how do door locks work?

[ttcodi]

what's the deal with the door locking.
If I push the inside door handle forward I thought that was supposed to lock it. All that happens is when I turn the outside handle it moves the inner one back to it's original position.
It doesn't matter which door I do this with.
To top it off, if I try and use the door key and insert the key and turn it 90 degrees the key doesn't come back out. It only goes in and out with the key slot verticle.
What's the story with these things? Is it possible I put it all back together incorrectly?

 

[rickh]

Greetings..When you push the inner door handle to the detent (in the ooposite direction of opening the door), it should be locked. Check the outside door handle and see if you can depress the button. It should not go in.
Your key is working correctly and the door should be locked by turning the key 1/4 turn then back to vertical to remove the key...
Unlocking the lock is done by turning the key the opposite direction
for the 1/4 turn. It is locked if you can not depress the button.
Hope this helps :7
Enjoy...Rick

 

[ttcodi]

mine is the type with the outside handles that rotate, not the button type.
But when I push the inside handle forward to the lock position it does nothing. If I then turn the outside handle all it does is moves the inside one back to it's original position and then opens it.
I also have been doing the quarter turn thing (since the key won't come out sideways anyhow). This also has no effect. The door just opens normally no matter what I do.

 

[dunhamfield]

You didn't specify what year... but my 51 works like this..
The driver door does not have an outside lock, you push opposite than opening, from the inside, til it goes into detent.
Then you exit the passenger side. Close the door and insert key.
Turning key counter clockwise will engage the lock. Then turn key to center to remove. Turning the key clockwise will unlock door then again you must return to the center position to remove key.
You cannot put indide door handle into detent lock and then close door as it will just come out of detent when the door closes.
Hope this helps,,,,Terry

 

[ttcodi]

mine is a 50.

but ok, I have not tried it that way yet. I thought you could push the thing forward with the door open and then get out and close it that way.
I don't really know what those engineers were thinking designing a lock so that you had to crawl over to the other side of the truck, why'd they even put a door on the driver side?

Thanks for the help though, I'll try that out, hopefully it will work.

 

[51GMC]

Is the whole lock turning when you turn the key? There is a flat piece of metal that slips in a elongated slot (behind the weatherstripping) that keeps the lock in place and keeps it from turning.

The other side, without the key lock, should work like it was explained above.

 

[PCStewart]

In the old days, some cars did not even have doors on the "street" side, 'cause why would you want to walk in the mud. Exiting on the passneger or "curb" side allowed you to keep your boots clean and not get run over. Paul

 

[vwnate1]

This is a common fault and if you take the door latch out of the door and clean all the old , rock hard grease out of it then soak it in some Phosphoric Acid , blow dry and then spray some aerosol White Grease in it (Foo-Foo can from HomeClubDepots R'US typ store) you'll find it will usually looesen up and work O.K. again .

Be aware that simply trying to lube the latch in situ is a waste of time , you must clean all the 50 + year old grease and dirt out of it
first else you're just flubbing your dub here .

You must needs close the door then lock it as it is designed to not be able to lock yourself out of the truck...

_BEWARE_ the repop latches ~ they suck and are NO GOOD at all .

I had to buy a NORS latch , American made and all that yadda , yadda , it was sooo tight I couldn't key lock the truck fo about a year for fear of snapping the key off in the lock , eventually it loosened up and is now O.K. .

-Nate