Front Door Will Not Latch
- Thread starter FJ80HI
- Start date
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Did you try some graphite powder or Napa sil-glide?
I like the graphite powder as you can rinse it off, sil-glide makes a gummy mess if it doesn’t solve the problem like the window gasket getting old & stiff/rotton.
Just a few ideas - I’ve had 3) ‘97’s over the last ~25 yrs.
I like the graphite powder as you can rinse it off, sil-glide makes a gummy mess if it doesn’t solve the problem like the window gasket getting old & stiff/rotton.
Just a few ideas - I’ve had 3) ‘97’s over the last ~25 yrs.
Do you get that “funky noise” just opening the door when latched, or does it make that same sound when you cycle the handle with the door already open?
Does the same sound happen when cycling the door latch both from the exterior as well as the interior?
I know the pressure equalizer flaps behind the RR-most slider windows (AKA the
beehive collector 
) - but some get gummed up since these are ~30YO rigs now.
If it was me, I’d buy a cheap set of plastic door panel pry bars & carefully take the interior panel off & do your best to save the moisture barrier (or buy fresh plastic & use that double-sided VHT tape like this:
It’s overkill, but once you solve the problem, that tape is insane but you can use those same plastic scraper/pry-bars to undo or just cut inside the edge of vapor barrier & re apply quality Vis-queen like asbestos removal bags - those are the toughest sheet plastic I came across.
Since you went “parts cannon” at it (don’t blame you, I did it for the PO401 thing) - you probably got this handled.
Check back if it worked or if you’re still fighting it.
Does the same sound happen when cycling the door latch both from the exterior as well as the interior?
I know the pressure equalizer flaps behind the RR-most slider windows (AKA the
beehive collector ) - but some get gummed up since these are ~30YO rigs now.If it was me, I’d buy a cheap set of plastic door panel pry bars & carefully take the interior panel off & do your best to save the moisture barrier (or buy fresh plastic & use that double-sided VHT tape like this:
It’s overkill, but once you solve the problem, that tape is insane but you can use those same plastic scraper/pry-bars to undo or just cut inside the edge of vapor barrier & re apply quality Vis-queen like asbestos removal bags - those are the toughest sheet plastic I came across.
Since you went “parts cannon” at it (don’t blame you, I did it for the PO401 thing) - you probably got this handled.
Check back if it worked or if you’re still fighting it.
- Thread starter
- #24
Y’all just wanted to up date this. I am in the process of reconditioning my FJ80 and I never did fix this door issue. Don’t like slamming the door so I tried to fix. I had used all kinds of lubes on the latch and nothing worked. Then degreased it with brake cleaner and it worked better but still required slamming. The taken a screw driver and activating the latch I compared it to the other four doors. All the other doors activated and latched without much force but the drivers latch required a lot of force. As it would see by slamming door. So the problem is in the latch. Note I drilled out so I had more adjustment in the jam strike and the door was aligned and weather stripping removed. As previous poster said the internal spring can become misaligned. Seeing this door sees most use that is probably the problem. Can by new or used latches online
- Thread starter
- #25
Ok finally replaced front door latch with good condition oem used one off eBay. Solved the problem. No slaming door to close. Notice old had white plastic missing. Will take old apart sometime and see what else might be broke. If you change careful with the plastic clips holding the wire links. Need to rotate before pulling wire link or you will break plastic clips check on YouTube if in doubt. Also. In order to remove latch must remove 10mm bolt in door holding window slide channel. No need to remove channel completely. Removing bolt will allow channel to move enough to slide latch down
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