Side door latch rebuild

[TurboVan]

Turbo has needed this for a long time, and I did it once before but not correctly, because I didn't fully understand how everything worked.
First off my old weld repair broke

I ground off the old weld

then the plate can be separated from the spindle


another problem was I had the detent spring behind the plate instead of riding on the edge of it

[TurboVan]

they put this handy nail hole here to hold the spring retracted during assembly

got my rig all set up

the handle must be parallel with the latch when the plate is in the fully closed position

not too bad for stick welded

cleaned her up a little, including the hole (with a square file)

this is how it goes together inside the door

all greased up and ready for installation!

and now it works like a dream, better than new!

and boy was it easy to install with that big 8 inch hole!

[kookykrispy]

Nice, a step by step how-to. Thanks for posting this with detailed pics. Very helpful.

[TurboVan]

I've been meaning to fix it for a while, and I forgot about most of the details in the meantime, so I thought I better document it.

[gregw98]

I set mine where the handle is in the non-drooping stance. Then carefully remove thew handle and then the assembly. Next I tack weld it in place and re-install it, minus the rods. If all is good, I do the final weld on the bung hole. Finally put it all back together. BTW: while the assembly was out, I soaked it in a barrel of gasoline while at lunch. Brush it down and hose it off, air dry and re-grease everything. All new again.

[joyrde]

Got one you want to sell ? seriously

[smiley]

Great tutorial! I need to do this with both of mine before it goes back together.

John, if I have an extra and you haven't gotten one by then, I'll fix you one up too.

[BvrWally]

Great work on the "Tutorial" Turbo!

[Wookee]

getting to learn a new trick like this is why this old dog keeps coming back........

I got lucky the last set of doors i woked on the handle still stands straight out when the dor is latched...........

.........wookee

[TurboVan]

Got one you want to sell ? seriously

Send me yours and I will rebuild it for you, 50 bucks incl shipping.

[TurboVan]

I set mine where the handle is in the non-drooping stance. Then carefully remove thew handle and then the assembly. Next I tack weld it in place and re-install it, minus the rods. If all is good, I do the final weld on the bung hole. Finally put it all back together. BTW: while the assembly was out, I soaked it in a barrel of gasoline while at lunch. Brush it down and hose it off, air dry and re-grease everything. All new again.

First time around I tacked it and the handle ended up flaccid, so I had to grind off the tack and re-do it, after super-gluing the spindle in place first.

[zwett]

Great work on this thread I half way did mine but used solder,,, should wear out soon. so I'll be refering to your fine work here.

[m1dadio]

Thanks Turbo:

This thread cut out the learning curve for me and I went straight to the repair.



I didn't bother to grind down the weld because there is plenty of room for the bead to stay as it is and it will be stronger when not ground.

I noticed; even though the square hole is parrallel with the latch hammer, I have one handle slope down and one sit straight in the same latch. I can see now that on one of my handles the steel shaft has a slight twist to it. I will heat it with a torch and give it a twidt so that handle sits straight.


M1D

[Wookee]

We do need to "sticky"this thread...........

[jrinaman]

We do need to "sticky"this thread...........

we should have a 'how to' or 'tutorial' section for write ups. maybe read only or approved additions as to keep it on point. comment in the other sections? great write up, by the way.

[m1dadio]

Straight handles now!



I also bought a second side door latch to use in the rear door so I would have an inside handle and lock.




M1D

[TurboVan]

Looks good!
I guess I could have done a better job organizing the how-to.

[VanSandy]

Bummer, the pictures are gone!!

[VanSandy]

..

[Russell]

Cool thread. Pics came up for me?

[VanSandy]

Cool thread. Pics came up for me?

I'm not seeing Turbovan's pics on the first page

[VanSandy]

Cool thread. Pics came up for me?

Can you right click and copy paste them into .jpg files to e-mail to me? Or re-post. Still not seeing them, just the pictures of M1Dadio's van.

[Russell]

They are marked with photobucket, this is what I got off of the first page.

[VanSandy]

Excellent, thanks!!

[LedZeppvan]

So all my doors lock like a safe! vanAgain Rich was able to figure out why my side & back door did not lock.

1. The rubber hose I added (per a thread I found) was about 1/8" too long and was hitting the door bars, so it could not get to push the lock pawl.

He removed my handy work and greased the mechanism up. Boom Shaka Laka!! DONE!

2. On the side door he found that one bar was off to the side, so he bent it back so the bar did not rub.

I have not had all locking doors for four years!!
I guess all it took was knowledge, fixing the locks on my doors took about ten minutes with his help!

[108VanGuy]

So all my doors lock like a safe! vanAgain Rich was able to figure out why my side & back door did not lock.

It's great to have someone handy around to help out with your VCVan issue. Who is this VanAgain Rich, new member? ;>)
108VanGuy...

[LedZeppvan]

It's great to have someone handy around to help out with your VCVan issue. Who is this VanAgain Rich, new member? ;>)
108VanGuy...

No Rich has been around for a long time... he has had a few vans. Currently he has a 66 Sport Van Deluxe window van. Its beautiful turquoise and cream around windows. He is a perfectionist when restoring his van, always correct right down to the last detail. I try to be a bit like Rich, but I cannot really match his quality detailed work and knowledge.
That is the kinda friend to have help you. I have learned quite a lot from him. Because he is able to explain what needs to be done very clearly. That helps, when as I, you may not have the same abilities or knowledge as the teacher! I think we never quit learning. Always something to learn you did not know. At least in my case...

[Wookee]

If you can up load pictures to Photobucket.
You can load picture directly to our site.
.
Click on to the reply to thread button
The insert image box should pop up.
Click on From Computer .
Your different stations should appear on the next screen.
Click on to open the station with the pictures in it.
Thumb nails of the pictures stored there should appear...
Click on to the the image.A blue box should appear around the image.
Along with two command boxes at the bottom of your page.
click the open box.
The image will appear in your reply box...

[Wookee]

Those where very good pictures...