I have replaced a few window latches for various reasons but never attempted to repair them. I have the late style latch and a early push button latch.
The trouble latch was a push button style. Button mashed or not this latch just spun and spun. This can be a problem if your passenger bumps the latch with their elbow and the window springs open on take off scaring the u know what out of em. I seem to recall most Cessnas I ever owned had the push button latches that just spun.
New bush button latches are $175. And the new style is more then that.
They button has little wings that almost always shear off over time. This can be fixed for about $15 bucks.
Drive out pin with punch. Remove latch handle. Buy a 49,50, 51 Chevy window latch repair kit from eBay or wherever. Done. The parts are identical to the ones you will remove.

Maybe this will help someone repair their latch and save some gas money.

Fantastic tip! I've replaced mine once already with the Cessna replacement. That $200 latch is especially painful to us Scotsmen.

Thank you sir!!! I had the pilot side break a few years ago and went to the local salvage yeard that has a bunch of older vehicles. I wasn't able to find and old Chevy but was able to 'reconfigure' a latch from an old Ford pick-up wing vent window. Guess it is time to find the right one....on the prowl for an chevy...

PAMR MX wrote:I have replaced a few window latches for various reasons but never attempted to repair them. I have the late style latch and a early push button latch.
The trouble latch was a push button style. Button mashed or not this latch just spun and spun. This can be a problem if your passenger bumps the latch with their elbow and the window springs open on take off scaring the u know what out of em. I seem to recall most Cessnas I ever owned had the push button latches that just spun.
New bush button latches are $175. And the new style is more then that.
They button has little wings that almost always shear off over time. This can be fixed for about $15 bucks.
Drive out pin with punch. Remove latch handle. Buy a 49,50, 51 Chevy window latch repair kit from eBay or wherever. Done. The parts are identical to the ones you will remove.

Maybe this will help someone repair their latch and save some gas money.

Great info! Hope I remember this when my window latch breaks.

I have the old over-center latches in my 53 180. The bracket that attaches to the window frame was loose on both of them. The original rivets had already been replaced by pop-rivets at some time, now those were loosening up. Instead of re-popping them, I decided to try something different. I drilled out the pops, tapped the holes in the window frame, and used a pair of 10-32 screws to re-attach the brackets. I had to use small diameter allen head screws, the existing holes were too close together for standard screws. Worked great, and hopefully screws in tapped holes won't tend to loosen up over time like rivets seem to do in that application.

Neat info! The button on mine hasn't worked as long as I've had it, and the window has come open several times, enough that I've often commented to passengers that doors and windows sometimes come open, but not to worry, it's just noisy.

Not being an eBayer, I wonder if Rock Auto or similar might have the pieces and parts?

Cary

These two places have them also.

www.chevsofthe40s.com/dept/Glass/cat/Vent+Window.html

www.nationalchevyassoc.com/4607l
National Chevy Association | 1949 to 1954 Chevy parts

Well that tip is almost priceless! Actually about a $150 worth, but still. Thanks!

About 11 years ago I contacted an outfit which sells replacement parts that have been removed from wrecked airplanes to see about a replacement latch. Yup, they had them. Yup, they wanted $260 for one. I asked my IA to see what a Cessna latch would cost. About the same, but not available at that time--might take months to come in once ordered.

Last week I ordered a gen-yoo-wine 49 Chevy window latch repair kit from National Chevy Association, $27 including shipping. It came within 3 or 4 days, and today I installed it. 5 minutes to take off the old one, almost an hour to put on the new one, only because a mechanic I aren't, and clumsy I are. The new kit included a new latch, spring, button, and tension pin. It does NOT include the post assembly, but it fits exactly onto the existing post assembly on the door, which I lubed with a dollop of engine oil from the dipstick. And for the first time since I bought my airplane, I have a locking window latch!

I could not detect any difference between the old one and the new one, other than one of them had a letter on it and the other a number--don't recall which had what. But otherwise, absolutely identical.

Cary

Years ago, an over energetic seaplane student, trying to get out of my 170 in a hurry while beaching in a river reefed pretty hard on the door latch.....in the wrong direction.....resulting in the sprags being stripped on the handle .

Got back to town and pulled that handle off and took a good look at it for a part number......nope. But, it did have a Ford blue oval . Turns out that a 1946-49 Ford door handle fits just fine.

MTV

Awesome thread and tip! Thanks! Mine broke last week and I came across this on a Google search. I immediately ordered one from the Chevy Association. It arrived today and I'll hopefully be putting it in later this week. I'll let you know how it goes!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Grassstrippilot wrote:Awesome thread and tip! Thanks! Mine broke last week and I came across this on a Google search. I immediately ordered one from the Chevy Association. It arrived today and I'll hopefully be putting it in later this week. I'll let you know how it goes!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A little off-topic, but I find a surprising amount of answers to my aviation google searches in this site. I love it!

So, I got out to the airport today to fix my window latch. Overall it wasn't too bad. It took me about an hour to get it on. The latch they sent, which was linked above, was opposite of the one that was on there (the handle faces forward, and turns counter clockwise vs the new one that faces aft and turns clockwise). The former is probably more ergonomic and easy to operate, but in the end it's functional either way and I'm sure I'll quickly adapt. Not a big deal.

The only issue that I had was that the pin that came with it was too large to fit into hole in the handle. So, after giving it some thought and not wanting to screw it up, I found some drill bits in the hangar that increased in size in small increments. So I used them to slowly increase the size of the hole until it was perfect. From there, a rag to protect the handle and a pair of small channel locks slide the pin in nice and snug. So that all took a little extra time. Otherwise it would have been a 10 minute job.

So, now I have a true locking latch (as mentioned above) that shuts nice and snug. The only thing is I have to remember to push the button because it won't move if I don't![emoji1]

The broken handle. You can see the missing chunk that broke away.



The repair kit on the right and the old parts on the left.


The .099 size drill bit was the perfect diameter.


The end result.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Is there a separate left and right side latch?

Yeah there is. They are just a mirror image of each other. The only difference is the handle points the other direction.

Did you buy the wrong one, or did you want it pointing in that direction on the left side? I presume this is the chevy/ford window latch - where did you source the replacement kit?

My window latch on the left side is not oem - and is pretty worn out. I need to replace mine as well that's why I'm interested.

I just used the link above (Chevy association) and ordered it without thinking that it might be showing the wrong one. I think the linked page even says left side, but it's not the same as was installed. I didn't catch it until I looked on a different sight and realized their "left side" was pointing the other way. Like I said though, I don't think it's s big deal. Both will work.

To be certain you get the one you want, you might just place the order over the phone. The guy I talked to was really nice and helpful when I called for a status on the order. You will only get a receipt from an online order, no tracking info unless you call.

When I ordered mine on line, I "imagined" the correct one by recalling from my youth (before it became misspent) how the 49 Chevy window latch operated. What came was exactly what I wanted. 11 months later, it still works just fine, and I gotta say, it's nice not to have the slightest concern that the window will open inadvertently.

Of course, that doesn't stop the doors from opening, with the old "slam it and hope it catches" latches of older Cessnas. Last time I took a friend up, his door opened. He immediately tried to close it unsuccessfully, but I told him to wait until I slowed the airplane to about 80, then slipped it a little to the left, and then it was easy to close. Oh, some of the joys of old airplanes!

Cary

Perfect!

F-shaw just sent this thread my way. We were looking at my pilot's side latch the other night wondering what would be the best fix. Now we have it Thanks BCP!

Cary wrote:Of course, that doesn't stop the doors from opening, with the old "slam it and hope it catches" latches of older Cessnas. Last time I took a friend up, his door opened.

Yup, if I don't get the pilot side door just right it pops open on take off or if it's bumpy at least 50% of the time.

Pete

Strictly out of curiosity...

For a certified plane like a Cessna, does that procedure fall under a maintenance or other minor upkeep category, or does it require all that crazy official A&P mechanic stuff?

Again, I know it is just a window latch repair, but I am just curious.