Replacing the door latch on a 1997 Silverado

[jjanderson5]

Hi,

I have a 1997 Silverado and the door latch is not working properly. When I close the door, the latch only partially latches the door and the door remains loose after being closed. By 'loose', I mean that the door can be move in/out by maybe a 1/4 to 1/2". Even worse, sometimes the door will open while I'm driving.

I was able to pick up a replacement latch at a salvage yard, but I was really a butcher getting it out. I was able to get the door panel off w/o any problems. But with the panel off, there is no way to really get at the latch. In the salvage yard, I removed the door handle bolts, one from the outside and one from the inside. I also removed the 3 bolts that hold the door latch to the door. After doing this the latch was loose, but could not be extracted because there were still 3 rods connected to the latch. To get the rods disconnected, I took out the bolts that I could from the 'inner' metal panel. I could not get the inner panel off, but the panel was loose near the door latch, so I just bent the metal panel so I could get to the latch. I was able to remove each of the clips holding on the rods and get then remove the latch. Removing the clips was no picnic, but I did manage.

I would like to get the inner panel on my truck off so that I can get to the interior of the door. I have started to take the inner panel off. I removed 8, if I counted right, screws around the perimeter of the panel. The panel is now fairly loose, but it is still held on by a 10 mm bolt and also by an 'ear' that is part of the panel which is bent back over the door itself. It looks like if I remove the 10 mm bolt, the panel may lift away from the frame, but I am not sure. I realize the panel cannot be moved too far, even all the bolts and removed, because the rods from the panel will still be attached to the door latch/handle. I am hoping once inside the inner panel, I can figure out how to disconnect the rods so that the panel will come off.

At this point, I cannot remove the 10 mm bolt. When I try to remove it, it turns, but the clasp that it is bolted to on the inside of the panel is spinning with the bolt. I tried to get a set of pliers on the clasp to hold it stationary while I turned the bolt, but I could not grasp it well enough to keep it from spinning with the bolt.

So, I have several questions.

First, is there a simple fix on the original latch that will allow it to operate properly? I have tried some lubricant on it, hoping that it was simply a matter of the latch not moving freely to be able to latch. That did not work.
Obviously, if I can get the original to work, then I can eliminate all the work
on the inside of the door.

Second, is there a recommended way to grasp or hold the clasp so that I can remove the 10 mm bolt?

Third, if the 10 mm bolt is removed, and all the smaller bolts are indeed removed, should the inner, metal panel lift out so that I can get to the inner hardware? Or is there some other fastener that must be disconnected that I have not seen?

Fourth, is there an easy way to remove the clips that hold the rods in place? In the salvage yard I had to bend the clips to get them off.

I'm sorry to take so long.

 

[zora]

have you watched any of the videos which are for other GM products

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pj45Mb_FSY

 

[tonymont]

You might find this thread from another helpful with your door latch issues:

http://www.justanswer.com/chevy/2eoyq-1996-chevrolet-silverado-truck-door-latch-stuck.html#re.v/142/

http://www.justanswer.com/uploads/molurch/2009-08-12_032256_dp.pdf

 

[jjanderson5]

Zora, thank you for the reply. Yes, I have seen that video before, but it does not really help. That video shows the removal of the door handle, but the part I want to replace is the door latch, not the door handle. I want to remove is the metal panel that is behind the trim panel so that I can hopefully get to the door latch.

So far, I have been partially successful. I remove the eight screws around the metal panel and I wound up cutting the head of the remaining 10 mm bolt. I was then able to move the metal panel enough to be able to get my hands further into the door. At this point, the metal panel hangs from the door and the framework for the automatic window holds the panel from falling. I believe I can remove rivets to disconnect the window, but I don't want to do that because I don't have the ability to get everthing back together again (if I go that route, I will bring it to a mechanic who knows what to do this). For now, I am hoping that just allowing the panel hang will give me enough room to work. -- Jim

 

[jjanderson5]

tonymont - Thank you, too, for the reply. I have not been able to get past the metal panel. My next step is to figure out how to get my eyes and hands into the door to actually get the latch out. Right now, I have remove the 3 screws which fasten it to the door and it is hanging from 3 rods. The one that connects to the door handle, I think I can remove, thanks to the the video reference by Zora. -- Jim A.