35 Tudor Handle and Latch

[Dennisfly]

My door handle failed to spring back to the horizontal position and the door latch didn't extend to keep the door closed. I removed the two screws in the handle, the two screws in the jamb, and the screw under the door panel but I can't remove the latch because the square shaft on the handle is holding it in. How do I remove the handle and shaft and what do you think my problem in the latch mechanism is?

 

[Karl Wescott]

First, is the horizontal handle moving without moving the square shaft? If so you will have to surgically amputate the shaft from the horizontal handle.


If the shaft moves good. Ford had an anti-theft feature to prevent handles from being removed when the door is locked. Unlock the door with the inside handle, you then should be able to rotate the shaft with the handle. Internally in the latch here is a groove on the handle shaft that aligns with a plate which has a square hole 45 degrees to handle horizontal. rotate and pull on the handle until it aligns with the 45 degree hole (wiggling and speaking bad words) and starts to pull out. Depending on the latch you may or may not have to rotate it back horizontal and to 45 degrees as it comes out.

 

[TJ]

Put the screws back in the latch to anchor it. Then tip the handle downward to about the 4 o'clock position and pull. You may have to jiggle it up or down to get it to release.

 

[Dennisfly]

Karl and TJ, thank you for your response. I was able to remove it using the information you furnished. The bolt return spring was sprung and no longer pushing against the bolt. I broke one of the tabs trying to disassemble the mechanism to replace the spring, even though I heated it first with a propane torch (not hot enough I guess). I fashioned a retaining strap with self tapping screws to hold everything together. replaced the spring with a new one and cleaned and lubed all the moving parts. It works now but still has some play from 87 years of wear, but it works. The pictures compare the new and old spring and then show the new spring installed.