1981 f-150 manual door locks
#18
New to site - purchased 1980 F150 manual slide locks
From reading these threads, I understand I need to convert my inside locks from slide to the vertical rod pull up design. They are both broken and I can only lock and unlock from the outside. I also understand a hole needs to be drilled in the top of the door to accept the vertical rod. What I do not understand is what else do I need to change out? Does the new vertical rod (I find on lmc.com) just attach to the inner mechanism within my current door or do I need to also swap out the mechanism? I called lmc support and 2 reps have no idea. They appear to be just order takers. Any advise or additional info would be greatly appreciated.
#20
just to let you know sometimes the hole on top might already be there. the reason i say this is because my 81 f-150 flareside doors had the normal door locks but the doors are being replaced. i purchased a run down 81 f-250 with those freaking side locks, when i took the door panels off i noticed my doors have the hole already on top from the factory. so maybe you will be lucky like i was.
Last edited by volkstony; 05-21-2016 at 09:38 PM. Reason: fix a word
#21
That's interesting. And it fits with my theory that they cut over to pin-style locks on a by-plant basis, probably shipping all the old slide-lock door panels, latches, and links to one or two plants to use them up. But, meanwhile they had new doors coming in and they could go to any plant, so the latest trucks that had slide locks probably had doors set up for pin-style.
So, how about posting a pic of your certification label so I can decode the build date and plant?
So, how about posting a pic of your certification label so I can decode the build date and plant?
#23
It is located on the driver's door post and looks like what is shown here: Certification Label - ??Gary's Garagemahal.
#27
Certification Label - ???Gary's Garagemahal
#28
Well, I'm curious so I looked it over. Made in 6/81 at the Twin Cities plant, which was still turning out slide locks, as documented here: Door Locks - ???Gary's Garagemahal. So, since this truck came with slide locks and yet the doors have the holes for the pin locks it seems like two of my theories may be correct:
- Ford shipped the slide locks to a few plants to use them up, and the plants were probably Twin Cities and Kansas City. But, by 4/81 KC was using the pin-style locks, so Twin Cities appears to have been the last to use slides, and did so at least into June.
- All the new doors were coming in with holes for the pin locks, regardless of which plant they went to.
#29