Xantia door lock tab

splat2 · Post by **splat2** » 11 Oct 2005, 17:20

Ok, I've tried following the instructions in Haynes to get the driver's door lock 'tab' (the thing you push down to lock the doors when you're sitting inside the car) back onto the rod coming from the lock but I just can't get it to stay on.

What's the magic trick, or am I just stupid?

mezuk04 · Post by **mezuk04** » 11 Oct 2005, 17:23

Well if you are considered stupid, then there is at least two of us now.....the amount of door cards ive taken off in the zx's and the amount of those "tabs" ive gone through and broken....and yes i even managed to severely bend the rod...thats why i strictly make my mate wilkobob do them....i even started getting them from the scrap yards...just incase

pie eater · Post by **pie eater** » 11 Oct 2005, 17:48

This stupid pie eater could never get them back on the lock rod things on the two ZX's I've owned, and I too used to resort to getting spares from the scrapyard. If you get them off right, by inserting a real small bradawl or summat in the hole in the front, releasing the grip thing and just sliding them off, then they go back on ok.

But they hardly never come off like that, and you end up spraining the grippy rod catch thingy, and then they're jiggered. Back to the scrapyard.

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 11 Oct 2005, 17:58

I'm going to upset things by saying I've never had a problem getting them off intact, or had a problem putting them back on again. Getting them back into the right place is a whole different matter, I can get them back on but they're never in exactly the right place, once I've had them apart they're never quite the same again.

steviewonder7 · Post by **steviewonder7** » 11 Oct 2005, 18:28

Hi chaps,

I had to renew my vandalised door mirror the other day and the longest job
was refitting this 'door lock button'.
I managed to do this believe it or not,by first filing down(very slightly with a needle file) the rod the button fits onto,and then making up a rod,(shaped like the letter' J' or like a fishing hook) to hook and pull the rod towards you(this is to enable you to replce the button easier) and holding it there while I pushed the button back onto the rod and releasing the homemade rod at the very last moment.
Hope that description is not too confusing!
This has worked for me twice thus far.(perhaps I'm just lucky)
Hope it may help you with your endeavours.

andycarter · Post by **andycarter** » 11 Oct 2005, 20:09

The trick to getting it in the right place is to do it with the door already locked.

Then with the little tang in its free position, you just align the button with the slots in the door card and push the whole lot down as far as it will go and it locks onto the rod in exactly the right place.

Saved me a whole heap of frustration once I'd figured out this little technique.

Andy

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 11 Oct 2005, 20:45

andycarter wrote:The trick to getting it in the right place is to do it with the door already locked.

Then with the little tang in its free position, you just align the button with the slots in the door card and push the whole lot down as far as it will go and it locks onto the rod in exactly the right place.

Saved me a whole heap of frustration once I'd figured out this little technique.

Andy

Yep,

Thats pretty much what I do. Start with the little tab on the back of the button right down (unlocked) and use a small screwdriver to move the tab just slightly out of the bottom notch until its in the flat area between the two notches, this allows it to move and self-lock when you push it on.

Make sure that the door is locked - I find it easier if you lock the door while the door is open, which you can do by turning the catch by hand until it clicks, then lock the door. (Remember to unlock it again before trying to shut the door!)

Now use a pair of tweezers or needlenose plyers to hold the vertical rod in the right position as you position the button over it, make sure you line it up with the slots in the backing of the button surround, then when its right give it a good shove downwards and the button should lock in place.

Now try locking and unlocking the doors and make sure the button is at the right height - when unlocked it should be flush with the top of the plastic surround. If its too low it may prevent the central locking from staying locked.

Sometimes it can take a few attempts to get it right, so to get the button off again without breaking it, I use a large philips screwdriver, (about 12") put a rag in front of the button, and position the sharp end of the screwdriver against the curve of the button angling it up at about 45 degrees, then give the handle of the screwdriver a good hard whack with the palm of your hand. This is usually enough to get it to let go without breaking.

They are a b*****d of a thing these buttons, but they CAN be fitted and removed.

Regards,
Simon