Re: IML: Door Won't Shut: 1960-1966 Door Latch Assemblies

["JIM LORENZEN" <jdlpdx@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

YES ! ! ! !

 

Thank you David...  Definately not a dumb question. 

Never again will I ever make or listen to a joke about Military Intelligence!!!

I'll save your suggestion as a last resort sure cure due to the wiring conduit into the doors, but at least I know I will be able to get the doors open.

 

Jim L. in OR

    '60 Crown 4dr Southampton

    '62 Crown 4dr Southampton

 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Dave Wilker" <wilkerbeast01@xxxxxxxxxxx>

To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Sent: Monday, May 21, 2007 11:41 AM

Subject: Re: IML: Door Won't Shut: 1960-1966 Door Latch Assemblies

> Dumb question time!
> Can you access the rear door hinge 
bolts? Maybe you could take the hinges 
> loose, and open the door that 
way?
> 
> 
> 
> David C. Wilker Jr.
> USAF 
(RET)
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: 
<randalpark@xxxxxxx>
> To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2007 7:37 AM
> Subject: Re: 
IML: Door Won't Shut: 1960-1966 Door Latch Assemblies
> 
> 
>>I have more trouble with rear doors which are frequently left 
unopened for 
>>years. It seems that inside the door, the "click" 
doesn't fall into the 
>>"star" apparently due to solidified grease, 
dirt, etc. This causes the door 
>>not to close properly, if at all. 
Closing is a two stage process with this 
>>type of safety latch. In 
this case, the door will not close, and "bounce" 
>>back open, or will 
close only partially, allowing it to pull away from the 
>>door seal, 
but still requiring operation of the handle to open it the rest 
>>of 
the way.
>>
>> Removing, cleaning, and re-lubricating the 
latches usually corrects 90% of 
>> the trouble. So far, I have not run 
into any trouble whatsoever on doors 
>> that have been regularly 
opened throughout the years. I suspect those are 
>> the ones with the 
most wear and tear, yet they seem to work fine. I am 
>> familiar with 
the looseness that occurs when the "click" and the "star" 
>> become 
worn. With the door fully closed, it can be moved slightly in and 
>> 
out in the closed position, and will shake badly on rough roads. I haven't 
>> experienced one of these regularly used, fully functional, but very 
worn 
>> latch systems opening by itself going around a corner. The 
safety aspect 
>> still seems to work in spite of the wear. That's a 
good thing!
>>
>> However, I have had one of the seldom used, 
"sticky" latch problem doors 
>> open under these conditions if it was 
not made certain to be fully closed. 
>> Sometimes, operating the door 
latch wheel manually with fingers through a 
>> few cycles of "clicks" 
while open will allow it to be closed until work 
>> can be done later 
on. Once closed, it's advisable not to open it again 
>> until that 
work can be done.
>>
>> Either way, the latches seem to be 
repairable. I recently purchased two 
>> rear ones to fix the "seldom 
used door syndrome" problem in my parent's 
>> '60, but plan to repair 
the ones I remove, and save them for future use.
>>
>> Paul 
W.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: 
gearhead@xxxxxxxxxxx
>> To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Sent: Sat, 19 May 2007 3:42 PM
>> Subject: IML: 
Door Won't Shut: 1960-1966 Door Latch Assemblies
>>
>> On the 
door latches for the 1960-1966 Imperials, there is a star wheel on 
>> 
the forward (inside) part of the latch that the Lever-Detent Actuator 
>> rides against to hold the latch in the closed position. This star 
wheel is 
>> adjacent to the Lever-Detent Actuator (K) in this FSM 
photo, 
>> http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1964/FSM/html/23-032.htm
>>
>> Yesterday, I took the latch out of the driver's 
door on my '64 Crown 
>> Coupe. I found a couple of things that I 
believe causes the latch to do 
>> the much discussed "door won't 
latch" syndrome for the Imperials of these 
>> 
years.
>>
>> I noted that the assembly that comprises of this 
star wheel on one side of 
>> the latch and the latch wheel that fits 
into the door jamb striker plate 
>> had a lot of lateral play. After 
moving the various components in their 
>> range of motion, I saw that 
the riding surface of the Lever-Detent 
>> Actuator had gouged a trough 
on each of the six star 'fingers' of the 
>> adjacent star wheel. 
Instead of a smooth motion of this lever cinching 
>> down into the 
star wheel crotch, I caught a glimpse of it jambing up, 
>> mid-finger 
so to speak, preventing full rotation of the latch wheel to 
>> lock 
closed the door.
>>
>> The Aha! light went off (on?) upstairs 
and I pressed down in a vise the 
>> cup that captures this wheel 
assembly taking a sizeable amount of play out 
>> of the mix. This 
causes the lever to ride in alignment with each star 
>> 
finger.
>> Then, I filed down each of the six star fingers to take out 
the trough 
>> ridge and to a lesser extent the deformed crotch part 
that the lever 
>> notches into to hold the door solidly closed. This 
work fixed the trouble, 
>> the door closes every time That little star 
wheel holds it all closed and 
>> seems to take the brunt of the 
wear.
>>
>> Now here is the question that could solve the 
latch issue. Does anyone 
>> make, sell, or fabricate these star 
wheels? It appears that they can be 
>> pressed out/in for 
replacement.
>>
>> Eric
>> 1964 Crown 
Coupe
>> 
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