1940-41 ford truck door latches

[Vanspeed]

Question for you guys. My doors shut hard. The part that engages in the latch and slide back in forth in the door is stiff. Both doors. I have talked to a few people and they said they turn the handle, then shut the door. No way was it like this new. Are there less stiff springs? I want doors that shut easily.

[corvette8n]

Take the latches out if you can and soak them in kerosene, there is probably years of dried up grease in them, lightly lube them when your done.

[pistonbroke]

Vanspeed, On my truck I oil the mechanism and rub a little paraffin wax on the face of the latch bolt and striker plate. A little wax on the wedge and dove tails helps also. But like covette8n said cleaning first is a must. Tim

[Kube]

Originally Posted by corvette8n

Take the latches out if you can and soak them in kerosene, there is probably years of dried up grease in them, lightly lube them when your done.

Yes sir! 2X

[Vanspeed]

Thanks for the replies. I will take them out of the door and do as suggested. I will let you know how they turn out.

[Vanspeed]

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I took it all apart and there was not much gunk on the spring. Cleaned it anyway, lined everything and they are still very stiff. I wish somebody made a softer spring.

[Vanspeed]

I bought a few new springs and the mechanisms are cleaned. The new springs seemed very tight not installed. I put one in anyway and I just can’t imagine this is how hard it was to shut the doors. My buddy who has a 40 says he turns the handle to shut his. Anybody have nice click shut doors?

[expavr]

“ Anybody have nice click shut doors?”
The doors on the tonner shut easily and solidly. No handle twisting while closing. No handle drooping after closing. As others have suggested the door mechanisms were cleaned and then lubed with white lithium grease. The strikers and dovetails were replaced. Everything else remains OEM from the factory. As I recall the strikers were adjustable and needed a little fiddling with to get right.

[38bill]

Every now and then my pickup doors get hard to close. When this happens I clean and lube the end of the bolt as well as the strikers and dovetail and the doors will shut and latch with ease.