Front Door Will Not Latch (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Mar 4, 2013
Threads
9
Messages
56
On my 91 Landcruiser, the front door has become hard to close. I need to slam it hard to get it to fully latch. If I shut it gently, it only locks the first latch of the mechanism. Normally you could push it lightly to get it to fully latch, but the door can not be pushed in. I need to open the door and really slam it to get it to hit the second latch. With the door open, I tested the lock mechanism and can get it to latch all the way, so the mechanism seems ok. Seems like the door has come out of alignment, but for no reason. I looked at a way to adjust the latch strike, however it has no play with screws loose. The lock has no adjustment. Do the door hinges have adjustment, or what could be the problem?
 
Have you inspected the weatherstripping all the way around the door?
 
Have you inspected the weatherstripping all the way around the door?
I did and it looked ok. I compared everything on the drivers door (one that closes hard) to the passenger door (closes very easy) and everything looks the same including all the weather stripping. Could still be the weather stripping- if I push the door really hard- like full body weight, I can get it to close, and it looks like weather stripping is the only thing holding it back. But the stripping looks the same as the passenger door, so not sure why the problem appeared all of a sudden.
 
Does it close better if you lift up on it as you close it? Look at the edges of the door. Is the gap even?
 
Does it close better if you lift up on it as you close it? Look at the edges of the door. Is the gap even?
If I try to lift up on the door, it does not help. The door has no noticeable play. It seems if the striker was adjustable (like it was on my 78 FJ40) I could adjust it to make the door close easily. But after loosening the striker, it looks to be fixed. It looks like the only adjustment might be at the door hinge. Seems like it should be a simple fix, but I just cannot get to the root of the problem. Maybe the door seals have hardened up, but they still seam pliable and the same as the passenger door, and all other doors (which shut with the touch of a finger).
 
Took a look at the door latch mechanisim. The only difference between the door that won't shut easily and the one that will is that the hard shut door is missing the plastic covering on the latch mechanics. I would not think that would make that much difference, but maybe it does. If you look at the latch, the metal part is covered with a white plastic, due to age, it has broken away leaving only the metal part. Without the plastic the door would need to get pushed in slightly more to latch. If the striker were movable, I could compensate- I might have to modify the strike- or replace the latch. I don't think the little plastic piece is available- would need to replace entire latch and that part is expensive.
 
Did you ever try lubricating it?
Yes, it is well greased. I just looked at the latch/strike. I think I can fix the problem by cutting two slots in the strike so that I can adjust it. If I move it about 1/8 inch towards the door, I think to door will close easily and be tight. I think what has happened without the white plastic cover on the latch, I need to push the door in an additional 1/8 inch, and at that point the door is already fully closed and I am now trying to compress the rubber door seal an additional 1/8 inch- really hard to do thus need to slam the door.
 
Rise ye dead thread :skull: Rise!

Did you fix this? I'm having the same issue. How did you resolve it? Body shop?
 
This maybe a dumb questions but do you have aftermarket speakers in your door? Some will stick out to far and push on the side of the dash when closing causing the door not to close all the way.
 
This maybe a dumb questions but do you have aftermarket speakers in your door? Some will stick out to far and push on the side of the dash when closing causing the door not to close all the way.

I do, but there's no cover - they're flush. Oh! A PO did at some point add a significant amount of padding behind some leather. I'll check that!
 
Has it ever been wrecked?

The door hinge is adjustable, I did it last summer hanging a replacement driver door - seems without looking the adjustment is in the door to joint by 2 bolts, as opposed to the adjust being in the body to joint side of the pivot.

2 ~14mm head bolts, or about that. It's been ~9 months.
 
Interested to see what the resolution was or if anyone else has the problem. I have the same exact issue on my 1993 80. And it started this morning out of nowhere. It appears the latch isn’t catching unless I slam the door. No play in door hinge, latch and striker are tight, all weatherstrip looks to be in place, floor mat and seat belt not obstructing the door, no door speaker touching. Have to really slam the door to get it to catch all the way. I don’t want to start cutting away things as above or adjusting the latch or striker pin as it seems, because the problem started out of nowhere, this is more due to a failure in the latch than a slowly developing wear issue. Help!
 
On my 91 Landcruiser, the front door has become hard to close. I need to slam it hard to get it to fully latch. If I shut it gently, it only locks the first latch of the mechanism. Normally you could push it lightly to get it to fully latch, but the door can not be pushed in. I need to open the door and really slam it to get it to hit the second latch. With the door open, I tested the lock mechanism and can get it to latch all the way, so the mechanism seems ok. Seems like the door has come out of alignment, but for no reason. I looked at a way to adjust the latch strike, however it has no play with screws loose. The lock has no adjustment. Do the door hinges have adjustment, or what could be the problem?
I common thing I have found to be a flaw in the door latch is the “return “ spring
E753255E-6CC9-4A9C-BE57-72EBC7F371E7.jpeg

Where the red arrow is pointing is the return spring. The spring over time has melted/grinned through the plastic side wall. This has happened on two of these latch mechanisms (the original and a used one I bought.

The spring that is bent should be straight in the rectangle slot.
-to fix’s the I heated up the spring and realign it in the slot
- the I put some JB weld on the back to reinforce it



Separate of the spring

On the original part one of the ears broke off

8AA20457-1373-46A9-9FA8-D6A9E517F985.jpeg

Broke ear

6044DC82-20C2-4F2F-9F7A-AF376B9AC740.jpeg

Not broken ear

I could find a fix
 
I common thing I have found to be a flaw in the door latch is the “return “ spring View attachment 3320534
Where the red arrow is pointing is the return spring. The spring over time has melted/grinned through the plastic side wall. This has happened on two of these latch mechanisms (the original and a used one I bought.

The spring that is bent should be straight in the rectangle slot.
-to fix’s the I heated up the spring and realign it in the slot
- the I put some JB weld on the back to reinforce it



Separate of the spring

On the original part one of the ears broke off

View attachment 3320543
Broke ear

View attachment 3320545
Not broken ear

I could find a fix
Thank you!!! I will let you know!
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom