The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Barn door latches

I'm in the process of rebuilding the rear door hinges and latches. The old latches we're vary basic. Anyone had a problem with them popping open?
Anyone install bear claw style latches.
I'd like to here the original work just fine.

Bill

I've never had the rear doors pop open.

Bill, my doors were terrible..more so on the latches. The doors evidently got slammed a lot and pushed in. I "rebuilt" my latches but it took some straightening and another bolters help with parts. The top and bottom latch/catch can be a little aggravating and it takes patience. Wish I could tell you more but take them one thing at a time. I finally got mine working pretty good but I do not slam either door. I pull back on the left handle when shutting and even put down on the right outside handle till I know a little push will latch it. They can get out of kilter real easy.

The originals on my Suburban work just fine.

The only problem is with the handle hitting the door skin when opened. It can be cured with a dollop of brass brazed in the right place.

My rear 42 panel doors work great. You can ever let your self back out by opening the handle if you keep it original. I do always try to drive with them locked but only once when some cargo shifted and I think they weren't locked did a 40 lb back of soil drop out the back on a dead stopped turn. thanks to the tow truck driver who returned hopped out and happily returned it to me.

my original barn doors have never popped open on my 49




Weeds

mine have never popped open as well.
maybe the latch rods need adjustment if they keep popping open.
just my thoughts.

Tim

the barn doors popping open when in motion will usually be caused by 'body wracking', make sure the back body is securely mounted and any factory lead joints above the door corners haven't cracked and they should work as designed

Bill

Thanks for all the feed back. I was able to obtain a door handle and made the rods with the help of a friend. I'm still putting the doors together but they seem to be working well.

Bill

I just picked up a set to replace my clamshells. The handle rubs the paint when I pull it down to open it. Before I tear it apart to prep it for paint, where should I look on the handle/lock mechanism to offset the misalignment?

On my rear door handle I taped the end and cut off 1/4" with a thin cut off wheel. Painted the end with some chrome spray paint and you cannot tell it or see it.
The misalignment in the handle comes from the stem being worn or the hole it goes into which can be welded and ground down, heated and bent up, or buy a new pull down front door handle and cut it off 3/8" as noted in the tech tip to modify a front door handle......the reason being they do not reproduce a rear door handle but you can make a front door handle work. See the link.
You might put an ad in the swap meet parts wanted and find one as well as keep an eye on Ebay for NOS parts.

When I had mine apart it was obvious where a little daub of brass would stop it from turning that far. I forgot to take pictures.