How to lock the door

[Dbraw]

Our 71 Safari door does not have the ability to be locked from the inside. When the lock is locked with the key from outside, the door won't close. Therefore, security is sometimes a concern at night. Has anyone worked out a way to avoid this situation?
Dan

[Chas]

You must be missing the inside lock button. Had the same problem on my 78 Minuet. Not exactly sure what lock you have but my 78 and my 74 had very similar locksets which have a small knurled button ended shaft that you slide up and down to lock the door. It has probably broken off. If you take the lock apart you may be able to get the broken threaded end out of the actuator and replace it with a 6/32 screw with some sort of cobbled up knob consisting of nuts on the head end.

Chas

[femuse]

On our 1971 Safari, we have a little knob, bellow the door handle, on the inside.

If you don't see the knob, it may have fallen off. Look for a little hole there.

[working]

On my unit , twist the inside handle one way and it opens, the other way and it locks. Discovered this by accident, if "handle" is locked , door cannot be shut. Might be the same on yours, Let us know

[airstreamcaravel]

When outside ... Shut the door ... then put the key in lock ... turn to left.

When inside ... a turn to the right should lock it.

Try it and let us know!


DMC

[joecj76]

No offense intended, but you guys with the '67's have a different lock assesmbly than the '71 they are talking about. To lock the '70's series there is a small button that is located below the inside handle that locks the door from the inside. Chas is correct in his analyisis of the situation

[airstreamcaravel]

No Offense taken .... glad to have the issue clarified!

DMC

[davidz71]

Dan,
My '77 has a knurled metal post less than 3/4" long that is threaded on the other end. You should have a slot underneath your inside handle that goes up and down. There is a bar that moves up and down within this area. When I put in a new tumbler from Inland RV a couple yrs. ago, I had a hard time getting this bar to slide around (like a top) so that I could screw the metal rod back in place. My guess is that your rod worked loose and fell out sometime in the past. Maybe Inland has a replacement or if you can see the threaded area, I could give you an approximate thread size so you could cut a new one with a tap and die set. Let me know.

[Dbraw]

Thanks to all for the advice on locks. I'm going out to check it now. Will let you know what I find.
Dan

[Dbraw]

Craig,
I found the vertical slot under the handle and it has a rod inside with a threaded hole in it. However, there seems to be a broken piece inside the hole. There isn't enough threaded area available for one thread. Is it any problem to remove the lock for repairs? Looks like a matter of removing some pop rivets on the inside panel and the three screws holding the lock in place. Is this correct? If I can get the lock out, I'll try to use an "easyout" and then re-tap the hole. 6/32? Just don't want to open a can of worms with the lock if I can avoid it since I have heard they are expensive to replace.
Dan

[Pick]

Ours has a stainless steel deadbolt installed. Obviously one of the PO's installed it. It looks factory, very well done. We use it instead of taking chances with a $500 latch assembly.

[Dbraw]

Pick,
The deadbolt sounds like something I will look into. I drilled out some pop rivets and pulled out the inside aluminum to view the lock. It appears that inorder to remove the lock to work on it, rivets outside would have to be shaved and removed since they are attached to aluminum channels retaining the lock. On further inspection of the lock slot and hole for the knob, I found that the PO evidently broken a tap inside the hole. Can't seem to remove it, so I guess I will just keep my 1911 Colt cocked and locked at night until I can find a deadbolt. Plan to visit the factory this summer. Maybe they will have one.
Thanks,
Dan

[Chas]

Dan,
The entire lock assembly comes out of the door after removing the inside handle and four screws. No rivets, inside or outside, need to be drilled out.

Chas

[davidz71]

Dan,
My service manual says:
1. Remove inside door lock handle by loosening set screw and pulling handle from shaft.
2. Remove screw from door frame, securing lock to the frame. This is located just above the bolt.
3. Remove three mounting screws that attach inside skin to lock body.
4. Use a drill (No. 30) and remove rivets from center seam of inside door skin; also from edge of door appx. 12" in each direction.
5. Pull inside skin slightly to clear inside lock handle shaft.
6. Lock can now be removed.
7. Replace by reversing above steps.

Hope I'm not too late with the info.

[Dbraw]

Chas & Craig,
Thanks for the updated info. If it ever stops raining here in Tennessee, I'll be back at it. Still haven't figured how to remove the broken tap. If I can do that, I will not have to remove the lock, just re-tap and replace with a new screw-button.
Dan

[69 Silverback]

Dan,

Are you sure it is a broken tap. If so , being taps are hardened , you are in for a bit of work . I hahe had luck with breaking them into small pieces to get out. Then over size the hole a little and retap. Sometimes to a metric thread.

If it is part of a screw, there are left hand drill bits available thru tool dealers like Snap On. I used to have good luck with them and some penetrate lube. Useing a bit small enough to not cut the threads , as you drill , the combination of vibration and heat as well as the penetrant usually spins the screw out as you drill.

Just some thoughts from a once upon a time auto tech.

Good luck
Loren

[femuse]

Check for a tool called an "Easy Out", same principle. But easier to find than a Snap On man.
You can find some machinist ones, all sizes, very good. Or some of acceptable quality at auto part stores, or dirt cheap ones at WalMart.

[Dbraw]

Loren & Chantal,
Thanks for the info. I'll go slow and try to fix the lock. May have to get out the dynamite. If I have any left after the last fishing trip.
Dan