There are several doors latch available in the market and if you are not careful, you might be confused when you go out buying one for your Chevy truck. It is important you know what to consider before you decide which one to buy. Once you get the right one, then the next step will be on how to replace a door latch on chevy truck that will give you quality service.
Why Replace The Door Latch?
A car lock involves assembling the door lock and a door latch is included. When you replace it, it is similar for both mechanical and electronic door locks. Most door locks for vehicles close to the body of the vehicle courtesy of latches which are normally locked in order to prevent unauthorized access from the exterior. There are various car door locking systems with some being manual while others being automatic and may be individually or centrally locked. They can be operated using a remote control, where the transmitter is integrated into the main vehicle body access or in the ignition key.
Vehicle door latches on all vehicles today are normally operated by handle use, which requires you to pull, lift or tug towards yourself with some sort of force instead of pushing. The mechanism of the door latch may require removing due to the fact that, there are too many broken handle of the door on the outsides making the latch to stick and thereby making it impossible to release the door easily or due to the door lock bottom being hard to operate.
If your Chevy truck is in the bracket of those ones build between the 50s and 80s, then it falls in the same design features. The latches for this years were easy to replace due to the construction and location of the latch. But if your Chevy Truck is manufactured in the 90s and above, its latch could be complex, adding in electronic locks and newer types of interior door panels which come with the latest electronics.
Steps To Follow When Replacing A Door Latch On Chevy Truck
Part 1. Verify The Condition Of Your Latch
Step 1: Do An Inspection Of The Door latch
Ensure that you locate the door with the stuck, damaged, or broken latch. Inspect it thoroughly to ensure that you have checked it for exterior damages. You will need to gently lift the door up on the handle to enable you to see if there is any binding of the mechanism within the door
Step 2: Try Testing The Latch From The Inside
Use another door of the vehicle if it is impossible to use the door which you are working on. While inside, try to open the door with the stuck, broken, or damaged latch.
Step 3: Make A Diagnosis Of The Problem
While still inside, manually lock the damaged door by pushing on the latch on the side of the door. You can operate the latch that is not working via pulling on the handle of the door from the exterior.
If you do that and you find that the latch is operational, then the problem could lie with the door striker. But if it doesn’t operate when you pull on the the handle on the outside of the door but is able to operate well on the inside door handle, then the damage could be on the handle rod inside the door.
In case you are able to operate the door latch from the the handle on the outside of the door, but unable to operate it from the inside door handle, then the level of the hatch may be damaged or bent. When it is impossible for you to be able to operate the latch from both the inside handle or outside handle, then there could be a missing guide pin or the latch is stuck in place.
Part 2: Preparation Of Replacing The Door Latch
After diagnosing the problem with your latch, you should ensure that you have all the necessary materials and tools and prepare your Chevy Truck before you start working on it in order to get the job done in a more efficient way.
What Will You Need
- Wheels chocks
- Boxed end wrenches
- Torques bit set
- Cross tip, screwdriver, Phillips' head
- Removal tool
- Electrical cleaner
- Standard socket and Ratchet with metric
- Graphite powder
- New door latch
- Mineral spirit cleaner
- Needle nose pliers
Step By Step
Step 1: Truck Positioning
Make sure that your truck is parked on a hard surface that is flat.
Step 2: Securing the Vehicle
Make sure that, around the tires, you place wheel chocks. The parking brakes should be engaged to lock the tires and ensure that, they don’t move while you are in the process of fixing the door latch.
Part 3: Time To Bring Out The Door Latch That Is Faulty From Your Truck
Step 1: Handle Of The Door On The Outside Removal
There are two cross tips, head screws, Phillips, which are attached to the handle of the door on the outside, in the outer age of the door. The upper part of the two screws which are visible, on the upper edge, above the latching mechanism, and hidden partially under the rubber door seal in the door. You will need to remove the screws which hold the door handle to the door shell, then push the handle forward to release it and pull it away from the door.
Step 2: Removing The Inner Door Handles
To do so, you will need to pry the plastic cover out from under the door handles. It is a component which is separate from the plastic rim which is found around the handle. To make it easier to get off the cover, you will need a flat head screwdriver. On the inside, there is a Phillips or cross tip, head screw which has to be gotten rid off . The plastic rim around the handle will have to be removed at this stage with ease.
Step 3: Removing The Window Crank
Before you do this, ensure that the window is fully closed. The plastic cover should be pried up on the crank handle. Remove the head crew, cross tip, or Phillips which is holding the crank handle to the shaft. After that, pull off the handle. From the handle, you will find a large plastic washer. You should take pictures to remind you which way it sits against the door.
Step 4: Removing The Panel On The Inside Of The Door
You will need to work on the panel, avoid to touch the door paint all around. A removal tool or flat screwdriver will help you to do this. While at it, be gentle to avoid damaging the paint around the door on the panel. Once you have loosened all the clips, you will need to grab the bottom and top of the panel and bend it slightly away from the door. Lift the whole panel straight up to enable you to clear it on the catch behind the handle of the door.
While at it, you will see a large coil spring coming out. Normally, it is found at the handle of the window crank, and you will find it tough to fix it back during the re-installation of sheeting made of plastic. Keep the spring safe.
Step 5: Plastic Sheeting Removal
At this stage, you will have to remove sheeting made of plastic by pulling it. It is found behind the door panel away from the rear half of the door. If you do it gently, then you will be in a position to reuse it later.
Step 6: Unscrewing The Latch And Removing The Lock Knob
You will have to remove the locking knobs after unscrewing from the window sill after which, you go ahead and unscrew the three cross tip, head screws, or Phillips which is the ones which hold the latch in place. You will find one of these screws on the inside of the door and the other two on the edge of the door, below and above the latch.
The lower one is sort of hidden under the rubber of the door seal and you will see a cut out on the door metal edge which holds the rubber seal in place and it is the one which allows you to get the screw using the screw driver after the seal is pulled towards the inside of the door.
Step 7: Removing The Inside Door Release Handles And Pull Wire
There are two 10 mm bolts which are the ones which hold the inner door handle in place, allowing the handle to hang on the pull wire. The whole latching mechanism should be pushed slightly forward towards the front of the truck. While you are doing this, you will note that the latch end of the pull wire is visible in the inner door frame, in a circular access in front of the latch itself.
Once all the above is done, you will be in a position to make sure that the pull wire is lifted up from the retaining clip. The whole clip should be rotated downward while trying to avoid sliding it forward on the pull wire. Rotating downward while leaving it in place will make re-installation easier. After the retaining clip is released, the inner door handles and the pull wire can be easily removed from the door.
Step 8: Time To Remove The Latch
By forcing the latch forward and down, you will be able to remove it from the door. It can be a difficult step as the latch fits firmly in the space. If so, you can rotate the latch slightly counter-clockwise in order to make it a little bit easier to remove. Remove the bolt from the bottom of the rear window runner can be moved a little in order to remove the latch from the door.
Removing The Old Door Latch If Your Chevy Truck Has Electronic Locks
The only difference between electronic and mechanical door latches is that instead of the crank, the window will have a switch and the door will have the a switch instead of having a mechanical rod and wire. The latches will be electronic with no rods and wires. There will be no rods and wires to the door latches because it will all be electronic. The door latch will be operated by a handle in order to override the electronic for the normal opening of the latch. The electronics are meant to enable the striker to be locked onto the door latch to secure your vehicle.
When you remove the door panel, you will have to remove the screws which are attached the clusters to the panel of the door. If you are unable to detach the cluster, you can disconnect the harness connectors which are normally under the panel of the door as you do the pulling off. Before removing the panel of the door, remove the speakers first, that is, if your Chevy truck has any custom speakers which are externally mounted on the panel of the door.
Part 4: Time To Install The Door Latch On Your Chevy Truck
Step 1: Install The New Latch
You will need to push back the latch and ensure that it is in place in order to enable you to install it into the truck door. It can be a very difficult step as it has to fit firmly in the place provided. If you are finding it to be tough, rotate the latch clockwise slightly. After it fits firmly, installs the bolt at the bottom of the rear window runner to ensure that it is fixed tight and snug.
Step 2: Reinstall The Inside Door Release Handles And Pull Wire
The two 10mm bolts which hold the inner door handle are placed to allow the handle to hang onto the pull wire. The whole latching mechanism will have to be pulled back slightly toward the rear of the truck. When doing this, you will notice that it is possible to see the end of the latch pull wire which is in a circular access hole in the inner door frame. Place the pull wire onto the end of the retaining clip which is locking the door handle in place with the pull wire.
Step 3: Screw The Latch In And Replace The Locking Knob
It is now time to reinstall the three cross tip, head screws, or Phillips which are responsible for holding the latch in place. After that, install the locking knob on the window sill.
Step 4: Replace And Reseal Sheeting Made Of Plastic
You will have to place sheeting made of plastic back against the rear half of the door and then do the resealing.
Step 5: Place The Door Panel Back Into Place
Remember the spring I told you to keep safe, the one that is found at the back of the window crank , return it and try not to remove it when you are replacing the panel. Ensure that the entire panel is placed on the door and then use the locking knob to slide over it. Time to place the all the panel clips into the holes located in the door and snap it back with a firm tap, snapping all the clips back in.
Step 6: The Window Crank Has To Be Replaced
Using plastic washers, place the window crank handle in place and reinstall the screws which hold the crank handle to the shaft. After that, replace the plastic cover on the handle. After that, you will need to turn the window crank in order to ensure that the window is capable of moving up and down.
Step 7: Reinstalling The Inner Door Handle
The plastic rim that encircles the handles should be replaced. The head screw, cross tip or Phillips should then be placed in order ensure that the handles are secure in place then substitute the plastic cover which goes over the screw.
Step 8: Reinstalling The Handle Of The Door On The Outside
To release the handle, you will have to pull it forward and place it into the door. The two screws should be installed to be able to hold the door handle to the door shell.
Step 9: Testing The New Door Latch
The handle of the outer door should be pulled and you should be able to open the door from the latched position. It is now time to close the door which you will have to do by getting in your truck through the other door of your truck. Pull the handle on the inside door and make sure that you are able to open the door from the latched position. The door should be locked so that it is not possible to open from both the inside or outside handles. After that, you will unlock the door and ensure that it will open from the outside and inside handles. This is possible for both the electronic and mechanical doors.
After you replace the door latch and you find that it is not possible to open from the inside and outside handles, you will need to make a diagnosis of the door striker or door latch assembly. If the door is an electronic one, check out if there is a possible electronic component failure.
Conclusion
You can see that it is a very detailed process when it comes to replacing a door latch on your Chevy truck. The good thing is that, it is, DIY, do it yourself process and thus, you will be able to save money. No need for use by professionals. Follow my step by step procedure and you will be able to have a working latch at the end of the day.
