I just rebuilt the door latches for my halftrack. I thought I would post pictures of the steps so everyone could see how it is done. It is very simple to do and they are as good as new when done. I did mine because the springs were rusted badly and the latch was packed so full of dirt and rust there was no way to clean them out.
This is the starting point rusted, stuck and nasty
lightly grind over the spot welds so you can locate the welds
Center punch and drill out the welds, If you center the holes good enough you should be able to use a 5/16 drill and remove enough metal to pop the latch apart.
These are the parts inside. Only 4 parts pretty simple. I got a new spring from the hardware store for $.95 and blasted the rest clean and painted everything prior to assembly for corrosion protection.
Reassemble everything using visegrips. Make sure everything works correctly BEFORE you weld it back together.
Welded back together with the wire welder. if you touch up the welds with a grinder you should not be able to tell it was messed with.
Some paint and it will be good as new. I am going to use silicone spray for lube because I am hoping the dust will not stick and pack the latch full again.
I hope this info is helpful.
Henry
