Thread: More of the shaved door handle issue...

Tweet

Thanks to all of the suggestions about making my power operated door openers work on my shaved '38 Ford pickup. The general consensus was to get much larger solenoids or bear claw latches (becauase at present the present 30 lb. solenoids can't pull the latch lever). Another gent suggested changing out the door latch spring for a less strong one. So, I called Drake and Mac's and neither knew whether the different colored springs were of less strength. So,

-does anyone know if certain springs are less strong, or... as another has suggested,

-could I heat up my original springs and cool them slowly to reduce their strength?

So much I don't know.....

Thanks, Dr. Dave

If you heat your springs, you will kill them.

Jack, please elaborate. I want the springs to be much less strong. What do you mean by "kill them," the heated springs that is?

Thanks,
DM

Spring steel looses its temper with heat and changes to bendable.

I have a similar problem with my 38 which was shaved. It has electric windows and I have an option to roll down the window with the controller as well as pop the door. When the car sits, the battery draws down and the popper then only works if you press in on the door to release the latch pressure. I have a 40LB solenoid and have it rigged with a relay to get max pull.

You may want to try a counter spring like a throttle return spring to slightly reduce the door latch spring pressure. I was going to try to rig this and ended up going to the 40 LB from 30.

Good Luck.

Maybe take a pliers and stretch the spring, but heat probably wouldn't be too good....

By kill it, I mean it will no longer be a spring.

Hey DoubleClutch, that helper spring might work! Thanks! But, again does anyone know if the other colored latch springs are less strong??
DM

They are probably different springs. Manufacturers tend to color code springs to identify them. An easy way to check is to measure free length and coil diameter. If you have two springs with the same free length and different diameters then the thinner diameter will be the lighter spring and vise versa.

If you don't want to deal with changing out your latches, you might get stronger solenoids. I got my shaved door kit from a company called Autoloc because they have adjustable solenoids that can pull up to 105lbs. The plunger in the solenoid has a built-in return spring. I like that because other solenoids rely on a rubber boot to return the plunger back to its original position, and the rubber boots wear out over time. I saw their shaved kit on Monster Garage so I checked it out, and they've got all sorts of latches too, if you need them.