Rear door latches?

[rpenner54]

Anyone have any luck finding these? Junkyard only parts? I got one on the drivers side rear passenger door that just cannot be jiggled the right way to get it to work. I have lubed it up real good but it's still being stubborn. I have got it open twice now but now it's stuck again. There has to be a better replacement for these. I can find front latches all day long but not the rear. I am not even sure if I can get the dang thing out of there as the lock mechanism is such a pain to get it to let go.

 

[swshawaii]

Did you remove the trim panel to check for loose or broken plastic latch rod clips? Although latch and actuator failures are extremely common with Explorers, the outside door handle and yellow actuator rod clips fail often.

http://parts.autonationfordwhitebea...im/5-0l-v8-gas-engine/body-cat/rear-door-scat

LOCK, LEFT - 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER (F77Z7826413B)
http://parts.autonationfordwhitebea.../rear-door-scat/?part_name=lock&position=left

 

[swshawaii]

Driver Side Rear Door won't Unlock/Open | Ford Explorer and Ford Ranger Forums - Serious Explorations

 

[rpenner54]

Oh yeah its way open. Just got one of the front handles working right again. These rear ones are a pain. I will re read the thread you posted. Inside the latch seems to have a mini spring in there that does t seem to be on the other side.

 

[swshawaii]

Those tiny internal door latch springs are notorious for breaking. External spring thread below pertains to front doors, but may work for the rear if you can put upwards tension on the actuator rod. You've likely seen this thread, but just in case.

door latch problem solved - temporarily maybe?? | Ford Explorer and Ford Ranger Forums - Serious Explorations

 

[rpenner54]

Yeah I did see that, I just have to find a way to get my hands in there. There is a whole lot less room in the rear. I think this door has been closed shut for some time. It was so full of dirt/dust in the latch when I finally got it opened up it looked as though it had been this way for a long time.

 

[rpenner54]

Made an access hole. Just have to clean up the edges

 

[swshawaii]

Don't understand cutting an "access hole" at all. Is that the glass run channel still bolted in?

Window all the way up, remove 11mm hex bolt, disconnect wiring clip, and pull straight down.

 

[koda2000]

When we first bought our '97 Sport, the driver's door latch was very stubborn. It would work fine 8 times out of 10, but 2 times out of 10 it would just not unlatch no matter what you did. After much wiggling I'd eventually get it open. Like you, I fiddled with it and lubed it to no avail. It drove me nuts. One day I was looking inside the latch with a strong LED flashlight and saw the little broken spring. It's very small, similar to a ballpoint pen spring. It was just laying in there loose. I carefully took a long set of tweezers I have and plucked the spring out. The door latch worked fine after that. Never gave us any more problems in the 3 years we owned it. I don't know if this will help you, but that was my experience.

I've also had to remove the latch from the driver's side rear door on my '01 Sport Trac, to replace a broken lock actuator. There was a lot of stuff to disconnect, but it wasn't a terrible job to get the latch out. I didn't need to cut any new holes in the door, but you do need to pay close attention to how everything goes back together.

 

[rpenner54]

Yeah there is a broken spring in this one that has it pretty jammed. I cut the hole so I could see what was going on. The front doors are easy compared to the rear. The rear have this dumb child lock that I think is also not helping anymore. I will have to run to the junkyard and see if I can find one and cut it all out. If I could get that spring out I would but it's pinched pretty good in there. My front did the same thing and I got it working right again.

 

[rpenner54]

Giving up till I can get another latch. I will post an update when I do. Or if I can get the spring out.

 

[swshawaii]

Looking at the witness marks in your first pic, appears the yellow clip came off the door latch lever. Is it hanging freely?

 

[rpenner54]

Yeah both handles were totally broken. The actuator was totally missing as well. I had to open up the other door just to see how things are hooked up. Things were just hanging off not hooked up. This one is a struggle just to get all the links figured out since it was hacked up.

 

[rpenner54]

Got it out! It is so jammed with dirt and sand. It also has that broken spring in it that I will attempt to remove here in a bit.

 

[Craigerz]

I just did this with mine also. I couldn't find the rear door latches anywhere. I ordered the front drivers side and passenger side just to see what I could do. I ended up cutting a hole to get a better view because I didn't have any clue what was behind there. The door latches themselves are the same for the front and rear. The door LOCKS are different however (and no child safety lock) Front door lock pull is on the rear of the door directly over the latch. The rear door lock pull is on the front of the door not anywhere close to the latch. So I got the front latches to work on the rear doors, except the locks. So now I have working doors with no locks. Mines for off road only.

So the front latches will work, you just wont be able to hook up the lock. I have 2 working rear doors without locks now.