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Customs i feel stoopid, i need some advice, door stuck shut

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by tred, Jun 6, 2017.

  1. 57tailgater
    Joined: Nov 22, 2008
    Posts: 845

    57tailgater
    Member
    from Georgia

    I believe there are some bear claw kits out there for older vehicles both universal and application specific. LMC has them for the Chevy's. I also see 38Chevy454 sells kits here in the H.A.M.B. Classifieds.


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2017
  2. Gearhead Graphics
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 3,890

    Gearhead Graphics
    Member
    from Denver Co

    Still no?
    Ill throw in looking at it with boroscope might help. Swing down to your local harbor fright and snag one. I had to use mine once, it saved me more money than it was worth (looking for a valve cover fragment and found a screwdriver laying in my intake as well!!) Itd help you on here too im sure. And they just come in handy so many times after that
     
    stimpy likes this.
  3. stimpy
    Joined: Apr 16, 2006
    Posts: 3,546

    stimpy

    I bought the more expensive one with the sd card , and its more than paid itself off over the years , from engine work ( combustion chamber inspection ,port inspections , looking for lost screws ) to bodywork inspections ( hard to hide work in spots from that little camera ) to even hot water heater inspections ( saved my neighbor $450 for a new heater by flushing out the crap in the old one and inspecting the inside walls of the tank ) and checked out a furnace manifold box .
     
  4. Gearhead Graphics
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 3,890

    Gearhead Graphics
    Member
    from Denver Co

    @stimpy I almost got the more spendy one, but didn't. Now and then I wish I had. They sure do come in handy for all sorts of things.
     
  5. Ok tred- let us know what's happening. What have you tried now?
    Some great ideas thrown here- I stand by mine. It absolutely worked for me in almost the same situation.


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  6. B.A.KING
    Joined: Apr 6, 2005
    Posts: 4,039

    B.A.KING
    Member

    does it have any slack between the door and cab? I've been trying to remember what i did with min. And i'm sorry the mind aint what it used to be. but i think i got a screwdriver in there and flipped the little dove tail like thing...i think. I finally got where i just slammed the shit out of the door and it would work properly.Mine would close half way and then would not open at all. bought new latch,it was worse than old latch. used a lot of white grease put old one back on and like i said.. WHAM.
     
  7. El Caballo
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 6,282

    El Caballo
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    If there is one thing the HAMB loves, it's a pickle of a problem and are just as impatient to get this done as the OP.
     
  8. B.A.KING
    Joined: Apr 6, 2005
    Posts: 4,039

    B.A.KING
    Member

    WELL, Do we guess he got in, shut door and now can't get out??? Bueler,Bueler??
     
    rjones35 and olscrounger like this.
  9. El Caballo
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 6,282

    El Caballo
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    He may be in the head, time to call the Coast Guard.... ;)

    Better yet, he may be working on the garage door....

    rube.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jun 14, 2017
  10. I don't know what the OP has in the way of tools, resources or skills but I would have sawn a big chunk of door skin over that whole latch area so that a reciprocating saw can be brought to bear if necessary on removing the latch.
     
  11. 1964countrysedan
    Joined: Apr 14, 2011
    Posts: 1,131

    1964countrysedan
    Member
    from Texas

    Blink if you need someone to call nine eleven.
     
  12. chiro
    Joined: Jun 23, 2008
    Posts: 1,185

    chiro
    Member

    As Coilover said, these stock '47-'54 AD truck door latches are notoriously bad. They open when they want, don't latch properly when you try to close the door, etc. Shimming the back of the striker is NOT the answer. I have had luck in moving the striker a tiny bit toward the outside of the truck and then tightening the shit out out of it, but the slamming of the door over time moves the striker towards the inside of the truck again. The only real solution is replacing them with the vehicle specific Trique bear claw latches that are made for this truck. They are a bit spendy, but they go in with minimal metal work and work great.

    http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Triqu...ckup-Bolt-In-Bear-Jaw-Door-Latches,46361.html

    Sorry I can't help you get the door open though. However, everybody else has offered a suggestion so here's mine...from inside the truck place pry bar between door and pillar and pry door forward. This may release latch because you shimmed the striker forward. Obviously, protect the door and pillar from damage by placing some kind of material on either side of pry bar that will not mar the surfaces.

    -Andy
     
    belair likes this.
  13. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,244

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I hate bear claws. At least the new ones for the rod industry. JUNK!!! A lifetime of old cars and never once had a worry or fail of a door popping open while driving.
     
  14. tred
    Joined: Mar 20, 2003
    Posts: 2,369

    tred
    Member

    ok, so, more pulling and pushing, head scratching, kicking and screaming, and still nothing.
    and goddamn, it's hot in there today with that window up! headed for a triple digit day here in Austin.
     
  15. stick a 7 bar prybar between the rear edge of the door and door jam, sometimes you can pry em apart enuf to get the door open,...I've done that before with no damage, can't say what your results mite be tho.
    ...another thot, can you get at the door hinge bolts that go into the door?...if so, maybe remove those and get the door off that way.
    I like that truck.
     
  16. B.A.KING
    Joined: Apr 6, 2005
    Posts: 4,039

    B.A.KING
    Member

    Sorry i am out of ideas. Hang in there....keep us posted.
     
  17. captain scarlet
    Joined: Jun 11, 2008
    Posts: 2,429

    captain scarlet
    Member
    from Detroit

    Can you get to the door hinges from the inside?


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  18. tred
    Joined: Mar 20, 2003
    Posts: 2,369

    tred
    Member

    yes sir, and that was one of my thoughts, to simply remove the door from the cab and start this process all over.
     
  19. rjones35
    Joined: May 12, 2008
    Posts: 865

    rjones35
    Member

    I don't know enough about those things to offer any good advice beyond the obvious, but I want to find out what happens!!
     
  20. tred,

    If you can access the hinge bolts from inside the truck to take the door off, and you haven't done it in the weeks this has been tossed around then it may be time to just sell the truck.

    I'm stunned!
     
    rjones35 likes this.
  21. cshades
    Joined: Sep 2, 2011
    Posts: 554

    cshades
    Member
    from wi

    If I remember correctly you cant get the hinges out of the door without the door open
     
  22. ^^^ yes, you are correct, been awhile since I had one off...
     
  23. Gearhead Graphics
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 3,890

    Gearhead Graphics
    Member
    from Denver Co

    Got a porta power? Shove it in the door gap. Eventually the door or the cab will move enough to get the door open
     
  24. Muttley
    Joined: Nov 30, 2003
    Posts: 18,500

    Muttley
    Member

    [​IMG]
     
    belair and fourspeedwagon like this.
  25. tred,

    Can you post a couple more pictures - of the other door - a picture of the latch area of the door jamb and a picture of the striker area of the body jamb - so that we can see how they want to mesh/latch?
     
    rjones35 likes this.
  26. stimpy
    Joined: Apr 16, 2006
    Posts: 3,546

    stimpy

    can someone stop buy his house and make sure he isn't stuck in the thing and if he is drop a sixer thru the vent window ... got to keep him hydrated ...
     
    Muttley likes this.
  27. I'd stop by but I don't know where he's at exactly.


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  28. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 9,814

    BJR
    Member

    If you find him stuck inside and drop off a 6 pack, hope he has a hole in the floor, if you know what I mean.
     
    Muttley likes this.
  29. Nostrebor
    Joined: Jun 25, 2014
    Posts: 1,278

    Nostrebor
    Member

    It's an old truck. It'll have a boatload of holes in the floor.;)
     
    fourspeedwagon likes this.
  30. shock
    Joined: May 25, 2006
    Posts: 223

    shock
    Member

    I would try unloading a can or two of something like CRC freeze off, or some other freeze spray on the latch and hinges, then try to open the door.

    you might just get lucky !
     

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