The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Doors Difficult door closure '51 / '53

I have a '53 3600 but the prior owner replaced the doors with '51 doors. In order to fully close the passenger door, I really have to slam it.(broke the glass) If I don't slam it, it stays closed but rattles and does not fit the opening completely (outward by 1/2" at latch)
The truck has new rubber, hinges, striker plates. I have read most of the past posts and don't find a solution. Any help is appreciated.
John Hill

Are the new strickers for a 51 or a 53

I don't know if the new striker is '53 or '51. Are they different?
I just had the door apart and measured the clearances of the striker and its relation to the rotor assembly and everything is in spec according to the manual. I feel that the new(2 years old) rubber is holding the door off. Is there a rubber softener available? Can I trim the rubber to "just touch" the sill and allow for a closer fit?
Thanks
John

I did a lot of looking at different catalogs and my striker plates are '47 -'51.
John

By the sound of it, the main lock isn't engaging but the safety is working. If you look at the mechanism on the door, there is a cam that rotates as you close the door and it wraps around a contour on the striker. You should be able to work that with your finger with the door open. It should rotate in one direction only. To get it to return, you have to open the lock with the door handle.

I am thinking that you have a problem with the mechanism. By the way, instead of slamming the door, try a firm closure keeping the pressure on with your hand to stop a rebound.

I can rotate the mechanism on the door by hand but it is not loose or easy. The steady but firm closure will not work. Only a hard slam.
John

Do you have a lock on either door?

I'm wondering what type of latch was used on that door

No problems on the drivers side?

Nice truck!

IF you can get it shut by "slamming" it then perhaps a few days with it closed may help the weatherstipping to give or "set" a little. Just a thought.

John -

Sounds like the driver's door on my '54. I have to slam it to get it to latch. I can improve it a little by moving the strike plate. A very slight change in the position of the plate will cause the door to either to be too tight and latch only half way, or cause it to latch easily but be loose and rattle. There is a fine point where it will latch completely (with a slam) and not rattle. I think the striker plate shifts, because I need to readjust occationally.

If your cab has a door bumper(s) in the opening, try removing it. My doors won't latch with the bumpers in.

My door has pull down handles and a lock. The key is different from my ignition so I can't use the key to lock it but the inside handle works fine both to lock and unlock.
I removed the bumpers and still no luck.
I have observed the latch which appears to be original. The rounded lobe on the top that first enters the striker, appears to be pretty worn. I called Classic Parts and tried to order new latches but they said even though they had them, they were getting complaints and would not let me buy one until they get a new supplier and after they are tested. I thought that that was real class. I asked about the latch repair part http://www.classicparts.com/1947-63-Door-Latch-Repair-Clip/productinfo/18%2D555/ and they said they had no feed back one way or the other. I figured for $2.99 I would give it a try. I will post how it works (or not).
John

John -

Don't know if you saw these two Tech Tips. May give you some further insight.

Adjustment tips by Alan Horvath

How latches work by Roy Marks

BTW - I adjusted my striker plates again. My doors latch (still with a firm slam) and I can now use my door bumpers.

Thanks Lonnie,
I have ordered the spring clip to fit over the rotor and when it arrives, I'll try adjusting again. Argh!
John

John, I'm curious about the spring clip you mentioned. Please let us know how this works. I have one door that shuts great and one that is "ok" but not good. Keep us posted.

John,
with regards to moving the cam on the lock with your finger, you should only be able to move it one way. If you can move it back again, the lock is not working. There is a little gear like pawl mechanism that is supposed to make it one way. The only way of rotating it back is to release it with the handle.

Fred

IT WORKS!
After much thought and trying, I determined that I would figure this out. I needed to move the striker plate down to get more room under the latch for the rotor on the latch to encounter the striker in order to make the latch work properly but because the captured “nuts” in the frame and the inherently bad design of the counter sunk screw holes in the striker plate, it could not be adjusted downward and would not move down any further.
I removed the latch and thoroughly cleaned it and lubricated it with lock lubricant and when I reinstalled it, it occurred to me that if I could raise the latch, it would accomplish the same thing as lowering the striker plate. I was faced with the same design problem of the counter sunk hole not allowing upward movement of the latch assembly. To cure this, I inserted a small piece of copper wire under the bottom of the screws in the countersunk holes, forcing the latch assembly upward and it did in fact shift the latch upward. I tested it by simply looking as I closed the door gently and saw that the alignment left 1/8” below the latch as it passed over the lower surface of the striker plate. I completed the installation and closed the door and it worked perfectly. I was so happy that I must have opened and closed it 50 times.
I will still install the repair spring clip over the latch rotor when it arrives as it should give a new surface on the latch rotor. If it doesn’t work, I’ll take it out.
Thanks for all of the feedback.
John

That is really great news. Those latches work really well when everything is right. Congratulations!