The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Barn Door Handle/LATCH PICTURE

1952 Panel, rear barn doors.
I have just put the rear door lock and latch in the right rear door. I then started to put the door handle on and fellows, it just sags to low. I took the latch out and examined it real close with two others side by side. The handle is not worn that much and neither is the latch mechanism.

My question> it appears that there should be a spring at the top of the latch in a hole that is part of the latch mechanism that.. if there was a spring, it would keep the handle pulled up the 3/4" it needs to be.
I should have taken a pic and still will if it would help... just let me know.

I know I can put it in a vise, heat it up and twist the handle up and problem solved but hey, I don't want to do that!!!

So, do you understand my question? Thanks for any help.

I just looked at Classic Parts and they list a "Door Latch Spring" it says Large coil spring fits on door latch to prevent outside door handles from sagging? I don't know if that's what your looking for but maybe! Good Luck, Tim

I am not sure if the 47-51 side-door latch spring will work on a panel rear-door handle (47-55). There may be helpful information in this thread.

Maybe GMONIZ will read this and respond?

Tim

Tim, I could write a book on this and the link about the rear door handle. In fact, I took a side door handle and modified it to use on the rear. I actually have a tech tip wrote up but have not submitted it to John/Peggy.
Another problem is that the vendors now will NOT sell you ONE handle. Even JimCarter now only sells them in PAIRS. I ask Mike about it and he says that is the way it is unless he finds a nice used one.
To use a front handle you have to cut off 3/8" and re drill the little 3/32" hole for the little roll pin. AND have the REAR bezel which is NOT tapered. I have a couple handles of each kind.

NOW BACK TO MY ORIGINAL PROBLEM> I feel sure there is a spring that goes on the latch but I do not have a clue as to what it looks like and it IS different from the front.

My handle has some wear but not bad. The square hole the handles goes into has very little wear. Yes, like the link Tim gave me the handle rubs the door a little when you open it. I cut off about 1/4 to 3/8" from the end of the handle today and problem solved. My handle has minimum rust but I plan to get it rechromed locally.

UPDATE: Well, today I notice when I tried to open the door that the "tongue" on the latch would not go back into the latch far enough to let the door unlatch. Well, I took the latch back out again and REALLY looked close at it COMPARED to another one I had as a standby. I have taken a picture of them and you CAN see the difference. When you pull down on the handle there is a "space" until the mechanism hits the "stop". Well, on one latch it is FARTHER than the other!! Its the ONLY difference I can see. I put the other latch in the door and pulled the handle down and the "tongue" goes all the way into the latch and the door opens good.
BUT... this latch does not have the spring and the handle droops on it too. So, I still have the SAME problem that I started with.
I will download the latch picture here in a few minutes and come back and edit this post or just make another post.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and any help will be appreciated.
Alvin

EDIT: check the pics out real close.
I also realize I should have made another post about the latch so now this is a handle question and a latch question but both are related!

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/differentlatcheslookclose.jpg



If you look close you can see the hole at top left of latches where a spring should hook... but where to?...and what kind of spring.
ALSO notice that on one spring (the one with the widest part to the "stop") that you can see the small tip of a "rod" sticking out the side of the hinge as if to keep the spring/tongue straight inside the housing.
There is no numbers on these anywhere to even get a clue why they are that way. I got some of this stuff from Spanky. Maybe he'll see this and know what that one came out/off of??
There is a little wear you can see on the one on the left but that is not whats causing the problem. HELP

Achipmunk, sent you a pm with pic's. There is a "coil" spring that pushes the latch/bar out and if everything is in order it should level the handle up.

Yakimabowtie: thanks for the picture. I responded to your email and think I need to "sacrifice" a spare hinge and take a look inside the little rectangular box at the spring. Now that I look at it I can see where the spring, or something else inside the little square box, is not pushing the little arm all the way back that has the handle going through it. There fore it lets the handle droop.

I think we may be on to something here. I'll check it out tomorrow afternoon.
I have a feeling it is not the spring itself but perhaps the end of the "arm" that goes down into the spring.
Thanks for tanking the time to send me the pics..... things look a little different at different angles