damn door

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GuitarGuy

GuitarGuy

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does any one have any bright ideas on how I can get the latch on my 72 demon passenger door to pop. both door mechinisms seem to be working properly but latch refuses to let go. been trying to get the door to open for a week no luck. interior is ready to re coat just need to get that dang door open so I can remove the last two trim pieces thank you for any help.:violent1:
 
Won't open from either side?
While someone holds the button in the release position, give the door a kick with the flat of your foot from the inside (not in the middle)
Try to get to the back edge as close as you can.

In my own experience, a door that wont open with either release is usually just jammed.
 
no it wont open from either side, and it acts just like its jammed. what little I can see from inside it looks like when it was closed the door wetherstip piece may have jammed it but cant really tell. tried the kicking thing but not with someone holding latche open i will try that.
 
used half a can of lube on 3 different occasions thinking it might just be rusted. car has sat outside for a long time.
 
well im outta ideas. was hoping to not have to destroy anything. funny theres no way to manipulate the lock from the inside surely the mopar folks would have figured one would fail eventually
 
GuitarGuy said:
well im outta ideas. was hoping to not have to destroy anything. funny theres no way to manipulate the lock from the inside surely the mopar folks would have figured one would fail eventually
Click to expand...

The only other decent option is if you can get the door panel off with it closed.
If you can, then you can reach in there and move the latch that way.

There are two rods (one from the outside handle, and one for the inside handle.)
Both of them would have to be off for it to be a control rod problem and not open from either.
 
no hinge sag that I know of never had that door open since I bought the car(2 weeks ago) I have the skin off the inside both latches are hooked up and seem to operate just fine so does the lock. the latch in the mechanism just wont let go.
 
is the remote rod inside the lock mechanism on the latch side? I would have thought one could open it manually after getting inside the door.
 
You might not be kicking it hard enough. I had the same trouble and finally with a hard enough kick, the door opened.
 
sometimes the button linkages get worn and sloppy. I've used a piece of shim stock on the lever that the button pushes on to bring the useable stroke sooner in the button travel.

Try taking off the door panel from inside and manually manipulating either latch or handle to get it to release....
 
the latch mechanisms are a 2 stage/click movement. If something interfered with the door closing completely ( both clicks ) the mechanisms hang in a way that nothing works as it should.
So is the door closed completely and/or have you tried to force it completely closed ?
 
its completely closed ,looks that way anyway. outside bode lines look right and ive pushed, pulled, kicked, shook, and pried and anything else I could think of.
 
doors open' heavily damaged but open. kicking it for 20 minutes straight did the trick. thank you all for the ideas. what's a car project if not occasional (constant) frustration. wont be the last one I am sure.
 
It sounds to me like theres something wrong with the locking part of the mech.When that link rod moves down to the lock position it actually puts the other two rods in neutral. That is to say, no amount of abuse will allow the latches to open the door.
You may have to shine a lite in there and operate the lock rod manually to learn/understand how it works. You may also have to find a tool to operate the lever manually.
I highly recommend that you remove the front seat(s) for this, because its not readily apparent and you may have to study it for a bit. IIRC,you cannot operate that mech, no how, until that little locking lever is moved to the unlock position.It could also be that the lock mech is worn out, somehow, but I doubt that
-Once that lock lever is disengaged, if it still wont open with the handles, it can be opened from inside the door with an appropriate tool, such as a long bladed screwdriver.
-I also have a very vague recollection of a slot in the center of the gearshaft, that can be screwdriver rotated, once the lock-lever is out. Very vague. You know, kinda like the trunk latch has a slot inside. Very vague on that.
- But I do know its absolutely possible to open that latch from inside the door, so long as its not somehow fubarred. Good hunting.
-Man-o-man, I have got to learn to type faster.Goodonya
 
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