Door locks and handle assembly

[conedodger]

I feel like a newbie.

I am putting my '73 240Z back together after paint and today I reassembled the door lock handle assemblies. They have been off the car for about a year and after I get them together the seem awfully tight. The handle hardly lifts and everything seems like it needs to be lubed...

Do these things come back from the dead or do you have to buy new or hunt for good old? I have never had this problem with any of my old Z cars...

[Fun_in_my_z]

I have not got this far yet. But I never heard of them not working. A little lube never hurt tho.

Do you have the door adjusted properly?

[EScanlon]

You may have adjusted the adjusting nut way too tight, both from the outer handle to the latch and from the inner handle through the swivel (90° torque tranfer) and to the lock.

The outer handle has an adjustable nut on the rod leading from the handle to the latch. The inner handle is adjusted by the position of the handle bracket on the door.

Hope this helps.

E

[conedodger]

E,

I think that does help. I see a plastic nut with a post that can be threaded up or down. I suspect it got twisted a little by my 10 year old helper as it has some clean threads.

Too late to mess with it tonight but I will put a wrench on it tomorrow and loosen it up...

Rob

[EScanlon]

When you adjust it, remember that you don't want to adjust it so that it's "hair-trigger" sensitive. That is, allow for a "bit" of play as you pull up on the outer handle before the latch is released (amount to be determined by you), but not so much as to make it that you have to pull up ALL the way.

Too tight a trigger can and will cause unexpected door openings as well as possible problems in closing. Conversely too loose and you'll hear rattling in the door as you drive.

2¢

E