Herald second latch not holding

[A TR7 16V]

On 19/07/2021 at 10:05, Pete Lewis said:

the orig seals were a single flip not a balloon tube as most sell    awful stuff  some makes the door shut impossible 

the b post striker screws go into a cadged nut plate  which cannot fall out of place when the screws are removed 

Pete

Are these more like the original seals? Must be some joke about arf as wide.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191986009829?hash=item2cb34206e5:g:CLUAAMXQcVNQ60Ro

[Pete Lewis]

door seals were never a tube/balloon seal  

just a single flip  bit like this  

have a search on C o Baines   they make all the seals at the right prices eg  https://coh-baines.co.uk/product/dx-100-composite-self-grip-type-draught-excluder/

[A TR7 16V]

Well the attempt to repair a worn-out striker has sort of worked:

 

With the part of the top edge that wasn't worn filed down 1mm and a strip of alloy riveted on, the door catches on the second latch and, I assume, will go back to staying closed. The problem was that the top of the casting just above the top screw was so worn, that with the steel plate of the door lock resting on it, the lock pin could pass under the top hook. While the wear was probably made worse by the door fitting so badly - it's too far forward and won't go back, and too low down and won't go up - it was the wear that was stopping the door staying shut. Some of the problem with the door being too low is due to worn hinges. But I don't want to go fitting new/recon'ed hinges on these doors that I think are being replaced when I can.

However, looking at how the allow strip is wearing with just a few shuts of the door to test it all, I think it's too soft and won't last. Looks to me like the striker has some alloyant in it, possibly zinc, that makes it's wear properties against the steel lock plate much better.

But I have some brass sheet the same thickness, and tomorrow, if I can, I shall see if I can form that to fit well enough. I hope that will wear better and still not cause whatever problem meant the designers made this striker plate from a light alloy, not steel. I might also look at cutting an aluminium spacer to make up a bit for the door being too far forward and look for some longer countersunk setscrews. I may also look if I can get a small offcut of aircraft grade aluminium alloy to see if that is tough enough.

This may only be a temporary fix till new strikers are available. But, again, fitting new ones don't seem like a great idea if I'm replacing the doors and hopefully, getting the replacements to fit better.

Graham

[A TR7 16V]

Now available in brass:

The second pic shows I didn't file the top of the casting as flat as I might have; though it doesn't seem to matter as yet. I'm wondering about shimming the forward edge of the brass sheet up a bit with some aluminium sheet, perhaps filed to a wedge. I think that would have to be an interference fit between the brass sheet and the casting, as there isn't the space to get it as far back as the rivets. It should be easy to drill those rivets out, file the top of the casting more nearly flat, and use the original alloy repair sheet to lift the brass, but the bit of the casting where the rivets are is already a bit thin to be filing more off. And if the casting is a cheap alloy of mostly zinc and aluminium, it can be a bit brittle.

The third pic shows the limited engagement between the lock and the striker plate with the lock pin caught on the second stop. Not sure how long that would hold on a bumpy road, but it holds against me pulling reasonably hard at the door. But the separate anti-burst catch is at the bottom of its range when it engages, so that should be helping the lock hold in this state.

So I've got to keep an eye on this repair to see how it wears, how the rivets hold, and if there's any rot from the mix of metals - the copper and zinc in the brass plate, the aluminium in the rivets, and whatever the alloy of the striker is. The galvanic issues may not be helped by it living by the seaside. 

[Pete Lewis]

have you dreamed about moving the rear tub forwards a little ????

Pete

[A TR7 16V]

28 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

have you dreamed about moving the rear tub forwards a little ????

Pete

Yes and no. The problems are I have no idea how big a job that might be, and right now it's needed for daily use, even if mostly as a shopping trolley. I hope the wife's car will return from it's latest disaster - the key won't turn enough to operate the starter - but it always seems to take too flipping long (and cost too much money). 

Graham

 

[A TR7 16V]

And even if I move the rear tub forward, it wouldn't exactly have fixed the problem that the striker is worn - it will bring some of the less worn part into contact with the lock plate, but that narrow area will just wear, I think, quickly. Whereas, plating the top surface does fix the problem for minimal effort The question then is whether the fix last long enough to be worth even that small effort: I did have to spend £3.99 in Aldi for some new tinsnips, as the set I had were a bit too rusty, and the missus won't let me cut brass with her kitchen scissors.

If do I get the lock and the repaired striker to engage better, I might also look at moving the rivet holes further apart, especially moving the inboard one further over - so the rivet heads are off the section that's wearing.

But right now, the door seems to have stopped flying open on right turns, which was the original big problem - it was going to hit a traffic light post or a cyclist eventually.

Graham

[Pete Lewis]

well there are just  a few rusty body bolts and the sills can reduce movement  , ok its not a job for the faint heated  nor is to lightly  back it  into a wall either !!!

whislt body bolts are easy to find they can be rusty and you can shear the odd bolt , not something to do without some strong tea and a back up plan 

find someone close who can steer you through the process  so dont attampt without some good homework before you dream of trying .

are you going to fit the strikers i sent you ???   worn but useable ,  like all the cars they are all getting older and worn in places you cant resolve easy 

Pete

[A TR7 16V]

8 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

well there are just  a few rusty body bolts and the sills can reduce movement  , ok its not a job for the faint heated  nor is to lightly  back it  into a wall either !!!

whislt body bolts are easy to find they can be rusty and you can shear the odd bolt , not something to do without some strong tea and a back up plan 

find someone close who can steer you through the process  so dont attampt without some good homework before you dream of trying .

Pete

I think it may be even more involved than that. Looking at the rear tub, while the boot lid fits fine, there's more tub overhanging the left wheel than the right already, and (as mentioned before) the right B post leans back at the top and the left B post leans out.

Also, I think the left A post leans back. Some of the door being too low at the back may be the hinge pins, but the quarter light is tight against the upper part of the left A post, which suggests the door want's dropping at the back - which it would do, but then wouldn't come even close to aligning with the lowest position of the striker on the B post.

All in all it looks like a right can of worms to fix a smallish problem with the door not staying shut.