Door will not latch

[Noah H]

Hello 

 

my driver side door would always jam and now it’s too the point where it will not latch shut.  This may be the wrong place to put this in the forum, but how would I go about replacing the latch in the door/replacement parts. I started removing the bottom piece that’s why a screw is missing. 

[Bryan]

Make sure the toothed wheel is not rusted where it can't turn some.  Compare the action with another door that works.

[Los_Control]

Try to offer some ideas for The path to the cure. I get that you want to replace the latch. I do not know why you think that will fix it.

Although it may be what you need.

 

If you look at the photo

 

 

The top mark is deep. The bottom mark is just missing paint, is it also rubbing?

Just looks like you have a alignment that may be the cause of your door not latching.

Also a hillbilly fix is to spray and saturate all moving parts with a good penetrating oil like pblaster.

Remove the door panels and get inside the door and get the window tracks while there.

Make sure everything is moving freely, then some good old wheel bearing grease applied to areas that need it.

 

Open the door and lift up on it and check how much play you have in the door hinges/pins. Could be the alignment issue.

Seems like you may  have more then 1 issue. 

I myself would be looking to correct alignment so the door opens and closes freely with no rubbing without a latch, then fix the latch if it needs replaced.

 

 

[Cannuck]

If you look at the tooth wheel part it also has been hitting the latch wrong .

 

[Doug&Deb]

The latch mounted to the pillar is adjustable. Try moving it and see if it helps.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Your door latch is junk. Don't waste your time trying to fix it.

The latch star wheel must not be worn or damaged on the front or back sides.

Get another "good" door latch and do a proper latch to striker adjustment.

The striker plate and spring flipper must not be damaged either.

Make sure the door is fit correctly to the body opening.

Hopefully the hinges are not bent or completely worn out.

A door will close and latch with only a light push...this with good adjustments, plus good latch and striker.

Door latches are difficult to properly repair even using the MoPar repair kit.

[YukonJack]

I had a similar problem with my 47 Plymouth. Drivers door wouldn't stay latched. The striker on the door post has a small spring loaded flipper, mine was broken. I replaced the striker and the problem was fixed.

 

Edited December 5, 2021 by YukonJack

[Noah H]

8 hours ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

Your door latch is junk. Don't waste your time trying to fix it.

The latch star wheel must not be worn or damaged on the front or back sides.

Get another "good" door latch and do a proper latch to striker adjustment.

The striker plate and spring flipper must not be damaged either.

Make sure the door is fit correctly to the body opening.

Hopefully the hinges are not bent or completely worn out.

A door will close and latch with only a light push...this with good adjustments, plus good latch and striker.

Door latches are difficult to properly repair even using the MoPar repair kit.

 Thank you, there is no hinge movement when  I try lifting the door up and down. I do not even know where to start. Inner door panels off etc. I see that the top around the window comes off with screws, but I cannot see any screws for the lower portion/kick panel. 

[Dodgeb4ya]

There are as I recall four phillip screws holding the latch on the end of the door.

Then one more phillips screw under the door panel.

The panel of course has to come off.

Then remove the inside door handle 23"  long  link and inner handle pivot shaft. This assembly link and pivot then can be rotated and unhooked from the door latch still mounted in the door.

Remove the outside door lock...by using a wide blade screw driver in the narrow oval hole on the end of the door partially hidden under the rubber weatherstrip. There is a retainer clip holding the key outer door lock...use a wide screw driver in the oval door hole and wedge the 1" wide metal clip sideways about 3/8" towards the end of the door  ..pull the door lock out. 

Last step is make sure glass is rolled all the way up..

Then remove the phillips screw at the bottom of the rear glass channel run.

Carefully pull channel run torwards the front of door enough so the door latch can be pulled back enough to get it out of the end of door and drop it down while rotating it around the channel run.

Remove it from the door.