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Scoob
06-08-2013, 02:43 PM
Any ideas on how to open the door when a spring inside the door latch assembly has broken? All of the linkage is intact, but the door latch won't spring open. To remove the door latch assembly normally, the door must be open. My only thought is to take a dremel to the latch assembly and cut it apart from inside the door.

shadowgray396
06-09-2013, 07:42 AM
Starting at the top:

There are four coil springs in the mechanism, one as described above to hold the push button lever against the push button push rod.

There is one "over center" coil spring that holds the door lock rocker lever either in lock position or in unlock position.

There is a coil spring on the latch plate "ratchet" plate that pulls the ratchet plate toward the latch plate.

There is one on the latch plate that pulls the latch plate to the open position. The latch plate is the part of the mechanism that locks onto the striker pin in the door jam.

Pulling on the inside door handle or pushing on the outside push button works through levers to pull the ratchet plate away from the latch plate, allowing the latch plate spring to pull it back, unlatching the door.

There is a "half latched" notch on the latch plate. This would allow the door to be partially latched but not open all the way. Even on "half latched" position, actuating the release mechanism should open the door.

There is a plastic "bumper" at the bottom with a spring to push it toward the outside of the door against a metal stop.

If the striker pin is adjusted too low, the head could drop below the metal stop making the door hard to open.

A broken spring in one of the upper locations could drop pieces into the latch and ratchet mechanism but I don't see how it could prevent "full open" if it releases at all.

In the picture taken of the edge you can see part of three of the springs, the push button lever spring, the door lock rocker spring, and the ratchet plate spring. The other two are not visible in that picture.

Try pushing hard from the inside, use both feet and hit it hard from inside may work also.

http://chevelleforum.org/picture.php?albumid=166&pictureid=3419
http://chevelleforum.org/picture.php?albumid=166&pictureid=3420
http://chevelleforum.org/picture.php?albumid=166&pictureid=3418