Bugeye door latch and striker help

[livinginthepast]

Hi there,

When I close my passenger side door, I have to hold the knob/latch down (as if opening it) for the door to close. If I don't, and I just try to push the door closed, the door simply bounces off of the striker.

Is this just something that's out of adjustment? Or is my latch mechanism FUBAR?
Thanks!
BillW

 

[RickB]

Hi Bill, I get the same action on my MK2 Sprite.
On the drivers side door I have to hold the latch down and push or pull the door closed.

I've tried to make adjustments, and it is better - but it will randomly pop open while I'm driving. If someone knows how to get it working right I'm very interested!

 

[toysrrus]

Hi Folks,

I`ve had the same problem on both my doors since I`ve owned the car!

I`ve tried to adjust it but no change.

Actually; I`m used to it now & kind of like it! Its somewhat nastalgic to have to open & "Close" the doors with the handle down.

It would be nice to know what would make it work the proper way.

Thanx, Russ

 

[Billm]

Get a stick of "Doorease" from your local partshouse. It is a Lithium based waxgrease that doesn't stain clothes and really helps to allow an early post-type doorlatch to close more easily if/when it is adjusted properly. It won't help the alignment but will help the latch to close more easily.
Bill

 

[livinginthepast]

Hi Bill,

So I'm reading into your post that this is an alignment problem. How do I properly align things? Do I loosen and move the striker around?

Thanks!

BillW

 

[Trevor Jessie]

It could just be grease hardened in the latch mechanism. If the door shuts and latches properly otherwise, I'd start by removing and cleaning the latch.

 

[livinginthepast]

Hi Trevor,

Gotcha - I'll give it go. It's a fairly solid thud when I try to close the door (doesn't seem like there's any give at all), so that grease may have turned to concrete!

 

[bugimike]

The plate is adjustable by loosening the screws and it will slide around a bit. They are also quite prone to wearing out and may need replaced! Washing the handle mechanism out with brake-clean and re-oiling also helps a lot! When all is just right they will close nice and smoothly with just a click!! (PS: The entire door may need some alignment if the striker plate doesn't have enough adjustment!)

 

[livinginthepast]

Would a worn door striker or lock mechanism create the symptom I (and others) are experiencing....where you have to hold the handle down to close the door? Or would it be more likely to close/latch poorly?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but I'm just trying to sort this thing out!

 

[JohnDough]

I had a similar problem with my passenger door, but it normally opened on left turns (RHD) which made me think it might be some body flexing.

I assume the striker is the part that attaches to the body?

If the striker is worn it could also pop pen, the striker normally wears and is easily seen if its got a flat side worn on the cone

I've noticed that a lot of the door mechanism pins are worn and thus does not go in deep enough into the striker little hole, also check that there is not gunk in the strikers hole.

However if all looks ok check that your striker hits the mechanism dead center, if not add spacers behind the striker. I did this on my passenger door and now it does not pop open anymore

Also the white grease does amazing things, but keep in mind if new rubbers are fitted the door might be a bit springloaded from the rubbers and also check that the door does not move to far and chips the paint on the front edge with the scuttle.

 

[mrsprite]

The passenger door on my Bugeye did this when I got it 3 years ago.....if it was the drivers side it would have driven me nuts! My solution was to just replace the door latches & strikers. I got a new repro set off of eBay last year for $40. Worth it to me.....now both doors operate as they should.

YMMV.