst you were away. Obviously this goes for if you haventy got a pet inside

 

[calibusje]

I think about every contribution is valuable and can provide new insights on a topic.
That said: what you state is true but it’s at night… it can be so hot you even can’t fall a sleep. We have already slept with the sliding door open but that we only do at campsites (not often) or in the morning if it the sun comes up and we want to stay in bed for just a while

 

[AlisonF]

Not wanting to be a know all or throw in my tuppence worth, but I will. Surely it is better to close all blinds when leaving the van then open doors on return. If there is a breeze it will not take long to cool and if not the outside air could have been warmer than inside whilst you were away. Obviously this goes for if you haventy got a pet inside

I agree. That’s what I do at home.
It’s always a worry with dogs. Especially at competitions when you could be away from the van for a couple of hours (not planned, but things happen outside of your control…)
I still leave all blinds closed with the Brandrup isolite thermal screens on all windows in the van at all times when camping in the heat (hot or cold).

 

[TheMightWalrus]

We have one of those split campervan AC units (half sits in the van, half outside) - it's too big to fit thru a window, so a rear door stay means we can run it under the bed at the back at night and still keep 95% of the mozzies out.

 

[RustyCya]

There is a better solution without the added VW tax, A product designed for keeping dogs cool in cars but has lots of other uses including as a tailgate vent. “Trixie car cooler”, I think most pet shops can get them or I have seen them online.

 

[Loz2286]

I’ve just managed to jam one of these in my T6.1 Coast tailgate lock and have just finished cutting it off…… While this forum often has great advice on it of how to do things here a cautionary post of something to avoid!

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I have one of these. I used it first this week while on holiday in Isle of Wight. We had some really uncomfortable nighttime temperatures.

I had my doubts to start with. It just didn't seem right. Releasing it in the morning took a couple of attempts, as though it was snagging. Don't think I'll be using it again. I'll be buying the Branderup one specially for the 6.1.

 

[Skyflier]

I’ve just managed to jam one of these in my T6.1 Coast tailgate lock and have just finished cutting it off…… While this forum often has great advice on it of how to do things here a cautionary post of something to avoid!

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Hi I have for many years used a tailgate bolt which is about 8” long and is used by dog people to vent their car/van never had any problems.

 

[calibusje]

There is a better solution without the added VW tax, A product designed for keeping dogs cool in cars but has lots of other uses including as a tailgate vent. “Trixie car cooler”, I think most pet shops can get them or I have seen them online.View attachment 97736

Although we have had no problems in our coast with our hooks (two already: short and long) and no problems with the one we have been using in our T4 westfalia for 10 years. Still, we're going to think about the ones we have because of this tread. Your proposal therefore seems a valid alternative to an 'air vent hook'. Thx. I must say that none of our hooks cost more than that one (which that I do not mean that the car coolers for dogs like yours are expensive; they are even inexpensive for what they can achieve).
Greetings
Calibusje

 

[johna]

These pictures show my hook as manufactured, which has worked fine for me so far - at least once I worked out how to place and remove it. I’m trying to understand how yours is bent beyond normal, how it was stuck and what cut you made to remove it. Have you any more photos please?

 

[andyinluton]

Hi I have for many years used a tailgate bolt which is about 8” long and is used by dog people to vent their car/van never had any problems.

Have you got the motorised closing on your tailgate?

 

[phil keegan]

These pictures show my hook as manufactured, which has worked fine for me so far - at least once I worked out how to place and remove it. I’m trying to understand how yours is bent beyond normal, how it was stuck and what cut you made to remove it. Have you any more photos please?View attachment 97746View attachment 97747

Sorry no more pictures as it’s now in the bin! I used a multi tool to make a cut in an accessible part of the hook while holding it still with mole grips. Once almost through I was able to bend it enough to remove it. I’ll be buying one of the round metal hooks as suggested above in this thread as I think the chances of them getting bent and stuck in the same way will be much less (as they are a different design/shape)


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