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View Full Version : Door Larch "Fix"



ProfessorB
01-22-2025, 10:41 AM
Well, I'm just a retired working class guy, I like to save a buck when I can. I replaced the door latch TWICE and, of course, you can't just buy the latch you need....you have to buy a PAIR. Part of the problem was the door itself (alignment), I should have addressed that before now. This time I have addressed it and the door opens and closes like butter. With the latch mechanism itself, what I don't like is that the operating lever is held on the rotating "shaft" by a peening process. In both failures, the lever popped off the peened end of the "shaft". This "shaft" has a square hole thru the center. After measuring this square hole, I determined that a 7/16 course thread could be tapped. Then I got a 7-16-14 FULL THREAD bolt, cut it to the proper length so that the end is flush when installed, and then installed it with red loctite. Just sa209459ved myself $130.

AC Bill
01-22-2025, 03:35 PM
The door latch's have a long history of failure. I believe it was back around 15 years ago that a suggestion on a simple fix similar to yours was first suggested.

I learned early on that being gentle on latching the door closed by using the lever, rather than slamming them shut, could help with preventing their failure. No fix needed as of yet, fifteen years and counting.

CraigS
01-24-2025, 08:01 AM
Search 'Wade's door latch fix' from 15 yrs ago. He did the same thing. I also throw away the little tension spring that hooks onto the release lever. The enclosed spring is fine on it's own.

Norm B
01-24-2025, 09:39 AM
The Forum search function doesn’t work very well. Try using Google with “FFR roadster” plus the issue you’re having in the search. All kinds of results will show including stuff posted on the other forum.

Norm

ProfessorB
01-24-2025, 12:18 PM
Here's kid of a generic question: I wanted to "like" and "thank" all these responses but can't seem to figure out how. Can somebody tell me how? I click on the little box to the right of the words "Post thanks/Like" and it just seems to give me the history. What am I doing wrog?

AndrewIdaho
01-24-2025, 12:49 PM
Here's kid of a generic question: I wanted to "like" and "thank" all these responses but can't seem to figure out how. Can somebody tell me how? I click on the little box to the right of the words "Post thanks/Like" and it just seems to give me the history. What am I doing wrog?

Hello Professor
Just below the post is a ribbon with title Post Thanks .... followed by a smiley face button and a thumbs up button. Press Smiley to thank and thumbs up to like.

Andrew

rich grsc
01-26-2025, 10:37 AM
I have no idea what a door larch is?