Lets Talk Door Latches

STPPINZ · Post by **STPPINZ** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 1:10 pm

my door latched have gotten progressivly worse through the years and now I my driver side door will barely latch. No big deal in the summer because I just took the doors off. But there is a fall in the air Inwhich I would like doors that stay shut.

Just looking into any ideas that any of you might of had with you non latching doors.

Thanks

rollingpinz · Post by **rollingpinz** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 3:05 pm

Hello

It has been mentioned that as a winch or line is used on the front, the front of the vehicle will bend outward such that the door latch bolt will not extend far enough to reach the catch causing the doors to open easily. I think you should measure the gaps on your doors and compare. Maybe the opening for your passenger door has been warped.

Eric P

STPPINZ · Post by **STPPINZ** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 3:21 pm

Thats a good possability. Even with that, the latches have never been that good. Maybe a shim would fix the problem.

David Dunn · Post by **David Dunn** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 10:02 pm

Beside a winch, use of a tug strap and tying the front down by way of the front pin can deform the nose clip.

Shimming the strike plate may fix the problem, but you may be able to re-adjust the door on it's hinges too.
With the trucks as old as they are, the latches and strikes may be worn out. BTW, DOT outlawed slamlocks from new vehicles in the early 70's because they were prone to opening in impacts

milesdzyn · Post by **milesdzyn** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 10:11 pm

I don't still have my Jeep but if memory serves, the door wasn't much thicker than the Pinz doors. Couldn't we modify and use the jeep door lock mechanism, in the Pinz?

Miles

STPPINZ · Post by **STPPINZ** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:20 am

Took off the strike plate and it was already shimmed. Looked original. I am just going to shim it a little more. I think that will fix the problem..

David Dunn · Post by **David Dunn** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:47 pm

Check the hinge adjustment, you may need to adjust the door in the opening. With the door closed, look at the spacing between the door and frame to see if it is equal, or you can favor towards the lock plate, a little.
Depending on the method you chose to remove the hinge pin, it is also possible to have tweaked the hinge leaves.

Did you check to see how much your latch and strike have worn? Sticky latches will physically wear down the strikes.
Worse case, your front clip has deformed, and that will need to be straighten.

STPPINZ · Post by **STPPINZ** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:43 pm

Thanks Dave - I am going to spend some time on it tonight.

wwcommando · Post by **wwcommando** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 1:56 pm

I'm having the same problem, think I'll try shimming the strike plate.