Thread moved from 240k: 73 Z door strker questions

[THE73Z]

My passenger door has a bad (only over hard bumps in the road) rattle that I've traced, to the best of my ability, to the striker plate. The door sits perfectly in the door jam and the weather stripping is good. The striker plate is rotated all the way in at the bottom so there is no more adjustment left.

It appears to me that the notch where the latch locks into the striker plate is slightly worn and therefore too wide - causing the rattle. My first thought is to buy another striker - so as not to ruin the original, and manipulate it if it is also worn. I would weld a bead on the edge that contacts the latch and then take it down slowly with a dremel until it seats properly.

Question 1. Does this sound like the proper plan of attack?

Question 2. How should I plate or coat the striker to prevent rust after I weld on it?

Question 3. I assume there are threaded slugs inside the door jam that the striker bolts thread into. If I take these bolts out will the slugs stay in place or will they fall down into the body and ruin my day?

Thanks, Z

[EScanlon]

Just a WAG on my part, but I'll bet that the little rubber bumper on the part of the latch that goes up and around is missing.

E

[THE73Z]

Just a WAG on my part, but I'll bet that the little rubber bumper on the part of the latch that goes up and around is missing.

E

Could be a damn good WAG. I don't see any rubber on the latch mechanism - on either side, and the driver's door does have a bit of a rattle as well... but not as bad as the passenger side. The cone shaped bumpers are there but don't seem to be what you're talking about.

A picture would be wonderful to confirm these suspicions and a source for new ones would be awesome!

Thanks, Z

[EScanlon]

If you'll look on the door mechanism, you'll note that the "rotary" part, the one that gets pushed by the latch on the car, has two lobes. The first lobe points straight down when the door is open, and the second is pointing at the door. The first lobe SHOULD have a rubber "coat". Almost like if it had been a piece of tubing that got stretched over the lobe. That's the rubber that finishes the "sound" proofing on the door.

The cone washers help push the door up and off the weatherstrip, but with metal to metal contact at the latch, you will always have that rattle. Don't extend the screw holes in order to "tighten" up the latch, you won't be doing yourself any favors. The trick is to see how to recover that part of the latch with rubber.

Sorry if I can't give you a good suggestion, I scoured the junk yard until I found a pair that had the rubber in good condition, so I haven't come up with a fix. But I'm working on it.

Anyone else?

E

[THE73Z]

Great info. Thank you.

How thick is the rubber? Would vinyl tubing or heat shrink suffice? Otherwise I guess I'll be scouring the junk yards.

Thaks again, Z