Re: IML: Door Won't Shut: 1960-1966 Door Latch Assemblies

["JIM LORENZEN" <jdlpdx@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have the opposite problem with my '62:  I can't get the back doors to open 
and I don't want to destroy the trim panel to get inside the door to lube or 
some  how persude the latches.  I've drowned the wheel as best I can by 
spraying WD-40 in the space between the quarter panel and door but no luck 
yet.  The windows are up as well and inoperative.  Any and all help will be 
appreciated.

Thanks

Jim L. in OR
   '60 Crown 4dt hdtp
   '62 Crown 4dr hdtp


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <randalpark@xxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2007 7:37 AM
Subject: Re: IML: Door Won't Shut: 1960-1966 Door Latch Assemblies


> I have more trouble with rear doors which are frequently left unopened for 
> years. It seems that inside the door, the "click" doesn't fall into the 
> "star" apparently due to solidified grease, dirt, etc. This causes the door 
> not to close properly, if at all. Closing is a two stage process with this 
> type of safety latch. In this case, the door will not close, and "bounce" 
> back open, or will close only partially, allowing it to pull away from the 
> door seal, but still requiring operation of the handle to open it the rest 
> of the way.
>
> Removing, cleaning, and re-lubricating the latches usually corrects 90% of 
> the trouble. So far, I have not run into any trouble whatsoever on doors 
> that have been regularly opened throughout the years. I suspect those are 
> the ones with the most wear and tear, yet they seem to work fine. I am 
> familiar with the looseness that occurs when the "click" and the "star" 
> become worn. With the door fully closed, it can be moved slightly in and 
> out in the closed position, and will shake badly on rough roads. I haven't 
> experienced one of these regularly used, fully functional, but very worn 
> latch systems opening by itself going around a corner. The safety aspect 
> still seems to work in spite of the wear. That's a good thing!
>
> However, I have had one of the seldom used, "sticky" latch problem doors 
> open under these conditions if it was not made certain to be fully closed. 
> Sometimes, operating the door latch wheel manually with fingers through a 
> few cycles of "clicks" while open will allow it to be closed until work 
> can be done later on. Once closed, it's advisable not to open it again 
> until that work can be done.
>
> Either way, the latches seem to be repairable. I recently purchased two 
> rear ones to fix the "seldom used door syndrome" problem in my parent's 
> '60, but plan to repair the ones I remove, and save them for future use.
>
> Paul W.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: gearhead@xxxxxxxxxxx
> To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Sat, 19 May 2007 3:42 PM
> Subject: IML: Door Won't Shut: 1960-1966 Door Latch Assemblies
>
> On the door latches for the 1960-1966 Imperials, there is a star wheel on 
> the forward (inside) part of the latch that the Lever-Detent Actuator 
> rides against to hold the latch in the closed position. This star wheel is 
> adjacent to the Lever-Detent Actuator (K) in this FSM photo, 
> http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1964/FSM/html/23-032.htm
>
> Yesterday, I took the latch out of the driver's door on my '64 Crown 
> Coupe. I found a couple of things that I believe causes the latch to do 
> the much discussed "door won't latch" syndrome for the Imperials of these 
> years.
>
> I noted that the assembly that comprises of this star wheel on one side of 
> the latch and the latch wheel that fits into the door jamb striker plate 
> had a lot of lateral play. After moving the various components in their 
> range of motion, I saw that the riding surface of the Lever-Detent 
> Actuator had gouged a trough on each of the six star 'fingers' of the 
> adjacent star wheel. Instead of a smooth motion of this lever cinching 
> down into the star wheel crotch, I caught a glimpse of it jambing up, 
> mid-finger so to speak, preventing full rotation of the latch wheel to 
> lock closed the door.
>
> The Aha! light went off (on?) upstairs and I pressed down in a vise the 
> cup that captures this wheel assembly taking a sizeable amount of play out 
> of the mix. This causes the lever to ride in alignment with each star 
> finger.
> Then, I filed down each of the six star fingers to take out the trough 
> ridge and to a lesser extent the deformed crotch part that the lever 
> notches into to hold the door solidly closed. This work fixed the trouble, 
> the door closes every time That little star wheel holds it all closed and 
> seems to take the brunt of the wear.
>
> Now here is the question that could solve the latch issue. Does anyone 
> make, sell, or fabricate these star wheels? It appears that they can be 
> pressed out/in for replacement.
>
> Eric
> 1964 Crown Coupe
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