front door repair

[marty christensen]

My front door is so poorly aligned that the latch has finally cracked.  I have a new one on the way, but I am not sure how to get to the latch as it is behind the inside vinyl liner.  I am thinking if I remove the inside window frame and hardware and outside door edge trim, the vinyl liner should be able to be pulled off.  Will that work or does more of the door have to be removed?

Marty Christensen
08 Contessa,  400hp

[David T. Richelderfer]

I pulled the screws out of the outside door edge trim from the bottom up to as high as I needed to pull the edge trim off the inside vinyl.  The inside vinyl can then be pulled out and away far enough to get at the linkage, etc.  I didn't touch the window screws.  My broken part was the outside door opening handle.  I did not need to adjust the door otherwise because the door was fitting okay... meaning it was not out of alignment.  I simply was unable to open the door because of the broken handle... which I replaced... because the broken handle would not move the linkage far enough to release the door to open.  It sounds like you may have more of a problem than I did.

[marty christensen]

Thanks, David     I am going to try that since I need to replace the handle and adjust the bottom latch.  My problem is the top latch springs open before the bottom one and I have to knee the door bottom to release the door bottom latch as I am out of handle extension.

[David T. Richelderfer]

The linkage inside the door behind the vinyl has several adjustable points.  You may be able to adjust the linkage to the lower catch to get the upper and lower catches working coincidentally.

[marty christensen]

I was hoping I could adjust the bottom only, or we will in time crack this one.  The engine shop seems to use all muscle and bent this handle and that started the crack.  Does the lower latch have a threaded rod that adjusts by turning a nut?


Marty Christensen
08  Contessa    400

[David T. Richelderfer]

I do not remember exactly what the adjustment points looked like because it was two or three years back when I replaced the door handle.  I think the long linkage rods were threaded with a turnbuckle like adjustment nut with a set-nut on one or both ends of the turnbuckle.  The short linkage rods were threaded on one end with a length adjustment nut on one end only.  In both cases it was a matter of turning the "turnbuckle adjustment nuts" to shorten or lengthen the linkage, then tighten the set-nut.  It's all a bit foggy to me after a couple years, but I figured it out so I'm sure you can too.

[Lee Welbanks]

Marty,
Sounds like you door is sprung, the latch posts are easy if they are like mine. Use a allen wrench to loosen the post and move it to match the latch in the door.
To straighten the door, you said the top springs out first. Place a block of wood in the edge of the door top or bottom and push hard on the other end to get the door to line up with the jam. You will be surprised and how easy these doors spring out of alignment.
Somebody slamming the door closed with something in the way will twist the door.

[Joel Ashley]

Lee brings to mind that I went to keeping the right-sized Allen wrench on the floor to the copilot's right. Every so often the door gets shut just hard enough to throw the bottom latch's pin in the door frame askew a smidge.  It means the otherwise easily closed door takes a little coaxing.  The handy wrench "twists" the cam-like actioned pin back to its normally-centered position, and just that eighth or less of an inch corrects it.  Just wish I was smart enough to figure out how to get behind the frame and tighten the entire pin contraption enough that it didn't move out of whack so readily;  the top pin never needs readjusting.

Joel

[marty christensen]

I tried adjusting the latch studs with an allen wrench and there is not enough adjustment as either the bottom of the door is sticking out and in that case from the inside the dead bolt cannot be locked for road travel or the top is sucked in so far the latch will not lock.  I have even tried a 2x4 and bending the door in at the top, and that helped, but the problem still is to get the bottom latch to open earlier before the handle runs out of purchase.  When I finally receive the handle I was going to adjust the lower latch rod tighter then final adjust the studs latches.  Maybe then I will have a door that opens easy.

I will let all of you know how that all works.

Marty Christensen
08 Contessa  400

[marty christensen]

The parts finally arrived and it took about 2 to 3 hours to repair.  I removed all the hardware on the inside of the door including the window frame, handle, dead bolt, access panel, pull, and screen catch.  I removed the door edge trim and tried to pull the vinyl liner off.  It was too tight on the hinge side, so I decided to remove the bottom door trim.  Drilled out the pop rivets and pulled it off.  Then I was able to the liner back from the door edge and stuff in crumbled up packing paper enough to gain access to all the hardware at the front of the door.  I then replace the broken outside handle and adjusted the bottom latch nut about 2 1/2 turns tighter.  I adjusted the top latch nut 1 turn tighter.  I also adjusted the linkage between the inside handle and the outside handle about 4 turns tighter.  Now my door opens from outside very easy with 1 finger at about 3/4" pull.  Both latches are now aligned where they spring at the same time when pulling the outside handle

I had to play with the 2 latch adjustments as if you over tighten them, the latches close too early and will not latch at all.  It took me a while to get the correct adjustment.  Also by tightening the latch nuts, you gain more pull with the outside handle.  So, now my door opens with 1/2" to 3/4" handle pull as opposed to 2" to all the way pull before.

Marty Christensen
08 Contessa   400