[itow]

I need some help with a door latch issue. I think its probably a common thing and there's probably an easy (common) solution so I'd rather ask 1st instead of after guessing for a while. :1zhelp:
After dissasembling my doors completely and removing all the internal components so they can be stripped and re-painted, I found that the small spring that closes the latching mechanism in the latch is broken on both sides. With it broken the doors will not stay shut (the latch never actuates). I'm sure you cannot buy that exact spring new, but has anyone seen this and came up with a good repair that works well. I am investing alot of money and time in this car so I dont just want to slap any old spring in there... I want the doors to have that solid/clean/crisp feel when they open and shut like the old cars did when they were new.
Any help would be greatly appreciated...
Scott
:1zhelp:

 

[MR CJ]

I have the same problem as itow.....anybody have a idea?

 

[itow]

Hey, I figured it out.. The vendors sell replacement springs for like $5 a piece!

 

[MR CJ]

what vender had them?

 

[itow]

Any and all I think.. I know auto krafters does...

 

[Ray]

Can someone post a pic of the mechanism and the piece? I have lots of door mechanisms for 67/8s allthough I think they are different somehow. I have probly ten doors to choose from here.

 

[MercCat67]

Speaking of door mechanisims, I too have all of the hardware out of my doors right now, and noticed that you really have to push in on them to get them to be in the closed position that they would be in if there were latches in place. Is this normal?

Also, looks like the drivers-side door skin was replaced (probably relating to the quater panel repair. The probem is when I push on the door to get into the "closed" position, I notice that there is a lot of flexing/twisting of the frame and skin, alot as in the passenger side has very little to no flex/twist. There are metal tabs that connect the skin to the frame at the top area of the door. These don't look like they are welded/attached and is where most of the flex occurs. Are these tabs supposed to be welded together? It appears that they are on the passenger side but I can't really tell.

 

[a70eliminator]

door latch 69-70

Not sure if it's same as 67-68

 

[itow]

Im not positive but I think the 67 - 70 latches are all the same other than XR7 has door ajar switches bolted to them

 

[yeloxr7]

I had a strange thing happen with door latches. I replaced my originals somewhere along the line with another set I got from a wrecked cat. I did this probably because I originally thought the door ajar switches were built in to the latches and were not working at the time. The driver side works OK. The passenger side worked OK except for this: sometimes when the door was locked I could not unlock the door either with the key or by pulling up the lock knob unless I hit the door with my hand near the upper rear corner. I put the original latch back in and have not had the problem since.

 

[itow]

Sounds like a little lube was in order...

 

[yeloxr7]

Believe me, there was no lack of lubrication when they were installed.

 

[Vacabirder]

It could still be a lubrication issue. This is what provoked my "how do I get the window crank off question". My driver's door latch is broken and I can't get the door to close. I bought a replacement latch that looked well lubricated but didn't work well at all. I stripped all of the old grease off and prepared it for new grease and it works so easily now I can't believe the difference. And that's without relubrication yet. I'm guessing that when I get the old latch off I'll find the spring is broken and the latch teeth are locked closed.
John
'68 XR7

 

[yeloxr7]

Thanks. If mine ever breaks I will clean and lube the replacement and check the spring.

 

[MrEos]

I'm not sure if my issue is the same as discussed above, and apologize for hijacking the thread, but here is my situation:

When swinging the driver's door shut, it sometimes closes solid, but usually 'bounces back' a little to the door ajar position. Partly latched, but not fully closed. Closing the door works fine when keeping hand on the handle (or from inside car).

Ideas? I haven't taken anything apart yet, so can't say whether my little springs are broken or not.

 

[Ray]

Eos
Sounds to me like the door "might" be slightly out of adjustment. Is it a convert? Have you added new rubbers? New door hinges? Adjusted the door at all? Been hit in that area?
It may be the spring being discussed however it "might" be in need of adjusting the door striker.
When I adjust the door striker I have to use one of those impact screwdriver types that uses a large phillips SOCKET ( not the cheaper screwdriver type tip, a real socket). Once the screws are backed off enough for the striker to move I (in your case) would move the striker slightly outboard. I also look at how it lines up when I close the door to the door ajar position. The striker needs to be center to the door latch.
Keep an eye on the door itself. Make sure the body lines line up. The striker pin is NOT to be loaded in any way meaning it does not align the door. The door needs to be aligned properly first so maybe take the striker right off close door check alignment align as required and then re-install the striker itself.
Once the door and strike is aligned the door should clik easily shut w/o much effort at all.
I have seen doors with skins replaced that resist this process and converts have the rubber A pillars that are repro'd in the wrong kind of rubber which makes them not compress properly and this loads the doors. For converts I have to move doors back as far as reasonable and then behind the rubber A pilar strips I use a brass drift and a big hammer and slightly move the area behind the strip fwd some maybe .100 which allows better but not always purrfect closing of convertible doors.
Another problem I have seen is when the spring in the handle mechanism is broken the door won't always close properly. The interior door handles are sprung so if yours flops around or has a lot of looseness to it you'll need a new door lever assembly.
Hope that helps someone,lol

 

[yeloxr7]

Another question re doors and latches: I can push the lock button down on the drivers side door and when I close the door it stays locked. On the passenger side I need to hold the button in the outside door handle in or the door will unlock when closed. I have seen cars where both sides work the same either just close or hold the button in, but not different on both sides. Maybe I should look in the owners manual....

 

[itow]

I think you have 2 different year latches or the one that stays locked is bad.. If I remember correct all of them should pop back up unless you hold the button (all originals anyhow) but I'm not 100%

 

[MercCat67]

You're correct itow, and I doubt that even if is a replacement that it would function that way, just because that's the way door locks operated for so long.

The latch that stays locked probably needs adjustment or lube, I know I had that happen a couple times randomly. I figured the mechanism just got stuck for a moment.

Ray: Great info on getting the doors latching right, thanks! I am going to have to do some adjusting on my doors. One additional question, with the pin and latch removed, should the doors be able to swing to the closed position without loading it (ie pushing in on the door)? there is no hardware on my doors at all weatherstripping, glass, nothing... I am not seeing what is causing the door to not want to close all the way.

Is this something that would automatically go away once the doors are aligned & Hinges replaced which I plan to do.

 

[Ray]

Yes the door should close to the flush position w/o latch or hardware especially if no rubber present, in fact w/o rubber it might close a lttle more than flush.
Loosen up all the door hinge bolts so they are slack about one full thread. This will leave enough tension on them that you will have to lift the door to move it yet the hinges will stay set.. Its important (imo) to have the door gap same at top as bottom especially at the 1/4. The gap at bottom of door to rocker should also be parallel.
When I do doors I set the door so it lines up with 1/4 and closes right and then set the striker . After that I set the fenders. Remember that the fenders have the one bolt in door jamb and that once that is set the bottom is done by using shims to fill in the space between bottom of fender and the rocker nut.
btw The rocker nuts are available new. I have several. I think I buy in box of ten for about $4each. I bought right from Ford but probly AMK or M/C vendors have them
.