The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Rear barn door handle and lock

Can anyone out there confirm that the rear barn door handle and door lock cylinder for a 53 Suburban are identical to the regular side door handles and lock for a 51 chevy truck? It sure looks like it, but I'd like to know for sure before I pop for a new lock and handle.

Thanks.

They are not the same.

The rear door handles are also not the same for all Advance-Design barn doors. There must have been a change somewhere between 1950 and 1954, because I have two sets of barn doors and the posts on the door handles do not match. However, as long as you have all parts of the handle and escutcheon from the same year, you should be OK for all years of barn doors.

Tim

Thanks Tim - saved me $40 for 2 handles I couldn't use.

Does that go for the lock cylinder also? I can weld up the rounded portion of the square post and grind it square again. I've had the Burb for 32 years myself, so I've done that twice before. I can send the handle to the chrome shop. The key however, doesn't have any teeth - but it opens the lock fine - so will a screwdriver. I would like to remedy that.

Jim

Jim,

I do not know anything about the side-door lock mechanism on the '51 trucks. Sorry.

I sent my rear door handles to Qual Krom and they did a nice job.

Tim

Door locks and barn door locks are different (I will confirm this next weeekend). The side door handles can be modified to fit with a little grinding of the post and exchanging the escutcheons. The side door handles have a tapered escutcheon so that they will fit the angle of the door and the barn door escutcheons are flat. ...g

Specifically, the actuator rod on the "barn door" handle is longer and the handle has a side mounting screw that is not on the regular door handle.

Thanks guys!

Not exactly what I wanted to hear, but that's reality. I do have a parts vehichle with the rear lock. I have no key, but I had a key made for my original lock. Maybe this one will come up with a key with a few teeth.

Jim

Re-keying is easy, take the clip out from the rear door and remove the lock. Take the lock to a local locksmith with your ignition key and they can re-key it or give you the parts to re-key it yourself. I think home depot has parts to re-key also. You can also remove the glovebox lock and see what it is coded to (there should be a number stamped on the lock)and re-key it to to match. .....g

Cool - Thanks! I will do that. I have a matching set of locks for the side doors, I'll try to key it to those. I hope to be started on the dissassembly process this winter. Now is the time to buy the Ziplock stock.

Jim

I took apart two types of handles this weekend and the conclusion that I got was that the handles themselves are identical in appearance from the outside. However the shaft is about 3/4' longer on the side door handle than the barn door handle. The barn door handle escutcheon is not tapered and extends about 1", this is the difference between the two handles but they will interchange with each other. So if you have a great side door handle and a so-s barn door handle you can convert the two using the escutcheon from your old handle and grinding the shaft of the side door handle. This will make a good barn door handle which is not reproduced. .......g

Thanks for checking on that for me!

Whoa guys...I just took apart a side door handle...reworking the actuator shaft is no easy conversion...not only does it have to be shortened but it needs to be properly tapered and hand grinding "square" flats on that shaft is no easy operation...they will probably have to be machined.

Steve nothing is easy! I looked it over pretty carefully and I am sure that a vice, hacksaw and a file would be all that you would need. Machining would be better, but not necessary. I would try it on an old junker first. This doesn't have to be pretty, just functional. Where else are you going to find a perfect handle for the barn doors? ......g

Related but slightly different question...

My rear door handle droops. Is the commonly available spring for the front doors right for my rear door?

OldSub, when I removed the springs from both handles they were the same. It is a small coil spring, I was going to take one to a swap meet and match it with some of the new ones the vendors of nors rubber, clips and springs. ............g

Thanks! I'll order a couple and make that handle stay horizontal at last!

I'll take that spring tip also GMONIZ- Thanks for asking OldSub. I've assumed most of the droop was from the rounding of the shaft! I obviously haven't taken it any further apart than pulling out the handle. That droop always bugged me!

Oh, and about the shaft - I've always believed in the ole "cut to form, file to fit"

Thanks again,
Jim