overhauling door latches?

[BerniniCaCO3]

Alright, so last week I was asking about door locks, which do continue to frustrate.
I never did find the "right" kind, dorman seems to already be the best name around (I was hoping to find better...), so the fact that the dorman actuators are not doing the job,
I am now attributing to sticky latches.
Especially the tailgate. Sometimes even my human muscles have a difficult time getting it open! Let alone the poor little actuator.

In fact, one of my actuators might still be good. It still operates, and does not feel seized at all! I might just leave it alone. But, it could not lock or unlock the door in a single stroke.
Sticky latch? I'm thinking so.

Alright, so how do I go about servicing one of these things?
Option a) is to try to pull them out entirely. Finagling the door lock actuator was hard enough however, with those blasted z-shaped ends-- how hard is it to disconnect the inside and outside handle control rods?

Option b) is to try to just spray in wd-40 or another penetrating oil, followed by a lubricating oil, or maybe fresh white lithium grease. I don't think that'll be enough.
I'm wondering if I might safely blast them with a pressure washer, soaking a lot of things, but will it short out wiring harnesses and power window motors and rust out the inside of the door? What about if I give it some time to dry?

Now, if I do remove the latches, do you think overnight in a shallow pan of wd-40, or vingear, or even lime rust remover? Followed by a blasting with the pressure washer on the back patio, then let to dry, then thorough smearing with white lithium grease?

And then my actuators might be able to do their thing, and I might be able to open my tailgate without herculean struggle?

[1987cp]

Physically removing the latches themselves sounds ambitious if you're worried about the actuator rods.

The rods are really pretty easy, but you have to be extremely careful not to break the plastic retainers if so equipped. The older metal retainers are much more reliable IMO, so be very happy if you have those instead.

I always say, there are usually bigger fish to fry than whether your power locks work. If your trouble is whether you can physically get into your car, disconnect the power locks and leave them disconnected at least until you're certain the rest of the latching system is working correctly.

I may also consider picking up some Ansell kevlar gloves next time I need to work inside a door.


Good luck with that stupid tailgate latch! I have a broken tailgate handle on the shelf as testimony to the suckiness of a malfunctioning 3-way tailgate. Happened on the morning of the day I permanently disconnected (and later removed) my power lock actuators, come to think of it.

[BerniniCaCO3]

what precisely is the malfunction?
I'm GOING to break mine if it gets any stickier.
If it's just being gummed up, I might want to consider removing at least just the tailgate latch to REALLY clean up.

Hey, have a part number for those plastic retainers? I already broke one :-/ Deliberately, to more easily get the lock actuator out come to think of it. Figured they'd be common as dirt but pepboys can't find them, at any rate.

[87_crown_vic]

i know the Napa dealer here sells the striker... and other part places have them in the Help section... last i knew... Advance Auto also has the wiring tail that melts for our alternators in the help section too

[GM_Guy]

Motorcycle chain lube works great as a latch mechanism lube. Its sticks, so it stays put.
If your locks have been ignored and built up with grit and old lube, spray in something to clean 'em out. Let it dry and then be very generous when spraying it with chain lube. Problem with white lithium is it gets hard during the winter, and as it ages it gets a clay like consistancy.

You'll find the retainers at fastener stores that carry automotive hardware (pepboys and the like will not have what you want unless you are lucky enough to see something already on the shelf in the 'help' section. Finding specific help products at these places is fruitless). Take a look through auveco.com browse the online catalog and you will come across door hardware eventually. Take note of the details and take that with you to a real fastener shop (Fastenal is NOT one).


Alex.

[mrltd]

you cant get the tailgate strikers... . I usually end up just removing all of the power lock acutators. Especially after one caused me to be locked out of my car at 2am in the middle of nowhere.

[sly]

I use axle grease, grease gun, flex hose, needle attachment to grease up the latches in my cars. Just did the ever so slow to unlock passenger door on the mark and it unlocks like as if it's brand new now. I did this when I had the door panel off for replacing the speaker so I could get inside and get at the internal latch parts. I also lubed up the catch spring for good measure.

[BerniniCaCO3]

OK, liberal and repeat sprays of wd-40 did the trick to loosen up the latches.
The brand new chinese door lock actuators must be using vaseline for internal lubrication, because they freeze up at nights when it approaches freezing.
For $60 for three of them, I'm keeping them for now... to work through the summer, and, to possibly cannibalize for parts if I go with a not-quite-right ford oem NOS actuator from ebay and need to change the rods.
Some of them came new without boots, too, so I can cannibalize that too.

But don't get the cheap chinese ones
Is Dorman, the slightly more expensive chinese brand, any better?

[GM_Guy]

We won't know until you try them. =-)
For the price of the dormans, you might as well spring for the ones from Napa that where probably made by the oem maker of them. (most electrical stuff for GM's (General Motors, not Grand Marquis in this case) at Napa is made by the oem maker).

Alex.

[gadget73]

might have some luck pulling the China parts out, flushing their grease out, and replacing it. Also, sometimes the boots on those don't seal well, so it may be that its got water inside already.

[sly]

yeah... I use the same axle grease to lube up those actuators before I install them. goops them up real good and makes removal a trial due to it being greasy as hell on the outside (it's not done unless it's overdone ) but it seems to have done the trick this last time with the makeshift umbrella washer.