Ok guys....I'm seeking help from the experts. I am trying to make one good door latch from two that I have. The two square holes in my old door latch were rounded off. The two square holes in the other latch that I have are really good. Here is my problem, the square shaft from the door handle goes through the latch from the side show in the pics. The square holes that you see are stationary and the one on the back side rotates. When I turn the door handle it will only move as far as the slop that is in the square hole shown. How do you get the full ranch of motion out of the door handle when your putting a square peg in a square hole??? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

I was looking at some other door handles and I noticed a grove cut into the square shaft on the handle. I'm thinking now that maybe mine needs a grove cut in the square shaft so it will rotate in the first square hole and only fit the back square hole to allow the full range of motion.

 

Just finished tearing apart two door latches that I had to make one good one. #1, #2, & #3 in the pics where removed, cleaned, greased, and reworked to make a good door latch that is now installed on my 37 and working just great. I had to make a grove in the square shaft of the new door handle which was easily done on the bench grinder. This grove allows the door handle shaft to rotate in the first square opening it passes through. The arrow points to the part of the latch assembly that someone had cut off with a torch. I have no reason why they would have done that but I'm now a happy camper now with the end results.

 

I was thinking about your project and was thinking that you should just disassemble both and use the best parts to make one good one, and you did that. good job!

 

Thanks. It was a fun project and it's always satisfying when everything turns out working the way it should. Had to have the wife help hold the Door Handle Escutcheon in while I put the retaining pin back in. Everything is really tight with the new interior installed. Now on to the next project.