I recently put a new door on my TA...

It shut and opened alright, but it would only open sometimes...

as I tried finding the problem, it's stuck shut.

To open it before, I sometimes messed with the lock...

... and it feels the same, lock engaged or not.

Thanks in advance.

 

Does the door open fine from the inside?

 

Nope.

I can see all the rods, as there's no interior on the door...

... and everything looks correct...

but the mechanism remains elusive.

 

Now I'm stumped... Maybe unhook the lock latches and see if it's the lock thats jammed?

 

I don't think that's it, either.

Everything moves...

... but nothing happens.

... how would I check to see if it's the lock that's jammed?

 

Unhook the lock rods to the latch, both the one from the cylinder and the inside lock. One could be bent not allowing the lock to completely unlock. Power lock actuator could be holding the rod a little also. Rust penetrant on the latch may help also. Good luck, at least you have the panel off.

 

It won't work...

... could i undo the hinges, and take it off that way?

 

That won't work because the door latch is literally holding onto the striker, it'll screw up the area around the striker real bad. You're going to have to force the latch open somehow, drill the latches 3 srews out or accept having a NASCAR style windowdoor lol

 

How you going to get to the hinges!!! go in the other door and try and hit it open with your shoulder (hold the handle open will doing that)

 

Hit it open?

I don't think the latch even moves, but I'll try a lot at this point...

 

I really don't know what you can do,can you get a tool between the door and the frame and try and get the mechanism to disengage(do that from inside the car)

 

Alright, my Dad an I were looking at a spare latch I had lying around. There's two levers facing the door skin (the outside of the door) Pull the top lever down all the way (the lock) and then pull down as hard as you can on the next lower lever (the latch itself) while pushing on the door from the inside, if that doesn't work then make sure there isn't anything jammed in the mechanism.

I did have a screw fall into the mechanism while I was messing with it, and it have me enough room to move everything but it wouldn't unlatch.

 

It seems like the door's...

locked.

As in, the locking mechanism, which is supposed to be disengaged... isn't unlocking.

Or, the insides of that little box that covers all the moving parts is messed up, and moving that latch isn't doing anything.

I looked at my "spare" too, but to no avail...

 

Is the door latched completely shut? When I bought my Formula the door would not open. It was latched but not closed all the way. I used a block of wood and a floor jack, and lifted it up and it popped open. The cause was worn hinges and the previous owner just kept slamming it until it ruined the latch. Good luck.

 

Door's shut...

... I feel like I should just bust it off; I have a replacement, and I guarantee that I'm gonna put it on, especially after all of this.

Do you guys think it's the only way to go? I've tried just about everything under the sun...

 

i would try wedging the rear end of the door up

i bet its bound up on the striker post

as aforementioned, above.

should be able to wedge it with wedges etc from the inside underside of the door on the door opening step plate

if its not locked and you can pull the latch release rod mechanism lever then it should open if the door is not bound up on the striker



im currently swappin out the orignial doors on this old 81 jeep J10 pickup for ones that are off a similar model and years but not pickup ones so there are differences in the door latch bolt pattern and positions also in the door key lock cylinder location as well

ive had to make some pretty notable modifications but ive got the driver side one figured out and working pretty ok but the pass side is being a PITA so far

they are cherokee or something else doors

lock rods different
latches different
the only things that seem to be close enough to the same that i dont have to swap are the interior release handle latches and the long horizontal rod for them

even the lock button stems are longer different lengths between this pickup and whatever model the replacement doors are from

wow..


too bad jeep wasnt like GM where all the truck doors were virtually identical regardless of model, in most all cases, other than a couple minor things like different looking interior handles and armrests and mirrors etc and the longer length window regulator handle splined shafts in '77-up - the same year as the first power window and power lock options availability on all the GM trucks -and also first year for the larger full size door panels as well. also the same year as the GMC anniversary having the yellow gold painted body side trim moldings on both divisions' trucks - instead of the usual black painted ones

 

It was closing and opening alright...

... but I'll try the wedging thing some more.

 

try giving it some good hits near the latch. Just something to try to dislodge whatever is seized. My door on my 00 GMC Sierra did this once, went out the next day and hit it real hard with my fist and it would open again. Really weird, hasnt happened but one time and that was years ago.

 

I had a bent lever from the exterior door handle that wouldn't let me open the door and the interior rod was broken too. I had to wind the window down, yank the door cap off and use a rod to push down on the latch lever where the rod installed. If yours is actually 'locked'. Then that is a different issue. Spend some time with your spare latch, getting to know it on a deep and intimate level(!) until you locate the problem- sometimes the latch gets messed with before the door is closed and that can cause problems.

You MAY be able to reach the latch striker nut from inside the car if you pull the speaker out- I have not checked for sure. I don't know if you could get that nut undone and push the striker into the door. It will probably get jammed in the latch(sorry, 'stream of consciousness' thinking at the moment, just letting ideas pore out). Worst case, if you find after playing with your spare that you still can't find the answer, be prepared to get into the door access hole with a cutoff wheel on an air grinder and start cutting off bits of the latch until it falls to pieces on the door and let's you open it.
I took my latches off a while ago, soaked and scrubbed them in Simple Green until they shined, then re-lubed them so I wouldn't have this kind of issue. I would highly recommend everyone doing that the next time they have the door panels off...

 

Well, I finally had a nice talk with the latch...

Well, me and Mr. Rebar, and Mr. Sledge had a nice conversation.

Everything's worked out, and it turns out that it was bent on the inside, and was no longer making contact.

So I bent it 'till I could trip it with the rebar.

Thanks anyway, gang.