The door handles on my '50 F1 are sagging a bit and I would like to know if anyone has any secrets to get them level. I have cleaned and lubed the mechanism and the spring is very strong. I even replaced the rubber stop riveted to the latch plate thinking that would help. So far, Nada!!

I did notice the the angle on the at the end of the latch plate where the latch protrudes in not 90 degrees. Is this normal or should I true it up?

 

I fixed the handles on one of my trucks very easily. I wish I had taken pictures as I did it. It's hard to explain but you have to take the latch mechanism out of the door. There is a box that the handle shaft goes through. If I can remember correctly you have to disassemble the box carefully so as not to break off the retaining tabs. Once you have the box apart you will see two parts that are worn, here's where I wish I had taken pictures, I have a very bad memory, but you should be able to notice the two parts inside the box that are worn. I built up the worn parts with a few tacks from a mig welder and filed the welds back into the shape the worn parts to the original shape.

Sorry about the bad description but once you have the box apart you should see what I am talking about.

 

Hey Bob!

Does this help?





The caption in the photo is wrong, top photo is drivrs side, bottom picture is the passengers side. Having a 5 Star Deluxe I have locks on both sides.


I'm not sure if you can but maybe modify this picture to show him what you meant. I am pretty sure I understand, but I've done it too. The cover is over the bolt slide. On the bottom picture you can see the tabs that hold it on. You DON'T want to break these off.



J!

 

Julie,

I tried to remember exactly what I did to fix the sagging. I am pretty sure I
had to disassemble the entire mechanism.



One of the two areas (red arrows) I think were worn and I built them up with the MIG welder. I also remember having to remove the "U" piece (blue arrow). I also removed the cover (yellow arrow) and welded something under there too.

It's very frustrating not remember what I exactly did. I am very sorry that I didn't take pictures as I did it. When I did it I was in a hurry and I know it didn't take a lot of time. The handles came out perfectly straight without any play. I am sure if someone wants to repair them they can do it, just be careful when twisting the tabs. They won't take more than one twist to straighten and one more to twist back into position.

 

Thanks for input. This one will take some thought. I know there is play in there but just cannot figure out where. Maybe when I get it assembled, I will be able to do it.

 

One of the things I found that made mine sloppy was that the square shaft that fits through the blot, and the square hole in the bolt were worn. When I took mine apart, I heated and flattened the bolt hole with a ball peen hammer some to shrink it back down. I also welded some extra metal on the shaft and filed it square to tighten that up.

Also, I had to tighten up the areas Bob is talking about. The band under his blue arrow is actually a piece of spring steel that holds the bolt slide. You have to remove it to get to the bolt.

Also, make sure the screw holding your handle in the door is tight.

I have an extra pair of these out in the garage. Let me go out and look at them tomorrow and I'll get back to you with something more specific, and some better pictures.

J!

 

Thanks Julie and Bob.

 

A cheater way to cure the sag would be to remove the handle, put the square end in a vice, heat the square in an appropriate spot along its length to cherry red and twist the handle slightly (in the correct direction) putting the amount of twist in the square shank to compensate for the sag. If you are really good you might just get it on the first try! Note that it is easily reversible if you decide to disassemble and repair as Bob did.
Not being from the south, would this qualify as a cottie bob fix?

 

Tee hee - probably not!

As a matter of fact I wouldn't be surprised (and I'll catch heck from Bill for saying this) if it wasn't an approved Ford Repair Procedure!

Have you ever seen the "Door Adjustment" procedure in the shop maual?

It involved putting a rubber mallet in a strateic location between the door and cab, then reefing on the door!

Ah life was so simple back them!

J!

 

Question - It appears I will have to heat the tabs to bend them up so I can get to the parts to be repaired. Is that was you all did? I tried prying them up and there is no way.

 

This is a interesting thread, I need to correct this on my 52 also. Do you have to remove the door glass to get these handle assemblies out? Just curious.
Thanks

 

If you heated the square shaft it might solve the sagging handle problem but you still have slop in the handle.

I don't think you will have to remove the glass. The door I did this on didn't have the glass in but if you have the widow rolled up you should be able to remove the bolts holding the door latch mechanism and remove the unit.

 

All this is interesting. I had a good look at mine way back when, and it appeared the problem was the cam action in the handle and base on the outside of the door. They are shaped so when you move it to open the door, it cams outwards, and a spring on the shaft behind the base tries to pull it back. When they get worn, there isn't enough cam action and the spring gets weak.

With the inner mechanism out, the handle should be able to return on its own. There could be two separate problems here?

 

Bob,
I agree with you. It will only bring the handle back to level. I did ask if this fit in the cootie bob category.

 

Yes, cousin Bill,



cottie bob all the way