Door Flies Open

[Diastole]

I have an early '30 Coupe. In decent shape

When I drive her, the drivers door latch gives way, and the leaves the striker plate and catches on the body. Then with the next bump the door flies open, particularly if I am turning right.

Both the striker plat and the lath had wear.

I changed the door latch mechanism with a new one from a parts supplier. No change in action.

I replaced the striker plate. Slight improvement, but problem still existed.

I ground a flat spot onto latch and I had a dramatic improvement, but the door will still fly open if I drive long enough.

Please help. Any suggestions?

Diastole

[Jim Brierley]

No suggestions, but that is caused by the frame twisting, more common in roadsters but kind of rare in closed cars. You might check the body to frame bolts???

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by Jim Brierley

You might check the body to frame bolts???

While you're at it look at the "body blocks." If you find a loose bolt or two, tightening them up might make the problem WORSE. If so the blocks have rotted out and you're pulling the body in to misalignment.

In putting a body onto a frame, one "tinkers" until he gets the blocks in place and ANY SHIMMING required. I've used 1/8" pressboard for this - the body OR the frame was that far out. Sometimes several layers of shirt-cardboard may be required - or even corrugated cardboard which kind of give you "squish room" but maybe not endurance.

You're trying to get the "body lines" to line up, and the latch to hit the striker "mid-way," and the doors to open and close without hitting the pillar. Grinding the striker or the latch might be the quick solution, but there is likely an underlying problem.

Ford went to great labor to build bodies such that each was IDENTICAL - and a minimum amount of adjustment was required. So the body itself might be pretty good if relatively unrotted.

But time is wearing us all down.

Joe K

[TMarsh]

That is primarily reason for seat belts.

[Gary WA]

Originally Posted by Diastole

I have an early '30 Coupe. In decent shape

When I drive her, the drivers door latch gives way, and the leaves the striker plate and catches on the body. Then with the next bump the door flies open, particularly if I am turning right.

Both the striker plat and the lath had wear.

I changed the door latch mechanism with a new one from a parts supplier. No change in action.

I replaced the striker plate. Slight improvement, but problem still existed.

I ground a flat spot onto latch and I had a dramatic improvement, but the door will still fly open if I drive long enough.

Please help. Any suggestions?

Diastole

you need new hardware!! Wait i see you already changed out!!????

[Y-Blockhead]

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I'm not sure what is going on with your latch in photo #3. That doesn't look correct. Did someone grind that groove in there? That is not the way they are made.



Also ensure your door upholstery isn't holding the door from closing all the way. Yours looks on the thick side. That happened to a friend that had her Tudor re-upholstered recently.

[Synchro909]

I solved that problem on my Tudor by laying a bead of weld along the edge of the springy thing on the door. The weld caught the edge of the door fitting quite well by the time I fiddled with it a bit. No doors springing open since.

[bobbader]

There are at least 2 different manufacturers of striker plates. Bratton's manufactures the correct one.

Also, it's a little tricky trying to adjust the striker plate. The tendency is to push it to far in toward the interior of the car. Start with it in the opposite direction ..........all the way toward the outside of the car. At that point, the door should latch securely. Of course, the door will not fit tight against the body. Start slowly moving the striker further in ............. maybe 1/8 - 1/4 inch at a time. Tighten the screws and check the latching action of the door each time. When you move the striker in to the point where the door does not latch quite as securely, you've gone too far. Now, start moving the striker out in 1/8" increments until the door closes securely again.

You may be sorry you ground down that area in the door latch "flapper" but it might be OK. Good luck.

BTW, Brattons is closed for vacation until 2/10. If you didn't get the striker from them, make it your business to do so.

[Bob Bidonde]

That latch is worn-out and needs help. Either replace it or buildup the wear with weld. Also fix the dove tail on the door to stop it from shaking.

[ronn]

shim the striker plate.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Bob Bidonde

That latch is worn-out and needs help. Either replace it or buildup the wear with weld. Also fix the dove tail on the door to stop it from shaking.

Bob, I think the OP said he ground that groove in the latch...

[Diastole]

Thanks to all the replies. I have not had the propane to get in the shop to work on her. It is in the teens and highs in the thirties with another round of snow here in the Smoky Mountains.

But, I was able to get in the shop this week with a bottle of gas. Welded up the groove I put in the latch. Checked all the frame bolts. Checked all the frame blocks. All solid and snug and fit.

I shimmed out the striker plater, post #10, with a second washer and put the lock washer behind the plate. Door seems to close more firmly.

I took her out for a drive to warm up the oil and components and Hooray the door stayed solidly closed! Narry a looseness even on some figure of 8's.

You guys are awesome. And, I really appreciate all the advice. I wish now I had not ground the groove. It took me two hours to weld it up and grind it down.

Now on to finding the cause of a new intermittent wobble in the steering.

Thanks again.

Diastole in the Smokies

[Gary WA]

Originally Posted by Diastole

Thanks to all the replies. I have not had the propane to get in the shop to work on her. It is in the teens and highs in the thirties with another round of snow here in the Smoky Mountains.

But, I was able to get in the shop this week with a bottle of gas. Welded up the groove I put in the latch. Checked all the frame bolts. Checked all the frame blocks. All solid and snug and fit.

I shimmed out the striker plater, post #10, with a second washer and put the lock washer behind the plate. Door seems to close more firmly.

I took her out for a drive to warm up the oil and components and Hooray the door stayed solidly closed! Narry a looseness even on some figure of 8's.

You guys are awesome. And, I really appreciate all the advice. I wish now I had not ground the groove. It took me two hours to weld it up and grind it down.

Now on to finding the cause of a new intermittent wobble in the steering.

Thanks again.

Diastole in the Smokies

Thanks for the update !Wobble-check out the wishbone connection by tranny Snug and correct fit or toe in toe out.

[Diastole]

Thanks for the advice.

Things I checked:
it was 30 degrees in the shop. Same as when I drove the car and had the death wobble.
1. Toe-in was done using the Les Andrews string method 4 months ago.
Rechecked and still in spec.
2. Tire inflation good at 32 psi.
3. All drag link & tie rod spring and cups had been overhauled in 2023 with the nylon variation. All tight, I considered tightening them if I did not find a problem.
4. All balls on spindles, pitman arms, etc. still round to 0.002"
5. Pitman arm and sector housing tight.
6. King pin bushings, King Pins, KP thrust bearings all tight. Checked with reamer and and still snug. see pic
7. Backing plates without play.
8. Wishbone tight and wishbone's ball re-greased and snug in clamp.
9. Shocks rebuilt in 2021. Still dampen well.
10. 1 1/2" play in steering unchanged in last 2 years.
11. Essentially everything was tight, adjusted, in spec, or approprate except...
12. Axel bearings ------ BOOM

The Problem
When I pulled the rims off to check everything from the Kingpins to the spindles, there was some play. Up-down, side-to-side, and on the diagonal. Basically, the hub and drum wobbled in all directions, albeit just a little bit. The backing plate and kingpin did not move. The axle did not move. So, I re-tightened the axle nut per Les Andrews instructions/procedure. No change.
I pulled the hubs off and EUREKA the races of the outboard bearing were so loose I could turn them in the hubs with my fingers. The last time I drove the car with out the wobble was late Autumn, 65 degrees or warmer, and the Summer. The day of the death wobble and this inspection it was 30 degrees. At that temp metal shrinks.
The Driver's side is worse than the Passenger's side. But, both races turn in the hubs. The bearings and the axle are in great shape. Plenty of grease, no wear or rust, or damage.

The Solution
Our club all discussed this over brain-juice, aka coffee. We came up with three fixes. The members were split essentially down the middle. The grey-hairs went one way the non-greys went a different way. The mechanics went the modification way and the intellectuals went the accessory way. Both groups nodded acknowledgment to the other's solution. And both stated, "we are often wrong, but never in doubt."

1. Use a long center punch and ping divots into the inside of the
hub where the races seat. Punch 15-20 divots all the way around.
Consider a second row. Coat the outside of the race with JB Weld
or Permetex's Seating Compound and re -press the races in. Wipe
off the excess carefully. Let it sit for more than 24 hours and
reassemble. The theory is the hubs are dead anyway.
Contracted in the cold, they shrank and released the races. The
divots raise metal to fill the gap and allow the races to reseat and
the 'glue' fills the gaps and prevents loosening in future. The 'red
wrench' would allow the glue to release if I wanted to remove the
races. You cannot kill a dead horse by flogging it.

2. Measure the gap and use brass shim stock. Make a circumferential
brass shim and repress the races in. This group claims a better
solution because the shim stock, being equidistant in the
thickness will keep the race and consequently the hub centered
on the axle and the divots may all be different heights. Make
sure the shim is appropriate thickness.

3. Wait till it warms up and the hubs will expand and let the races seat
again so there is no play for them to wobble. Drive it in on the
hot days only with the windows down and windscreen open.

Does anyone have a vote for which solution is best?

Thanks,
Diastole in the Smokies

[nkaminar]

Seating the races on the hubs was a good idea. I would have used some version of Loctite. However, I am not sure that will solve your wobble issue.

"3. All drag link & tie rod spring and cups had been overhauled in 2023 with the nylon variation. All tight, I considered tightening them if I did not find a problem."

I suggest that even though the ends seem tight, the Nylon parts take a set after a while and need more tightening. Maybe one turn each.

"10. 1 1/2" play in steering unchanged in last 2 years."

I suggest that 1 1/2 inches of play is excessive. I like to see zero play. It is easy to see if the play is coming from the steering box, and if it is then adjust the box.

[Big hammer]

What’s the gap between the hub and race ? Loctite has what’s called bearing tight that I’ve used to glue in races in gear boxes, when I was working for a living, I think it’s good for .003 -.005 thousands gap, check with Loctite on what you can use .

[Fullraceflathead]

I would also check to make sure the steering box bolts are tight to the frame I had a similar issue 10 years ago with mine in the box was slightly loose!!!