West Peterson Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 How do I get my spring in the first picture to be in the same position as the spring in the second picture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Just from looking at it, I would guess....Very carefully with needle nose pliers. Hook the end at the top of the photo, grab the spring at a position that is about 9 o'clock as shown in the second photo and maneuver the center piece into position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R W Burgess Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 WEAR SAFETY GLASSES, PLEASE!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 MattI don't think a needle-nose will have the initial spread that I'll need. I' pretty much have to squish the spring a full 90 degrees, and I think I'd need to have one end of the needle-nose on the spring hook, and the other on the other side of the latch, just above the large rivet that the mechanism slides on.Maybe I need to look for a larger needle nose. Maybe a shop can do this in two minutes with the right tools???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Hook top slide end first, then wind up and engage the bottom tang end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Or you can bring it to Melbourne and I can bring some of my tools. I have always said the easiest way to get something done is to tell me I can't do it. I haven't failed yet.I have some vice grips shaped like needle nose pliers. I'll bet between that and a couple of other pairs of pliers, I can get it on there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R W Burgess Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Bring five (5) pairs of safety glasses! Geez, having to carry all of you people to the hospital could be embarrassing! I'm waiting to see what <span style="font-weight: bold">Restorer</span> has to say about this. I replaced door springs in Fords before, but the latch wasn't made like that one.Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bhigdog</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hook top slide end first, then wind up and engage the bottom tang end? </div></div>I think you're right, Bob. But the question is, how do I wind it?MattI may just do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 That is what I was trying to say. West... It is all in the wrist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 I guess I read too fast. A suggestion in the Packard forum was to also employ the wife, as once you get the spring twisted "fer nuff," another hand is needed to push the spring out of the pliers into the slot. Since my wife is easy, that shouldn't be a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 If you want to make a tool instead of pliers it looks like about a 3/8" rod bent 90 deg for leverage with a spring width slot cut in the end. About a 10 minute job involving a vise and a die grinder with a 1/8" cut off wheel. Put lock in vise. Put spring tang in slot of tool with just bit of it out of slot for alignment with lock slot. Wind up spring to align and enter lock slot. Tap spring out of tool into lock with small hammer. Job done and you have new special tool to gather rust and dust in the bottom of your tool box. 10 years from now you will find above tool and spend 10 minutes scratching your butt trying to remember what the Hell it's for. I must have a dozen like that.....Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Boltendal Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 It isn't supposed to get in with every part in place!The sequence is different.You have to take out the rivet that holds the lock/nose arm,at the far end. Then you will be able to slide the arm awayand make the fit of the spring a piece of cake.Slide it back in, at the same time compressing the spring, without damaging you or whatever else and put the old or better a new rivet in place.Good luck Johan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 Thanks, JohanI'm pretty sure we all understand that, but I'm trying to avoid taking it apart. If I had a well-equipped shop, perhaps I'd do that. If I cannot do it myself without taking it apart, I will bring it to a shop that has probably done many of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Boltendal Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Sorry West, if I answered under a wrong impression, knowing this now, the answer still is the same, you will not be able to find an easy way in, making a tool that might work, will take a lot more time and effort, then having the rivet made in what ever nr. you need.I've tried this myself and I still feel the pain, of the damaged finger in the process, without succes, until taking the lock apart.Easy to do at home without a machine shop.BTW the apple green spring looks like the 942A from a replacement box, the same spring should fit my '32 Cad, but didn't, it is too long, did you compare yours, before all efforts turn out to be in vain? Good luck again, Johan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 Yes. Holding up the broken spring with the new, they're the same size. Thanks for the number, as one source I'm communicating with doesn't seem to know the correct spring. The spring in the picture belongs to a friend, so I need to buy my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 I just went to a parts house web site that showed photos of many springs. It is not the 942A. It looks more like the 941D, but not quite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Boltendal Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Please find two pictures one is the inside of the box an the second with 942 D, A and E from left to right. The D shows blue in the picture, but is actually grey.Johan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Boltendal Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 dont know what happened, nr 2 picture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 5, 2008 Author Share Posted March 5, 2008 I've communicated with a spring supplier, sent him a photo of what I've got and told him the size. He came back with this, which he says is a DL18.Will attempt to give it a go. Last night I tried twisting it and I seemed to be able to get it to the right position. I just need a second set of hands to help push it down into the slot. I'll let you know how it goes.Thanks for all your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 Okay. Finally got the spring in, without taking rivets out. Here's how:Needle-nose Vice Grip grabs the tang in the middle of the spring (grabbing it just enough so that grips it, but allowing enough of the tang to fit between the ears). Good-sized screw driver used to twist Vice Grip. Second set of hands with wide screw driver knocks the spring down into place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrpushbutton Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Wes, I have purchased those springs from restoration specialties in PA, they have a blue million of them. They don't have a cross-reference for them, but I have removed the spring from the lock assy, cleaned it off, put it into a copy machine to get a (reasonably) scaled picture of the spring, and measured the section and wrote it on the photocopy picture that I faxed to them. They located them rather quickly and sent them to me. Those springs keep your door handles in the "up" position, when you see a car with droopy door handles that spring is the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 West, I knew you could do it! Darn... Now I won't get a chance to fight with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 JohnNo. There's yet another spring for keeping the door handle from dong that sloppy floppy trick. It's not pictured in the first photo cuz I just realized that I'm missing it, too. It's more of a paper-clip-looking spring. This green spring that I just replaced, small as it is, is the one that pushes the latching mechanism back into place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 JohnI guess you aren't completely wrong. Sorry. Yes, if the spring is very tired, the door handles will droop. But they will still droop and flop slightly without the second spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Boltendal Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Glad you have succeeded, would you sent me a pm with the spring sellers address, I need to find the springs that hold the inner handle in place, while resting, opening or locking position is actuated. Johan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 Boy. After reading my last post, it sure doesn't sound very nice. I hope you didn't think any offense was intended. I'm going to quit now, before I dig a deeper hole. John was right, the droopy door handle is from the first spring being "tired."Here's a photo of the second spring that I need. I think I saw these on Max Merritt's website. This spring removes a lot of the remaining wiggle, flop and slop. It doesn't look like it should be as much of a challenge to install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbirdman Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I have run into the same problem as West, a broken latch spring for my 32 Packard. I got 3 different springs send to me. None of them is an exact fit. How important is getting the correct size of the spring or is close good enough? The spring I have appears to be the size of West's spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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