Need to remove the door latch mechanism from a replacement door I just purchased. When the door handle is turned fully to open (down), the latching mechanism does not retract fully and the door will not open. It will open with the interior latch release.

What’s the best approach to taking apart the door? I’ve already removed the inside window frame and triangle window with it. Do I have to remove the glass for easy access to the door latch mechanism?

My old door bottoms are rotted inside and out, but the window crank and door latching mechanisms works well. The new door I got is in much better condition at the bottom, but the latching mechanism does not work well and the outside door handle actually sits at about a 45 degree as opposed to horizontal.

This is fresh in my mind, as I just replaced the lock cylinder on my driver's door and tried to fix the drooping handle.

The latch is easy to remove.

This is all done on the door, not the frame of the car)

With the door open, you'll see the large striker plate with the giant slotted screw heads. You can remove that or not, it's not necessary but may give you more room to work. Very close to that striker, you'll see two smaller screws that hold the lock mechanism to the door frame. Remove those.

Remove the cotter pin that holds the exterior door handle in place. You can see by the weatherstripping if you follow the door handle's path to the lock cylinder. This pin can be re-used and isn't bent on the other side. No worries about ruining it. Pull the handle out.

HEADS UP! I removed the door latch from the frame of the car at this time, so the door wouldn't accidentally lock itself if I pushed it closed.

Next pull back the weatherstripping just next to the lock cylinder itself, and you'll see a screw that holds the lock cylinder in place. Just back that screw out a bit.

Take the interior door card off. You have to depress the plastic plates behind the window crank and door handles and drive out a small pin. Kind of a pain in the buttocks. Carefully pull the door card off, trying to save as many metal clips as you can.

Now you'll see three screws holding the interior door handle mechanism to the door. Remove all of those.

Follow the bar from that interior door handle mechanism and you'll see where it passes through a small guide in the mid-door area, with 2 screws holding the guide in place. I just removed the lower one and loosened the top one on the guide. The bar can slide down out of this now.

I would push the lock cylinder out of the door now from the insde

Lastly, there is one more screw holding the lock mechanism in place on the interior door frame. Remove that.

Now you can pull the lock mechanism slightly into the door and then downward. I had to give mine a substantial tug or two to get it past the window channels.

The droopy door handle is not a result of missing or sagging springs. I replaced that spring and it still does it. After carefully examining the mechanism, it's from wear and general sloppyness in the mechanism itself after 50+ years of use. It can also be due to the rod of the exterior door handle being too short or even rounded-off a bit, causing it to droop. If you push the exterior door handle all the way in (against its internal return spring), you may find that the handle doesn't droop briefly. That's the case with mine.

I'm trying to build my rod up with JBWeld steelstick and will grind it into the proper shape after it cures a few days. There may also be a way to shim the lock mechanism, but I don't want to interfere with the mechanics of it.

The only real solution may be brand new lock mechanims and exterior door handles, but I'm not sure it's worth the $$ at this time unless I did a full-on resto of the car.

Thank you for taking the time to put these instructions together. I already have the inside panel removed (no problem). It’s just that the locking mechanism is not readily visible. I’m planning on removal this weekend.
Since my old door mechanism is fine, I may just get away with changing the bad one and attempt a repair later. Would be interested in how you make out with the JB Weld repair.

On the "drooping door handle" problem:
A while ago, someone on the BB suggested holding the square soft steel handle shaft in a vise, and slightly twisting it with a large crescent wrench to bring the handle back to the horizontal.

The latch is out.

The square rod of the handle that engages the lock has a twist in it. It also appears that the striker, which is turned by the square rod and pushes the latch back against the spring (open) could also be worn. Access to the striker requires bending back a couple of tabs on the back of the latch frame to allow the cover removal.

Has anyone pulled back these tabs, and if so, what is the likelihood off the tabs breaking right off, since you are folding them open and closed.

Perhaps if a tab brakes off, one could weld in a short threaded section and reattach the cover with a lock washer and nut.
If the striker is worn, it will also require a build up of a weld bead and then file to proper re-shape.

Also, I’m thinking that the twisted square rod from the handle should be heated with a torch and twisted back. Well it looks like I have another task for the weekend.

Comments???

I have one handle with the square stock twisted as a couple of you describe. I was also thinking about heating and taking a pipe wrench to it but was a bit concerned with overheating the chrome. If you try it, let us know how it works out.

Dean

Before heating the rod, I will soak a towel with water and wrap it around the handle. This should keep the door handle cool while heating the rod. I think I will put a weld been on the end of the rod to reshape it. The corners of the square stock are worn where they engage the latch.

I'm curious how much you had to heat the rod to bend it, though I think my real issue is the worn out lock mechanism (as you noted on yours) and also the rounded off edges of my handle's shaft.

I will mess with the JB weld repair later to see if it binded properly to the shaft and cured enough for grinding.

Do you think you can take the mechanism apart by bending those tabs without damaging it to repair that part of it?

I have not attempted any repairs yet, but it does look like the striker could be worn both where it pushes on the spring loaded slider and where the square stock of the door handle goes through it.

I figure if the tab breaks off, welding in a short section of threaded rod (screw cut off)to re-attache it with a nut should still allow the mechanism to fit back in place inside the door.

Peeled back the tabs holding the Latch together and found the mechanism which pushes back the latch against the spring, badly worn. This is the main reason for the door handle drooping. I think I'll try to weld a bead in the wear areas and re-shape them. I'm attempting to add a picture here but if it does not appear its in the gallery under Technical.

Update on mine...I took the passenger door apart to replace the lock cylinder and lube up the components, and noticed the handle didn't droop on that side.

The door was definitely from a different car, and the lock cylinder was in much better shape, so it is possible to get tight "old" lock cylinders. I assume it was in better shape because the passenger door is likely used a lot less than the driver's door and doesn't wear out as much.

However, whoever did the door swap had put snug-fitting nylon washers on the shaft of the door handle and sandwiched the door sheet metal between those washers and the exterior ring, thus holding it more securely in place. Not sure if this would work for any length of time on the driver's side, so it's not worth taking the door apart again to find out.

How'd your repair work out?

Put all the latch parts back together and lubricated all moving parts with some silicone grease (Dow Corning 4). Latch movement is good and the handle is in the proper position, although I have not placed it back in the door yet.

While reassembling, one of the slide hold down brackets, a tab broke off when I was bending back into position. So, I will be welding a tab on both sides of the hold down bracket, drilling a hole, tap it and secure it via drilled hole from the back side of the latch. (Just having fun with it since I still have a good latch from the rusted out driver door I removed.) After this, I think I should be able to get another 60 years of use out of it.

btw, I've tried adding pictures to the post, but they did not show up in the thread. Which image url should be added, the page url, or the one shown next to the image in the picture library, or ??

If using Photobucket, use the HTML url.

The JBWeld worked to build up the door handle shaft where it inserts into the lock mechanism, but the mechanism itself is just too worn. That's where the movement is coming from.

Hello,

FYI, if all else fails, door latches and outer door handles are available new.

--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502