Droopy Door Handle

[bosworth]

One of the many things that I still have to address on my early 49 plymouth club coup, is a droopy outside door handle.  I assume that there is a spring that keeps it up in a horizontal position.  What type of spring is used,  where is it located, how do you get at it?

Thanks.... Bill

(I did a topic search but couldn't find any threads on this question)

[Desotodav]

I have the same problem with my truck external door handles that I am yet to fix.

As far as I can work out, the internal door latch mechanism has a second spring which corrects the door handle positioning. I have circled it in red in the attached picture... (bear in mind that this was from a right-hand drive truck from here in Oz)...

 

Desotodav

[BobT-47P15]

Those type springs appear on ebay sometimes.....at least I think that's what they are.  May be available from some parts sources,

 

This is the only door latch pic I seem to have......

 

  

[52b3b Joe]

I just bought two of these for my truck. I got them on ebay motors seaching with "desoto spring". They also have the spring clips that go on the interior handle part. 

[Joe Flanagan]

Are you talking about these?:

 

 

 

I took them out of one of the door latches on my 49 Special Deluxe. When they're assembled in the latch they look like this:

 

 

They're yours if you want them.

[bosworth]

Joe;

that must be what I need.  I found a piece of spring that looks like what you have, when I pulled the inside cover off of the door.  I would like to have them,

Thanks...... Bill

[bosworth]

Thank you for all of the replies;

This forum is amazing

Bill

[Tom Skinner]

Desoto Dave,

Ok, I'm still wondering. How does one get to those springs to replace them?

Is this in our Service Manuals?

I guess I'm inviting negative comments about "why I didn't look this up first" but I thought I'd risk asking.

Maybe a quick 1-2 step explanation would provide confidence for some to try.

Only my Driver's door sags a little and I wouldn't mind trying to fix it, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Tom

Huntersville, NC

[52b3b Joe]

Desoto Dave,

Ok, I'm still wondering. How does one get to those springs to replace them?

Is this in our Service Manuals?

I guess I'm inviting negative comments about "why I didn't look this up first" but I thought I'd risk asking.

Maybe a quick 1-2 step explanation would provide confidence for some to try.

Only my Driver's door sags a little and I wouldn't mind trying to fix it, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Tom

Huntersville, NC

 

You just need to unbolt the door latch mechanism in the door and pull it out. The springs are exposed and easy to get at once you fight getting it out. 

[Young Ed]

Depending on how droopy it is you may find that the mechanism is just gunked up and needs cleaning and reoiling.

[Andydodge]

Due to Dav being here in Oz its possible that the door lock he pictured "might" have been made here also..........so don't be surprised if yours looks different...........the reason I mention this is that the door locks on my 1940 Oz Dodge were made by a company called Linard in Melbourne, Victoria Australia and are a completely different lock to the USA ones and were used on Oz mopars up to at least the 1948 models.in cars and maybe later on trucks.........however the overall mounting of the lock in the door and removal/install should be the same...........andyd   

[Joe Flanagan]

I had to take the lock mechanism apart partially to get those springs out. I had to bend back three tabs and lift the housing for the springs part way up so I could get at them. One of my problems is that the square hole that the door handle shaft goes through is no longer square. Since it got more use than any of the other doors, the square hole is now wallowed out, so the door handle droops. But the mechanism is shot as well so I have to replace the whole thing.

[Desotodav]

I checked all of the manuals (truck and car ones) that I have before I added the previous photo Tom and I couldn't find you a picture. The one that I pictured was for a truck (as I mentioned earlier). The car mechanism from Bob's photo looks different to that truck one that I posted. You will have to remove the door latch mechanism as Joe said. I have also found that the square hole has been worn in some of the mechanisms that I have come across. I suppose that if yours was too badly worn then you could build up the square end of the external door handle if needed or look for another mechanism? The small spring appears to place a little pressure on the door handle to stop if from drooping. I plan on fixing my spring like Joe F had to do (bending back tabs etc.) as that seems the best way to get the replacement spring in place.

 

Desotodav

[ptwothree]

How about putting the handle in a vice and twist it to make it sit level again.  This worked for me on a '59 Volvo with a similar handle assembly.

[Joe Flanagan]

I may try that myself because after replacing the springs in my door latch, the handle still sags. 

[Tom Skinner]

Gents,

I found the Service Manual and it has good instructions on how to remove the latching mechanism.

I will try to find (on ebay) some springs. They are pretty much always listed under 1942-1948 Chrysler, or Desoto.

As far as twisting posts or handles to correct the sag/droop for the handle, I personally would not try that unless

all else had failed (spring replacement) and - and I said AND I had an extra handle/post to replace the one I was twisting

in case I monked it up some how. Just my humble opinion. I'll try the spray it with Liquid Wrench before I try anything else.

Besides my droop is minor, I am just contemplating going in there to correct it right now.

Tom

[hansen]

I have the same problem on my De Soto 1941,hoping for a good way to fix this.

[bosworth]

Today I was able to pull the door latch mechanism out of my  '49 P15 and replace the broken spring that was causing my droopy door handle.  The spring I used was an Au-ve-co rotary door lock spring #2041 that I got from daves-oldcars on e-bay.  It turned out to be an easy project, as I already had the inside trim panel off of the door.   I followed the directions in the plymouth repair manual to remove the mechanism.   I found that the mechanism contains three small springs that control the rotation of the latch and one larger spring that raises the door handle.   I spread the spring retainer with a cold chisel, to remove the broken piece,  put the new spring in and reset the retainer with the chisel.  

Thanks to everyone for your information and help with this project.

Bill

 

Edited March 22, 2013 by bosworth

[52b3b Joe]

Nice! I just got done putting a new spring in my trucks too. Now I am having difficulty with the spring clip that holds the interior handle in the locked position. I need more hands! 

[Desotodav]

Thanks for posting the photos Bill. I still plan on fixing the ones in my truck which are similar to your car ones - now I know just how to do it!

 

Desotodav

[BobT-47P15]

I was going to suggest rubbing some viagra on the door handle to straighten it up. 

But that might only last for four hours or so,  

[LAKOTA169]

I was going to suggest rubbing some viagra on the door handle to straighten it up. 

But that might only last for four hours or so,  

if it lasts more than 4 hours, call your mechanic.