Technical 1949 Ford door latch repair.

I know this is a one off door. I also am aware that it sucks.
I have been told bearclaws are the way to go and that they are the fix.

However,
I don't want to change this latch out on my Fordoor 49'. I personally think that the handles look good on there
I assume there is an easy way to service and repair these latches. I just have no idea wtf I'm doing.

Currently the doors close but the latch does nothing, a person can just push the door open OR gravity can make the door go Ssssswwwwwwwwwiiiinnnng.

Let me know what I can do. Thanks!

 

Take them out. If they aren't broken, soak them in Simple Green for a day or 2 to get the old grease out. SOak in a rust remover, if they are rusty. Then, flush out and re-lube them.

 

I'd do what Chopolds said, except I'd soak in some cheap lacquer thinner. It will work faster and more thoroughly than Simple Green.

 

Well this is kind of like going to the Dr. First thing is to find out what the actual problem is. You haven't done that yet so we can't tell you "How" to correctly do anything. However, I will go out on a limb here and tell just changing to Bear Jaw latches isn't the right direction for you at all. If you can't diagnose a problem what makes you think you can install something not even close to being easy? I agree that the stock handles look good and when in proper working order do everything needed to keep the Door closed. I'd start with trying to do the easy part and fix what's wrong, not create a New can of worms for yourself.

 

Let's say hypothetically, they are broken. The spring is broken... Has anyone did a repair write up? Have you seen a rebuild kit? I have read how people make them work with a new spring but still... am image says 1000 words. PLUS reading is for rich people.....

What type of lube would you suggest?

 

Lube Job? What type would you suggest?

 

If the latch has broken parts, Ford made millions of them. There’s got to be another out there somewhere. And after it’s clean, I’d lube it with white lithium grease.

 

Awesome thanks!

 

For good used parts you only need to go as far as Shoe Box Central. Good people to deal with and very helpful. If new springs are available they will have them or at least the source. Here ya go More results from shoebox-central.com » Your issue could be as simple as the pull rod from the inside handle holding the Latch unit in the open position and nothing broke at all.

 

reading is for rich people ? um ok so what are you doing having this changed to braille?

 

Hahaha exactly

 

I'm not familiar with the '49 mechanism. I had a '49 Tudor but it's been close to 30 years ago and the doors were fine.

With that said the basic theory should be the same, or close to the same.

Can you manually engage the locking/latching mechanism?
Example....On My F1 (with the 30's style twist handle...I know '49s had a unique pull handle)...The door would not automatically latch. It would not hold/stay shut/latch unless you manually held the door shut and pulled the handle "up" to the closed position. Then it would latch. You had to do it manually because the spring was broken.

Can you make the door latch and stay closed manually? IE, hold the door shut and push the pull handle in, also you have to manually move the inside handle in the closed position....If you can do this (holding the door shut and closing the inside and out side handles thus latching the door), it needs a new door spring/springs or cleaning of the mechanism to operate. The spring should do that automatically. It may....may just need a cleaning.

On a F1 and '30s Ford the handle spring was in the inside latch mechanism. It was a spiral spring about the size of a 50 cent piece. The 1949 car may be different.


I bogarted this off of Ebay....seller claims this is 49 Ford car. (Hopefully it is '49Ford honestly I don't know) If you notice it has two spiral springs. Also notice all that funky linkage. All it may need is a good cleaning and lubrication. corrosion and grease that's turned to glue may be putting the mechanism in a bind. So, all it may need is a thorough cleaning. Hopefully so.
It's possible to replace those springs but it is a major pain in the ass. I had to make a wooden jig and screw the plate down so I could work. It was a dance with needle nose pliers and lots of cussing. Lets just say for a long while..."The issue was in doubt." Also the plate got out of shape so I had to hammer it back into shape. This was on an F1 and the F1 just used a single spiral spring.

OK....that's just the spring/handle lock mechanism....there is also the dove tail and the star wheel. Look for obvious deformity's.
Then there's alignment of the door itself. The shop manual says door alignment is critical for proper latch operation.
Also the shop manual mentions adjusting the "pin" on the actual pull handle mechanism. The pull handle is removed from the door and this pin is filed to spec.....
The Shop manual is very basic in this description and the photos are well, no real help.

Another option is to replace the mechanism with a working unit either NOS or off a parts car.

Before you do that.....You need to see if a simple clean up solves the problem. You need to make sure it's not an alignment issue.
If this happened in 1950....They would not repair the latch/lock mechanism (if that was the culprit)....they would just get a new one.

 

So latches are soaking in chem dip now.
But i need this spring

Anyone got a line on one? Or 4....

 

Measurement

 

I wonder if you could get spring wire and make new springs? Take a torch and anneal it to be able to form the spring. Then reheat to orange and quench in oil. There are different spring wires available on amazon that would not break the bank.

 

that's what we recommended in his other thread

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/need-this-latch-spring.1234410/

But you don't need to heat the wire to bend it. I've made a few different springs over the years.

Another trick is to take the latch out of the other door, so you can see what the spring really looks like. Make a mirror image of it.

 

Finding a single correct spring laying loose is not easy. Generally speaking the Driver door latch is the one with the bigger issues. The Passenger doors not so much. The two of them often share the same springs. Find a good Pass side latch and rob the one you need out of it. Or, you could call Shoe Box Central and see if they have new ones. At every large Swap Meet I've ever been to you find a vender with a large selection of springs in sorted trays. That would be my first choice being a good looking used spring may be 4 more cycles from braking.

 

I tried this and thd other door is the samd thing!? Broken springs all 4 doors!

 

If you haven't gotten it fixed yet, I may have my old ones but will have to do some looking.... I put Bear Claws on mine................but if I can't find them, I have a guy's number in Kansas who has a bunch of Shoeboxes....

 

Still not fixed.... i had what i thought where the right spring replacements and well they ended up bd
Being to large to work.

I was busying preping and pouring a nee pad the last few weekends...

 

Can anyone explain this better?

 

Oh.......... THAT makes no sense at ALL...

 

Soooooooo...

 

Hobby Lobby has music wire in 12" lengths for $1.99. I don't know if that is something you want to consider trying.

 

Do you think this is a good way to go? I'm new to not being bale to find parts that would work.

 

Nice looking pad but you forgot to pour the approach. You'll never get your 49 up on it unless it's a 4 wheel drive. I don't think a 2'x12' ramp is a good idea.

 

Yeah,
I kind of over built it. #4 bar 18in square. top soil removed to hardpan and 15yrds of crushed fill installed. for a patio...

Now if I could get the city to say yes to a garage.... That would be GREAT!

 

That is overkill for a patio.

 

TRUE But I have a pretty good Idea that it isn't going anywhere...