Door latch spring

[8474]

Ok, thanks.

[edidin]

For all our information...I just called Lee Chavez, and he does make the springs as they are ordered. I contacted him via his number from his ad on this site.

His price is $25.00 per spring, plus $10.00 shipping. I assume the shipping is regardless of 1 or 2 springs.

He was a real nice fellow to talk to!

Hope this helps.

Steve

Would someone be able to pass along Lee Chavez's contact info - looks like I need the latch spring as well since yesterday...

[2356]

I believe he has passed away.

[5422]

Some 140 owners up here modify the latches by mounting two springs further back. Comes from the 170 association website. I don’t have the specifics anymore but it makes the door latch function way better (at least on ours). Pics I poached are of a 170 latch but you get the idea.

[edidin]

Thanks. In my case the broke spring appears to be one that keeps the actual pie-sector latch itself pushed towards the door frame. I'll dig into to it soon to figure out what is going on inside, but that's the effect from the outside.

[5422]

That was the same for me. That funky shaped spring that provides resistance to keep the pie shaped part pushed out to latch into fuselage strike plate broke and this spring set up that I showed does exactly that. The pie shaped piece is connected to the hand latch via a flat linkage. Those two springs not only keep the outside hand latch flush and retained but they also keep the pie shaped piece pushed out to latch on airframe strike plate. The original funky shaped small spring did that.

[chewie]

Just came across this thread. Thank you folks for the great photos and insight. I think I can confidently go into my door now and pull the latch assembly out. I'm fairly confident my spring broke. The modified spring setup shown above looks very good: simple, beefy and serviceable.
Without any spring resistance the wind likes to blow my door latch open. Gravity helps on the inside to swing the handle down. Both actions open the door in flight. Fortunately the wind keeps the door (mostly) closed!