1974 Dodge W200 Power Wagon. Have owned it a couple months. The Left/Driver Side Door Sticks when trying to open it. I need to Lift it up a bit by the handle while depressing the door handle button to open.

The Passenger door is fine. I have heard this is a fairly common problem. Can this problem be adjusted out by repositioning the latch mechanism?

Replace the door hinge/bushings, they are worn out and causing the door to drop. Easier than it looks, get the repair kit at any parts store and they will tell you how to do this easy repair.

Good luck!

JS

Thanks. I'll look into it. I already replaced the lower door hinge as the door hold-open spring was missing. The replacement was in excellent condition, but maybe the Top Hinge needs attention too.

The passenger door drops noticably when I open it, but no latching problems with it. I'll go through the hing pins on all of them.

I found a few videos on YouTube and a webpage about it on Sweptline.com

If the doors drop when they open, you need to check and repair the hinges and get everything lined back up. It won't take long before you start tearing up the door frame at the striker post, or the door sheet metal at the latch mounting holes. Neither was designed to lift and align the door when being closed, they were only designed to latch the door. Gene

I definitely plan to address the problem. Oddly, the door with the sticking latch doesn't have much if any noticeable drop; it just requires a slight bit of upward lift to get it to unlatch and open.

It's the passenger door which latches/unlatches easily, that has the noticable drop. In any event, agree that both doors hinges need to be fixed ASAP.

Sounds like the handle rod needs adjustment. When you lightly push in the door button to where it loses free play and feels firm, the button should no need to be pushed very far in. If you have to push he button almost all the way in before it stops, it needs adjustment. Above the door latch there is a little hole in the door sheet metal. This is an access hole to the adjuster. It is an Allen key ( hex) loosen it, and adjust the rod so the button moves less before it makes contact.
And you are dealing with a door that has been opened hundreds of times over 41 years so its bound to be worn, loose, sticky. Removing it, cleaning and relubing will work wonders.

Thanks much. Nice tip. I will check the hinges and recondition as needed, but you may be right about my left driver door, as it doesn't drop like the right door. It just sticks a bit

Thanks Again

I visited my truck the other day (unfortunately, it is not at home) and checked the hinges. Seems to me, that there is relatively little movement from the hinges. They may not be the problem I thought they were, at least with regard to the door not opening properly.

Instead, IS that the outer door handle button is not causing the latch to release without help. As suggested, the release rod needs to be adjusted with an Allen Wrench.

To test, I opened the door, then closed the latch mechanism by hand/with my fingers. When I tried to release the latch with the Button, pushing all the way in it would not release/open.

There is an ID plate riveted to the inner door from the Utility Box company (truck originally had a utility box bed) that covers the adjustment access hole. I will drill out the rivets, pull the plate and make the rod adjustment.

Thanks for all the replies, particularly from Jim (Demon) for the heads up on the button adjustment.

Removed the riveted-on ID plate that the Utility company had affixed to the door in 1974 which provided access to the adjustment hole last Saturday. Made the adjustment with an Allen Wrench, and now the door handle button works flawlessly. Good call Demon.

I didn't even know there was such an adjustment to the latch.

Thanks Again,
DC

Glad it worked for you. Almost every Mopar door latch has the same adjustment from the late 60's right into the K car era