RHF door stuck shut L series

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 11:03 pm

Double bugger!! I got out to stop a white bunny turning red on my home tonight. Half shut door on its first click, came back without bunny, got in, shut door again not properly, got home and door lock inside was in lock position and could not open door from inside or outside. Central locking locked all other doors. Climbed out LHS, tried to fully shut problem door. Now fully shut cannot open from anyside or with key. I can see a need for a non matching door trim as soon as i get the door unlocked with a jigsaw from the inside......

tex · Post by **tex** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 3:13 pm

what about if you unbolt the door on the weekend you may get enough room to pull the trim off (once you take off the handle etc) just remember to scribe around the hinges! Otherwise go to a locksmith or down to your local slum and pay some kid $50 to unlock it for you. My ex works in a lock smiths and they have a computer program that shows ypu all the tricks i.e. into a falcon in under 3 seconds!

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 2:09 am

It is locked shut. I can get in but not through this door - its window yes. So I cannot unbolt door and it aint a locksmith job. The lock knob is stuck in locked position and won't budge. There will be a way but it will be messy. Something to do on my upcoming break

Wagonman · Post by **Wagonman** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:49 pm

i got the same problem on mine. the LHR door won't open. the lock is stuck in the lock position.. there's probably a heap of dust built up in it from all the offroading trips and now it just wont budge. i tell everyone to get in through the other door but im thinking a drill and jigsaw aint a bad idea. i would love to not ruin the interior but i would also like my 4 door wagon back not a 3 door.

Post by **TOONGA** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 2:36 pm

before you go pulling the trim apart with a jigsaw try the old bent coathanger method (if you dont know the spot PM and I will tell you but Im not putting it up for ethical reasons

)

you might get it open without much fuss at all

TOONGA

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:15 am

Was thinking same idea but rather a better gauge fencing wire, then at 3.45 this morning after thinking about the properties of metal at differing temps along contraction and expansion line of thought wondered if the cool of the morning would shift things back or unlodge some dislodge and waddayaknow?? The lock flip inside undid to open and I got out me drivers door instead of just the window for the first time since posting. Saved the door trim and a few other treasured bits. Tied a reminder to self for the daylight to dismantle and clean out and lubricate. Yee hah

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:20 pm

Nice work steptoe - I was going to say that its may have been something that's broken or dislodged on the locking mechanism...

Maybe you just need to readjust the rod fittings?

Cheers

Bennie

Post by **TOONGA** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:22 pm

Well done no need for the brute force methods get it while it is still asleep

I would be very tempted to pull it all apart clean it oil it all lightly then install and grease it at the major points of wear

TOONGA

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 12:06 am

I did that just a few hours later,pulled the trim and plastic liner, checked all things for tight and sprayed a good lube in the right spots.....now smells like a gum tree

Wagonman · Post by **Wagonman** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 9:33 pm

Haha that's awesome!

I saved my trim aswell. I decided to try the coathanger trick before destroying stuff. I used a torch to see how the mechanism worked on the good side and then saw on the bad side that when you try to unlock the door it was jamming up against the part it was supposed to slip under and push up. So i pulled up the lever and opened it up and took out the whole lock assembly and saw lubed it up and scraped off the rust on the sliding bit that was causing the problem..

woo for me..

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 10:15 am

feels good doesn't it?