Door latch question

[EZ$]

Still trying to get everything back together after getting it back from paint. The driver's door latch appears to be sticking and it takes a bit of a jolt to get it to release. It seems that the striker is not clearing the frame mounted latch completely, but I've run out of adjustment. Inside the door latch there is for lack of a better term, a nub that the handle contacts when pulled to open. It prevents the striker is not being pulled back completely, but if that nub was removed the handle could swing a bit further and the striker would pull completely out of the way. Clear as mud right! Anyway, I need to find out if removing that nub will cause any issues with the entire door latch. Thanks for any help. Just want to get this behind me.

[michael everson]

File the pin with the latch fully open until
It is flush
Mike

[Jeff Kleiner]

File the pin with the latch fully open until
It is flush
Mike

What Mike said. And remove the little coil spring with the loops at each end and also chamfer the hole in the striker that the plunger goes into. Finally lube the whole works with dry graphite spray.

[EZ$]

I just want to make sure I understand. I can remove that pin (nub), and Jeff you're saying I should remove the spring as well?

20220915_161852 by Rick Paul, on Flickr

[EZ$]

I finally remembered how to mark up a photo so here it is with what I think we're talking about. The pin (nub), the spring, and the striker, which I'm not sure I understand what to do with it. Thanks guys.

20220915_161852 (2) by Rick Paul, on Flickr

[Jeff Kleiner]

Yes, remove that spring.

No, don't remove the little "nub" that you have circled.

Move the lever to fully retract the plunger (shown with the arrow). If the end of it is proud of the latch mechanism housing---most are by 1/16" or more---file it so that it's flush. You'll find this much easier to do if you take the latch off of the door and put it in a vice.

By the way, when I say striker I'm referring to the wedge shaped piece that bolts onto the chassis which the latch plunger engages with.

Jeff

[steno]

I chamfered the striker with a countersink bit. Easy peasy!

[EZ$]

OK, I think I get the first two items, I think. Removing the spring is no problem although I don't understand how the latch will recoil back to the closed position. I'm not totally sure how the plunger needs to be filed. When the latch is fully retracted the plunger is way more than a 1/16" proud of the mechanism. But chamfering the striker has me stumped. Am I angling the edges in tighter or is it something else. Sorry for the denseness, but I'm trying to picture what I need to do. You know, when I get into things like this it answers the question as to why it's taken me so long to build this thing!

[Chopper]

Rick,

There's two springs, there's another spring behind the cylinder that drives it home. I agree, remove the aux/external spring seen in the picture. I removed mine and it made my doors work great. It would be easy to reinstall the spring if you're unhappy with the results.

[EZ$]

OK, so I'm kind of a visual guy. Once I see something it makes more sense to me, and I understand what and how it needs to be done. Sometimes my brain can't compute what is being said because of terminology or whatever. Anyhow, I used Paul's (edwardb) suggestion about using google to search the site, and I was able to find any number of threads that dealt with the door latches. Luckily, I found one that had pictures of the bevel mod, and other reasons why the latch would be difficult to release. The only one I'm struggling with is the plunger grinding. I'm going to have to figure how to remove enough of the plunger to completely disappear when retracted. Maybe once I get it out it will be more obvious. Anyway, thanks to everyone that has responded. I really appreciate your patience with me.

[Jeff Kleiner]

... I'm going to have to figure how to remove enough of the plunger to completely disappear when retracted. Maybe once I get it out it will be more obvious. Anyway, thanks to everyone that has responded. I really appreciate your patience with me.

It’s really quite easy. Remove the latch assembly and secure it in a vice. Push the lever to retract the plunger as far as it will go then simply file off anything sticking out beyond flush with the die cast housing. I use a medium sized triangular file but any flat will do. The plunger is brass do it files down easily.

I’d go out to the shop and take some pictures for ya’ but I had hand surgery on Tuesday and am supposed to be “resting”—-my wife has informed that if she catches me out there there will be hell to pay (and I believe her ):

Jeff

[txboiler]

I’d go out to the shop and take some pictures for ya’ but I had hand surgery on Tuesday and am supposed to be “resting”—-my wife has informed that if she catches me out there there will be hell to pay (and I believe her ):

Jeff

I guess that is fair as long as she isn’t making you do “honey doos”

[Jeff Kleiner]

I guess that is fair as long as she isn’t making you do “honey doos”

I tried telling her that the Doc said I couldn’t cook for 2 weeks but she didn’t buy it…darn it.

Jeff

[EZ$]

No worries Jeff. I really appreciate your input any time I post a question. I decided to try a couple of the other adjustments like removing that spring, chamfering the latch pin, and on the drivers' side i took a drill bit that was just barely larger than the hole in the latch, and removed just a thin amount, probably less than a 1/32". The drivers' door works great now, and the passenger side which was working good now works great! Removing that spring made an amazing difference in the operational resistance. I hope that everything went well with your surgery and that you're back at it soon. But whatever you do, don't piss off the wife. I've learned over the past 50 years that you'll live to regret it!

[AC Bill]

So just out of curiosity....

By filing down the stopper or "Nub" as EZ calls it, just a tad, that would allow the latch handle to move further back slightly, thereby retracting the bolt further. The nub looks like pot metal which would be easy to grind off just a bit. Easier than the latch bolt I would think, and could be done without removing the latch from the door. A Dremel would make short work of that. Wouldn't that also solve the problem?

Is the spring that has been suggested to be removed, not there to ensure the latch handle is under tension enough, so that say someone brushing against the knob with their elbow, or perhaps accidently catching it with a shirt sleeve, wouldn't cause the latch to release?

[kmelcher]

I have a MKIV with the new door latch and I am missing one of the lever return springs. Anyone have the part number or source. Someone recommended McMasterCarr but would love to know what part to buy.

[egchewy79]

are both sides missing the same spring? are you sure they didn't redesign the mechanism with the new latch? If you're only missing one side, take the spring off the other side and take it to a hardware store. They usually have a section of springs you might be able to compare with the stock spring.