Door Catches

[64OTS]

I have an issue with the LH door on my Series 1 OTS. The RH door closes fine but the LH door catch seems to have a large slack when in closed position. I have compared the locks & catches, tried moving the adjustments, but both sides seem to have the same play in them. The LH door was originally the drivers side and shows evidence of slight accident damage, but both sides seem to have similar wear. It looks as if the play would be taken up when the rubbers are fitted, but why only one side?

[politeperson]

Sounds like the LH door is only turning the door lock wheel ratchet (star wheel) one click. It needs to turn the star wheel 2 clicks to shut the door correctly.

Check every thing is tight on the door and on the b post. I assume your door alignment is ok (door gaps).

If you are lucky, all you need to do is un-slacken the three screws holding the striker plate and move it towards the outside of the car. Hopefully the door will close quietly on the rubbers, click twice as it closes and then spring back on the door rubber in perfect alignment. Fingers crossed on that one.

You must check your door can be pushed firmly all the way shut without the door stricker or anything else stopping it. This includes badly fitted rubbers, misaligned striker plate or just bad door alignment from the hinge.

If the door is closing completely with the striker plate completely removed, then the issue is probably inside the door. Probably time for the door card off. A few minutes work, remember to lever the card off only when your knife blade is in contact with a door card clip.

Occasionally a badly adjusted door handle plunger will interfere with the door lock mechanism. The plunger is just an adjustable bolt. You can eliminate this source of potential interference by taking the handle off the door completely whilst you investigate. Unclip the door lock clip holding the lock arm (it just pushes), remove the two small nuts holding the door handle and remove it.

Check your star wheel is moving freely. There is another important factor in the the way the ratchet mechanism works, even if the star wheel does move freely.

I re used a door lock that had been unused many years. It would not go to the second click whatever I did with striker adjustment. I removed the door lock, noticing that it is all riveted together, so getting it apart would be a pain.

I sprayed silicone lubricant at it from every angel, whilst turning the star wheel. I noticed that the clicking of the ratchet became much easier to achieve for a given degree of star wheel rotation. Once refitted to the car, I got my second click and all was fine.#

Thats about all I can think of.