Door latch trouble

speedjunkie · 09-29-2009, 10:18 PM

My passenger door was opening fine until just the other day when it wouldn't open at all. I took out the latch tonight and reinstalled it, and it actually opens now, but you have to pull really hard and pull up on the handle (basically lifting the door a little) to get the door to open. It seems like the hole is a little too long to make contact soon enough (red arrow), but why would it be just fine one day and happen all of a sudden? I saw this other thread (post #6)...

http://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=832260&highlight=door+latch

...saying to stick a bolt or something in the hole to make contact sooner, but I'd rather not do that. I'd rather fix it another way, something less rigged. Any ideas or suggestions? Or will I just need to get a new rod? Has anyone fixed this issue successfully before?

dudemaaan · 09-30-2009, 02:05 AM

If the rig holds, is not seen, and doesn't rattle or interfere with the operation of opening the door then I vote for the bolt rig. But i'm not entirely sure how the bolt helps either, hard for me to imagine without it all in my hands seeing the actual operation.

speedjunkie · 09-30-2009, 08:40 AM

I can't post a pic like photobucket because I'm at work, but I adjusted the other pic a bit.

Basically, the yellow arrow is indicating how the bar comes down and opens the door. By putting a bolt where the red arrow is pointing to, it would make contact sooner. Which makes me wonder why there is so much play to begin with, AND how this problem just came from nowhere.

dudemaaan · 09-30-2009, 12:20 PM

ohh I see now. Maybe the bar/rod is bent or something. Have you pulled the outer door handle to see how much movement it allows, or if there is a problem with it? Maybe the whole unit can be adjusted up or down. Is it just the outside handle with the issue, or does the inside one have a problem too?

speedjunkie · 09-30-2009, 03:29 PM

Yeah someone on the other forum said he'd bent his pretty straight and it fixed it. Maybe mine buckled under pressure or something. So I'm gonna straighten it and see what happens. The outside handle was the first thing I checked because I didn't wanna have to remove my door panel haha. The outside part of the outer door handle doesn't seem to be causing the problem, and there's not much adjustment to it, I tried that last night too. The inner handle works fine, so it's just the outside operation that doesn't open it. I pretty much narrowed it down to that bar.

I thought maybe there was a plastic bushing of some kind in that hole that made contact sooner and maybe it just broke off due to age, but I felt in the door and nothing was there. I thought about smashing the top of the hole together, pushing the 2 sides closer to each other so the pin wouldn't fit up in there, but it might break in the process and eventually it would wear back to normal anyway, so I'll just bend the bar as straight as possible and see what happens.

dudemaaan · 09-30-2009, 03:39 PM

I know the end of the bar where it connects to the outside handle has bend that slips into the handle.. Maybe that could be adjusted to have less of a bend. It's been awhile since i messed with the handle so it might not work

speedjunkie · 09-30-2009, 03:49 PM

I'm not sure there is enough there to begin with to take anything from it haha. I'm going to straighten the rest of it though. It SEEMS like I only need just a bit more, maybe like 1/8" or so. So straightening the bends should help. We'll see.

dudemaaan · 09-30-2009, 06:18 PM

Cool sounds like it will help. let us know

speedjunkie · 10-01-2009, 02:12 AM

Yeah that didn't work haha. I did manage to break my handle though, so I ordered some aluminum ones from JKL. I think what happened was that the handle started slowly breaking and just not pulling the linkage. I actuated the rod by itself and it opened the door just fine. We'll see once I put the new ones in.

dudemaaan · 10-03-2009, 07:20 PM

Yeah that could very well be. If it was slightly cracked and instead of pushing on the linkage the crack just opened up.

I installed remote door poppers on mine so my outside handles aren't even hooked up.

speedjunkie · 10-04-2009, 11:49 PM

Hmm, that might be something I should look into. I'll see if these new handles fix the problem first.

rx4ur7 · 10-06-2009, 12:20 PM

Sounds to me that the outer door latch is bent or broken, common failure. Or the cable has stretched or is breaking. Haven't seen that failure but could be possible. If the new handles do not work, my bet is on something wrong with the cable.

speedjunkie · 10-07-2009, 12:25 AM

Well the cable/bar itself is pretty thick and strong, so I'm not betting on that. Basically what it looks like is that the handle started failing slowly, where it grabs the inner components. The arms of the handle are still there and intact, it's just not grabbing the stuff inside anymore. Hopefully I'll have the new handles this week and I'll post up results after install.

rx4ur7 · 10-07-2009, 06:28 PM

Sorry I was looking at the wrong thing. I was referring to the cables that go to the lock and inner latch. Having a latch out now looking at it I still go with the outer latch being the cuprit. Other than that possibly the latch wearing internally, but I doubt that(since the part number has not changed since 92 which means that there isn't a manufacturing problem with a part). The one thing you can do other than installing a bolt, bend the activating rod. That would be my fix, if the outer handle isn't the issue.

speedjunkie · 10-07-2009, 09:03 PM

Nope, the outer handle was the issue.

I figured out what the problem was. There was a piece bent, and it was also wearing on the handle itself, not to mention where the handle broke too.

The piece was bent like this...

So I bent it back to what it was supposed to be, like this...

And this is where the handle was worn. The part that's rubbed off is where the bent part was rubbing...

09-29-2009, 10:18 PM	#1
speedjunkie RCC Loves Me Not You Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Colorado Springs, CO iTrader: (1) Posts: 2,089 Rep Power: 19	Door latch trouble My passenger door was opening fine until just the other day when it wouldn't open at all. I took out the latch tonight and reinstalled it, and it actually opens now, but you have to pull really hard and pull up on the handle (basically lifting the door a little) to get the door to open. It seems like the hole is a little too long to make contact soon enough (red arrow), but why would it be just fine one day and happen all of a sudden? I saw this other thread (post #6)... http://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=832260&highlight=door+latch ...saying to stick a bolt or something in the hole to make contact sooner, but I'd rather not do that. I'd rather fix it another way, something less rigged. Any ideas or suggestions? Or will I just need to get a new rod? Has anyone fixed this issue successfully before?

09-30-2009, 02:05 AM	#2
dudemaaan Rotary Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Brenham, TX iTrader: (4) Posts: 335 Rep Power: 17	If the rig holds, is not seen, and doesn't rattle or interfere with the operation of opening the door then I vote for the bolt rig. But i'm not entirely sure how the bolt helps either, hard for me to imagine without it all in my hands seeing the actual operation. __________________ 500+ HP thanks to: Fast reacting IAT sensor thread! Mechanical Pre-turbo Water Injection Thread Dual Stock fuel pumps Thread T2 differential swap!

09-30-2009, 12:20 PM	#4
dudemaaan Rotary Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Brenham, TX iTrader: (4) Posts: 335 Rep Power: 17	ohh I see now. Maybe the bar/rod is bent or something. Have you pulled the outer door handle to see how much movement it allows, or if there is a problem with it? Maybe the whole unit can be adjusted up or down. Is it just the outside handle with the issue, or does the inside one have a problem too? __________________ 500+ HP thanks to: Fast reacting IAT sensor thread! Mechanical Pre-turbo Water Injection Thread Dual Stock fuel pumps Thread T2 differential swap!

09-30-2009, 06:18 PM	#8
dudemaaan Rotary Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Brenham, TX iTrader: (4) Posts: 335 Rep Power: 17	Cool sounds like it will help. let us know __________________ 500+ HP thanks to: Fast reacting IAT sensor thread! Mechanical Pre-turbo Water Injection Thread Dual Stock fuel pumps Thread T2 differential swap!

10-03-2009, 07:20 PM	#10
dudemaaan Rotary Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Brenham, TX iTrader: (4) Posts: 335 Rep Power: 17	Yeah that could very well be. If it was slightly cracked and instead of pushing on the linkage the crack just opened up. I installed remote door poppers on mine so my outside handles aren't even hooked up. __________________ 500+ HP thanks to: Fast reacting IAT sensor thread! Mechanical Pre-turbo Water Injection Thread Dual Stock fuel pumps Thread T2 differential swap!

09-30-2009, 03:29 PM	#5
speedjunkie RCC Loves Me Not You Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Colorado Springs, CO iTrader: (1) Posts: 2,089 Rep Power: 19	Yeah someone on the other forum said he'd bent his pretty straight and it fixed it. Maybe mine buckled under pressure or something. So I'm gonna straighten it and see what happens. The outside handle was the first thing I checked because I didn't wanna have to remove my door panel haha. The outside part of the outer door handle doesn't seem to be causing the problem, and there's not much adjustment to it, I tried that last night too. The inner handle works fine, so it's just the outside operation that doesn't open it. I pretty much narrowed it down to that bar. I thought maybe there was a plastic bushing of some kind in that hole that made contact sooner and maybe it just broke off due to age, but I felt in the door and nothing was there. I thought about smashing the top of the hole together, pushing the 2 sides closer to each other so the pin wouldn't fit up in there, but it might break in the process and eventually it would wear back to normal anyway, so I'll just bend the bar as straight as possible and see what happens.

09-30-2009, 03:39 PM	#6
dudemaaan Rotary Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Brenham, TX iTrader: (4) Posts: 335 Rep Power: 17	I know the end of the bar where it connects to the outside handle has bend that slips into the handle.. Maybe that could be adjusted to have less of a bend. It's been awhile since i messed with the handle so it might not work __________________ 500+ HP thanks to: Fast reacting IAT sensor thread! Mechanical Pre-turbo Water Injection Thread Dual Stock fuel pumps Thread T2 differential swap!

09-30-2009, 03:49 PM	#7
speedjunkie RCC Loves Me Not You Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Colorado Springs, CO iTrader: (1) Posts: 2,089 Rep Power: 19	I'm not sure there is enough there to begin with to take anything from it haha. I'm going to straighten the rest of it though. It SEEMS like I only need just a bit more, maybe like 1/8" or so. So straightening the bends should help. We'll see.

10-01-2009, 02:12 AM	#9
speedjunkie RCC Loves Me Not You Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Colorado Springs, CO iTrader: (1) Posts: 2,089 Rep Power: 19	Yeah that didn't work haha. I did manage to break my handle though, so I ordered some aluminum ones from JKL. I think what happened was that the handle started slowly breaking and just not pulling the linkage. I actuated the rod by itself and it opened the door just fine. We'll see once I put the new ones in.

10-04-2009, 11:49 PM	#11
speedjunkie RCC Loves Me Not You Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Colorado Springs, CO iTrader: (1) Posts: 2,089 Rep Power: 19	Hmm, that might be something I should look into. I'll see if these new handles fix the problem first.

10-06-2009, 12:20 PM	#12
rx4ur7 Rotary since 1972 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tucson iTrader: (0) Posts: 231 Rep Power: 17	Sounds to me that the outer door latch is bent or broken, common failure. Or the cable has stretched or is breaking. Haven't seen that failure but could be possible. If the new handles do not work, my bet is on something wrong with the cable.

10-07-2009, 12:25 AM	#13
speedjunkie RCC Loves Me Not You Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Colorado Springs, CO iTrader: (1) Posts: 2,089 Rep Power: 19	Well the cable/bar itself is pretty thick and strong, so I'm not betting on that. Basically what it looks like is that the handle started failing slowly, where it grabs the inner components. The arms of the handle are still there and intact, it's just not grabbing the stuff inside anymore. Hopefully I'll have the new handles this week and I'll post up results after install.

10-07-2009, 06:28 PM	#14
rx4ur7 Rotary since 1972 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tucson iTrader: (0) Posts: 231 Rep Power: 17	Sorry I was looking at the wrong thing. I was referring to the cables that go to the lock and inner latch. Having a latch out now looking at it I still go with the outer latch being the cuprit. Other than that possibly the latch wearing internally, but I doubt that(since the part number has not changed since 92 which means that there isn't a manufacturing problem with a part). The one thing you can do other than installing a bolt, bend the activating rod. That would be my fix, if the outer handle isn't the issue.

10-07-2009, 09:03 PM	#15
speedjunkie RCC Loves Me Not You Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Colorado Springs, CO iTrader: (1) Posts: 2,089 Rep Power: 19	Nope, the outer handle was the issue. I figured out what the problem was. There was a piece bent, and it was also wearing on the handle itself, not to mention where the handle broke too. The piece was bent like this... So I bent it back to what it was supposed to be, like this... And this is where the handle was worn. The part that's rubbed off is where the bent part was rubbing...

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