VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 I Need Advice With Door Handle Sag

1938 Chevrolet Town Sedan Master Deluxe
I had a number of issues in regard to my driver side door handle:
1. door handle ferrule rubber worn so it came loose leaving a nice gap between door hand shaft and door jacket
2. Door latch is too heavy making it very hard to open door unlike passenger side
3. Last but not least door handle sagging.
a.I did replace the door latch spring noticing the gauge on old(not original is much heavier than replacement.
b. I discovered the hole where the door handle shaft passes through the door jacket is out of round and pushed in a bit leaving the replacement ferrule loose. I will knock the metal out around door handle gently
c. WHAT CAN I DO TO CORRECT THE DOOR HANDLE SAG? IS IT THAT THE BRASS CAM ASSEMBLY (Door handle shaft passes through assembly and is secured by a screw) IS JUST WORN AND I CANNOT CORRECT WITHOUT REPLACING THE BRASS CAM ASSEMBLY?
Thank you
Mike
38 Town Sedan

I hate sagging door handles and spent ages rebuilding my door locks. Basically I rebuilt all of my door locks with new springs and it went back together and works fine. That is basic but if the brass cam that the shaft passes through just has the usual amount of wear that comes with age then heat up the handle shaft and twist it enough to bring the handle up into line. You have to be careful and wrap the shaft in a wet rag so the heat doesn't damage the chrome or the shaft mounting. If you are not happy with that then you have to replace or rebuild the cam.

Here are pictures of the door lock assembly for a 41-48 front door. I assume it is similar to the 38 and do agree that the failure of the brass cam is what normally causes handles to sag. The only other problem could be that the spring holding the cam tight is broken so is unable to support the weight of the handle. It is typical that the driver's side handle is the first to sag because of its usage and one also should be aware that the locking mechanisms are not interchangeable. They are side specific and any opportunity to buy a driver side mechanism should be taken advantage of.

The problem with the cam is it becomes worn and loose in the area it is mounted onto the frame of the lock mechanism. If you could tighten it up by compressing the brass where it is mounted to the lock frame you could correct the problem. The problem is that the brass easily cracks when you do this and doesn't bend to make a tighter fit perhaps using some heat would help?




The next picture shows the cam with the tapered screw that holds the handle in place. The screw can actually be tightened to adjust the sag in a handle if the cam is in good condition.



The next picture shows the back side of the locking mechanism where the cam is mounted.



The next picture shows the brass cam compressed against the frame of the lock mechanism



This picture shows the typical damage incurred when someone has tried to compress the cam (two cracks). When I tried to repair a loose cam I used a socket and a bench vise. I did not hit it with a hammer. Maybe preheating the part would have helped?



The last two pictures show the screw installed holding the door handle. Notice that the frame of the lock mechanism is designed to cover the head of the screw so it can not fall out.





Thanks, Mike

P.S. Lets continue this discussion by others sharing their comments so we can better understand this common problem. There is a good possibility that I can not see "the forest through the trees" so help me out here!

Gents,
Thanks for the input.
This mechanism does look different than the 41-48. Pic taken from I&I site. This is what mine looks like. I did change the main spring, but could not find a spring for the cam assy. The screw going into the cam is not a beveled screw, 8-32 round head(probably not original). Note- the bottom left exploded view shows a rubber grommet or some kind of filler between the guide rivet and the latch assy guide slot. Mine did not have this grommet or spacer so I'm trying a teflon sleeve, but not working out so far.
Mike

No other ideas on fixing the sagging door handle issue. The later model assy has a spring versus the 38 model. Heating and twisting the handle shaft is not practical for me so I am still open to suggestions.
Thanks
Mike

That screw is probably most of your problem, if not all of it.

Thanks for the advice. I might fabricate a beveled screw. I was thinking of buying the rebuild kit from I&I or Filling Station. I just read this ad on chevofthe40s.
"Product Description
Item # 4082041A 38-39
This is the door lock return spring to fix your sagging exterior handle.
This part fits most 1938 1939 Chevrolet Cars; exceptions may apply. Please read the complete description to see if this part fits your specific vehicle and application."
Mike

Mike: There is a repro kit for both doors on ebay currently that has quite a bit more parts, search item 391225235006.

Edit: This item# ends in 2 days, but there are usually other vendors selling similar kits.

The beveled screws are available from both the Filling Station and Chev's of the 40's.

I actually did get the set from eBay which is great for all of the springs, but not complete for the latch assembly which is why i will order the latch assembly rebuild kit. Thanks for the advice gents.
Mike