Drivers door popping open when driving

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Ciaraneng
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Drivers door popping open when driving

Post by Ciaraneng »

I'm having a problem with the door popping open at inopportune times when going over small bumps in the road. I'll eventually hit an oncoming vehicle if I don't get it fixed. Has anyone else experienced this and if so, what was the fix? Are replacement latch mechanisms available for T25's? Mine is an '83.
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Re: Drivers door popping open when driving

Post by davidoft1 »

Latches are a used( I have some) but first try lubricating the latch

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Re: Drivers door popping open when driving

Post by Ciaraneng »

Thanks David. I tried lubricating the latch but if anything it made the problem worse.
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Re: Drivers door popping open when driving

Post by clift_d »

I’m guessing that a spring in the catch mechanism has likely broken, and so locking latch is not positively engaging when the door closes and is working itself open in transit from the vibration. I don’t think these catches are available as new parts so I would suggest you look for a good secondhand example and try swapping it out.
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Ciaraneng
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Re: Drivers door popping open when driving

Post by Ciaraneng »

Thanks clift_d. I'll try to find an old one.

David, have you any interest in selling one of yours?
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Re: Drivers door popping open when driving

Post by Ciaraneng »

I tool the latch mechanism off. It needed a good clean after many years of use. This took some time. Here are the before and after shots.
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Re: Drivers door popping open when driving

Post by Ciaraneng »

After cleaning:
Image


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Re: Drivers door popping open when driving

Post by Ciaraneng »

You’re instincts about a broken spring were correct clift_d:
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Re: Drivers door popping open when driving

Post by Ciaraneng »

Here’s where it came from:

Image

I stretched the longer piece, cleaned out the channel it was in and reinstalled it (not easy to get out or in).

The latching mechanism is working much better now so hopefully it will last until I can find a new latch or a spring.


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Re: Drivers door popping open when driving

Post by Aidan »

what is the part number on the lock, starts 251 or 252 and has a suffix letter at the end
251 837 016 B is rhd drivers door for your year (drivers door can only be locked with key)
I may have one spare

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Re: Drivers door popping open when driving

Post by Ciaraneng »

Hi Aidan. The part number on the lock is 252 837 016 X.
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Re: Drivers door popping open when driving

Post by Ciaraneng »

Hi Aidan. The reinstalled latch seems to be working fine so don’t go to any trouble. If it hangs in there I won’t bother changing it out.

Thanks, Ciaran.


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Drivers door popping open when driving

Post by clift_d »

Ciaraneng wrote:If it hangs in there I won’t bother changing it out.

It’s your decision, but I wouldn’t take any chances if it were me, i.e. I’d look for a replacement. The integrity of the impact protection to the cab relies on the stiffness of the doors transferring the force of the collision back into the rest of the body shell, which they wouldn’t be able to do if they pop open on impact for any reason.
Last edited by clift_d on 14 Jan 2020, 13:40, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Drivers door popping open when driving

Post by jacko1967 »

Ciaraneng wrote:You’re instincts about a broken spring were correct clift_d:
Image


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mine was doing it on way to work I used 2 pen springs interwoven together for right length been fine a year now


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