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Trunk latch and catch worn out


oldmangrimes

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I use the trunk on my 95 convertible often, and the trunk latch and catch loop have worn out.   They still function but are loose and the trunk is rattling.   The mechanism is worn enough that I'm also worried it will break.   I'm probably going to buy a Dorman 904-107 replacement latch, I'm hoping it has instructions for how to swap over the lock cylinder and remote actuator.   Has anyone done this, and can offer any advice?  I tend to screw things up without good instructions.   Are there any tricks?  Also, the mating catch loop is really worn, any advice about where to find a replacement or repair it?    Either the latch or the mating catch may not be original, I was rear-ended about 10 years ago and some parts were replaced from a donor car.  (The donor car was green, so they had to repaint everything).     

trunk catch.jpg

trunk latch.jpg

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These latches are still available.  I believe you need the one without the latch wire.  Can you show me a pic of the backside of this one?  The trunk lid latch is part #20597659.

 

trunk latch.jpg

Edited by jiggity76
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I should probably also mention that I bypassed and removed the lockout switch a few years ago, the wire broke so I just permanently connected the wires.    I never even knew it had a lockout switch until the wire broke, so I didn't miss the functionality.     

I haven't started taking it apart yet, it's parked outside and I'm still driving it so I need to be able to open and close it until I get the replacement parts.   Do I need to pull the actuator off to see the back of the latch before ordering a replacement?

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3 minutes ago, oldmangrimes said:

I should probably also mention that I bypassed and removed the lockout switch a few years ago, the wire broke so I just permanently connected the wires.    I never even knew it had a lockout switch until the wire broke, so I didn't miss the functionality.     

I haven't started taking it apart yet, it's parked outside and I'm still driving it so I need to be able to open and close it until I get the replacement parts.   Do I need to pull the actuator off to see the back of the latch before ordering a replacement?

I haven't really messed with these myself so I'm not sure.  I just know that two latch styles are available.  One with the contact wire and one without.  I'm assuming that the ones with the contact wire alerts the DIC in the Grand Prix's for instance that the trunk lid is ajar thru the display.  I'm pretty sure the Supremes including your vert doesn't have that feature so I would think you'll need the one without the wire.

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6 minutes ago, oldmangrimes said:

I should probably also mention that I bypassed and removed the lockout switch a few years ago, the wire broke so I just permanently connected the wires.    I never even knew it had a lockout switch until the wire broke, so I didn't miss the functionality.     

I haven't started taking it apart yet, it's parked outside and I'm still driving it so I need to be able to open and close it until I get the replacement parts.   Do I need to pull the actuator off to see the back of the latch before ordering a replacement?

This is what the latch looks like with the contact wire.

 

GM 20513755 Rear Compartment Lid Latch

This is the one WITHOUT the contact wire.

 

GM 20513752 Rear Compartment Lid Latch

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And get the trunk parts adjusted properly.  Yours wore out because it's not adjusted right.  The latch body is dragging on the latch loop, which tore-up both of them.

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Well I got the new GM catch yesterday, and made a first attempt at replacing it.   It fit in the trunk lid ok, and the key lock and solenoid operated just fine.   But wow, I didn't realize how badly the geometry in the rear of my car was messed up by that long-ago accident until I tried to get things lined up.    It looks like the body shop had manually bent the old striker (with a sledgehammer?) sideways to get it to catch.  There are large holes in the new catch to allow for adjusting the mounting bolt position, but they weren't big enough so I had to drill them out a little.   I finally got the catch and striker to line up and open/close ok, but now the trunk lid doesn't line up with the rear fenders.  The striker isn't adjustable, I think that next I may drill out those holes to move it down a little.   Or modify the catch bolt holes more.  The rear of the trunk lid is still more than 1/8 inch too high.   Which of course looks bad, but also doesn't snug the trunk lid against the trunk seal as well as it should.  I suppose I should put a new trunk seal in there too, although the old one still looks fine, a new one is probably thicker and would hold the trunk lid tighter.   

Anyway, it doesn't rattle as much as it did before (there are still 4,352 other things rattling in the old girl when I hit a bump, that w-body chassis does NOT like the top cut off) so I consider it a win.   I'll do some more adjustments when I get a chance.   Thanks for your help with the part numbers, Jiggity76!!

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