52 door handles
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: Pasco, WA
52 door handles
morning all,
a quick and hopefully simple question, what is the mechinism, that keeps the door hadles in the closed/latch position.
is it a spring on the latch arm, or on the handle it self, or are mine simply worn out.
Both my right and left handles sag when the doors are closed, and wont maintian the normal closed postion. One is actually worse than the other and the door will not latch unless i rotate the handle.
What replacments parts should i be looking for this winter?
thanks
MC
a quick and hopefully simple question, what is the mechinism, that keeps the door hadles in the closed/latch position.
is it a spring on the latch arm, or on the handle it self, or are mine simply worn out.
Both my right and left handles sag when the doors are closed, and wont maintian the normal closed postion. One is actually worse than the other and the door will not latch unless i rotate the handle.
What replacments parts should i be looking for this winter?
thanks
MC
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,908
Likes: 2
From: Seattle WA.
MC, the door latch units are spring loaded linkage in the doors. Both door units in my 51 F1 had seen better days due to rust and normal wear. Orginal replacment door hardware is available from most of the major F1 parts suppliers. I changed mine out with Bear Claw latch units using electric selnoids and a Trilogy unit (http://www.watsons-streetworks.com/remotes.html) to activate. I also removed the handles and door locks (Shaved). I you are intrested in the Bear Claw latches look in my gallery I posted some pictures of my installation there.
Hope this information helps
Rod
Hope this information helps
Rod
Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,984
Likes: 9,838
From: Rio Rancho, NM
51ford fan,
Wow! Great job, I plan on doing this to my 49 once I start on bodywork. I will be keeping the stock handles though.
Thanks for the documentation and the pics of the process, it all looks fairly straightforward.
Bobby
Wow! Great job, I plan on doing this to my 49 once I start on bodywork. I will be keeping the stock handles though.
Thanks for the documentation and the pics of the process, it all looks fairly straightforward.
Bobby
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 587
Likes: 0
From: Augusta, ME
I have a set of new Dennis Carpenter outside handles for my 51. The spring inside the handle assembly is pretty firm, holding the chrome "bezel" or whatever it's called up against the handle tight. I'm thinking it will keep them up/straight forward like they should be.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,290
Likes: 1,055
From: NM
The "saggy handles" are caused by wear in the surfaces of the handle and the seat, plus loss of tension in the spring inside. If you take the handle assembly off, you'll see the "bottom" of the handle assembly has an egg-shaped curvature, and the "seat" has a matching profile. It compresses the spring when you rotate the handle, as it "cams out" of the recess in the seat. More spring pressure sometimes helps keep them straight, but sometimes the seat and handle are worn enough that no amount of pressure will keep them right. (no longer matching egg-shapes)
Freshman User
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: CT
I took the handles out and welded the square shaft where it was worn down, then I ground it down until it was nice and snug.This helped a lot,then for final adjustment I put the shaft in the vise and bent it until it was nice and level.Seems to work fine. I looked everywhere for new latches but no one had them.All the pickup truck places start at 53 for new latches,but you can get the handle everywhere if you need them.
