I am restoring a 1956 Cessna 180 and have terrible door latches. I bought the hinge material and tried to rebuild the lach mechanisms but they were too crappy to do much with. Does anyone have any ideas about correcting this poblem ? The later models use a better design door and window latch.
So far, I have had the O-470-K rebuilt with new Millenium cyinders and dynamic balance. A three blade Hartzell scimitar prop and polished spinner. New double puck clevelands, new stinger, P Ponk gear mod, BAS pull handles and shoulder harnesses. I also have a JPI 450 fuel computer, ECI volt/amp meter, ad a carb air temp gague. The Cessna seat stops, and the under stab jackscrew inspection panel. I want to take the fuselage to Beegles for a gearbox rebuild and add the two inspection access panel either side of the dorsal fin. Then 185 gear legs. The goal post control column mod is done but not yet installed. I installed a 1958 Cessna 180 rudder trim system and am replacingall the cables. Ailerons and flaps have been rebuilt and reskinned with trailing edge sstiffeners in the flaps The wings are almost compleated. Completely overhauled with new skins, rebuilt main tanks, Monarch fuel caps and aux tanks. Also, a Sportsman STOL kit. There is in my shop a yet to be installed extended baggage Mod, SkyTech starter, Alternator, split master switch , firewall battery box and spin on oil filter.

I am in the process of stripping the fuselage now and will do the painting myself. Running out of money for the dream electronic panel and autopilot so will have to make do with the crappy old round dials for now. John

http://www.cessna172club.com/forum/ubbt ... ber=171164

http://cessna170.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5875

Maybe this will be of some value.

Door latches on early Cessna doors are the pits - later (after 1960) LATCHES are much better . With door closed -in strong wind door will pop open easily . Parts for old latches are very hard to find and outrageously priced. Thinking I should design and build something better . Maybe replacing outside door skin with later model latch . On rebuilding gearbox on your 180 -Look at what EZflap (Bill Berle) has done about building a better mouse trap gearbox and gear. I have a Cessna Fuselage and wing jig .- converting one of my old 1959(George Thomas's old float plane) 182's to tail draggier . Going to have to replace firewall anyway -so I got a jig.

My mechanic replaced my Cessna 170 door latches with those from a later model Cessna 150....sorry, I don't know what year. In any case, the whole mess was replaced, only took some fabricated plates on the door jamb to accept the sprags.

They worked great, very positive latch up, and held even in big winds.

MTV

We located 2 182 doors from the 60's that we are going to put on when the plane goes into be painted. They weight a little more but it is worth knowing the door will stay closed and not pop open at any whip stich.

There used to be a pilot with an orange 170 named pumpkin and he updated the latches. Might still be in the picture archives

Replacing the doors with later year doors might be the answer, although prolly very expensive. Would anyone happen to know which doors might fit ? I'll haave to go visit Joe Jenkins.

We picked up a set of doors for around $850 which included the later style latches.

Curious who Joe Jenkins is? There was an airline pilot from Utah that modified his 170 latches to the rotary new style using the original door. His Pumpkin 170 had the same doors as our early 180's. He had a picture tutorial on this site a few years ago----is all that lost now?

The door latches on my 53 work fine, and I don't want to change them. I think the key to keeping them in good shape is to not horse the exterior latches when opening the door, & don't pull the door shut by using the interior levers. In fact, I recently saw a late 50's Cessna on a ramp somewhere with an exterior placard that said no one but the pilot was allowed to open or close the doors- I got a chuckle out of that.

John-

Sounds like a cool refurb project. We need pictures!

As for the door latches, check part numbers and what might be superseded. The fit is important for your door, the handle mechanism inside and the bolt.... being the critical item.

One of my latches broke and I fabricated a new one using the opposite side as a template. Minor repair.

scott

I've had the same experience in my 63 P172D, with the 50c spring breaking so that the latch wouldn't latch. My IA pulled the latch by drilling it out as described and created a new spring--the official version wasn't immediately available, and the cost would have been ridiculous. That was several years ago, and it's worked fine ever since.

Cary

We installed a seaplane door/jump door. No door latch problems. . Pilot door gets opened once a year for the annual and the seaplane door gets all the use. . Hate climbing out of a Cessna without the seaplane door. .


And the added bonus Is the door is completely out of the way when you are loading the plane. . And flying with the door open for photography or throwing your skydiving friends out.

mmartin1872 wrote:We installed a seaplane door/jump door. No door latch problems. . Pilot door gets opened once a year for the annual and the seaplane door gets all the use. . Hate climbing out of a Cessna without the seaplane door. .


And the added bonus Is the door is completely out of the way when you are loading the plane. . And flying with the door open for photography or throwing your skydiving friends out.

Huh? Not following this one.

Cary

Our jump door has a different latch in it. It Latches at the front and back of the door. . Opens up and clips to the wing, kind of like the super Cub window. Just thinking about it, the latch is almost identical to s super Cub door latch too.

mmartin1872 wrote:Our jump door has a different latch in it. It Latches at the front and back of the door. . Opens up and clips to the wing, kind of like the super Cub window. Just thinking about it, the latch is almost identical to s super Cub door latch too.

OK. I can see that it would be easier for passengers and loading, but I'm having trouble seeing how that would benefit the pilot, if it's on the right side like most jump doors would be.

Cary

It's easier just to crawl out the passenger door, than it is to unlatch the pilot door, and hold onto it, so that it doesn't ding the wing strut.

And it is way easier getting into the airplane, for old people... you can just crawl straight in on your stomach, no trying to wedge yourself in. It's the perfect old person set up. I don't think I'd ever want to own a Cessna that didn't have a jump door installed. It's the one airplane in my families fleet that my dad doesn't take 10 minutes to get into (well not really 10 minutes, but it sure feels like it), between the tcraft, the Stinson, the starduster, the clipper, and the Thorpe.

I haven't taken too close a look at the door latches on my 53 180 since they seem to work well, but the 120/140 & early 170 used a sort of mousetrap looking spring. A A guy named Lee Chavez makes them for sale, available on the C120/140 Club website.
http://cessna120-140.org/?product=door- ... -170a-170b
They also published a drawing showing how to make a jig to fabricate your own springs using music wire (available at hardware stores). I can't find it on the internet, but have an old beat-up copy that I could scan & email if someone needs it.

It is pretty easy to look for a replacement spring here:

http://www.leespring.com/

or here:

http://www.centuryspring.com/

There are others. These are usually in stock.

At Johnson Creek this week ran into a lady that owns a 1956 180 and her pilot door would not stay shut. I told her I had the same problem in my 1956 182 a while back and I replaced the mouse trap spring. She told that to her mechanic and he said they are really hard to find. It is the same spring as the 120, 140, and the 170. I will share the link again. https://www.cessna120-140.org/?product= ... -170a-170b

Tim