Body / Glass: Could a welder build up material on door lock(starwheel) 55 coupe

[14x7]

Could a guy weld onto the starwheel of the lock mechanism on a 55 coupe ? The starwheel looks beat down on one the teeth . should I attempt to take the lock off the door? Looks like a spring project. Its the driver's door lock ,it doesn't close tight on the first try, I am starting to think about this. Thanks Mike

[Mike Van Veghten]

IF...the wheel was good steel, yes.
I believe those parts are castings of a lesser material quality. I'd bet, the first touch with any type of welder would pretty much turn it into a puddle of molten material.

Hit up Stude swap meets, look into the web, Turning Wheels, etc. for a better one.

Mike

[63 R2 Hawk]

I believe you can rotate the wheel one or two clicks to a new position where the bad tooth is not in contact with the teeth in the latch. You should just be able to reindex it with your fingers or a screwdriver. Since the wheel never rotates completely through 360*, the bad section should stay in a position where it won't be in contact with the latch teeth.

[nvonada]

One of mine was repaired at some point. Whoever did it filed the wheel down a little then wrapped it in a thin strip of steel cut from a can or something. The ends are braized or maybe silver-soldered. It works great so I have never messed with it. Kits used to be made to replace the star wheels. You still see them on e-bay now and again. I bought one for possible future use:


Nathan

[jclary]

Back when I was selling cutting tools and supplies to machine shops, I had customers who specialized in welding, building up, repairing, and building special high speed steel cutting tools. Now days, nearly all metal cutting hack saw, band saw blades, and hole saws are made by welding a thin strip of tool steel to a carbon steel body and then the teeth are ground and set.

To answer your initial question...it can be done...finding someone with the skill to do it economically is the challenge.

[Jeff_H]

Those latch assy used to be available NOS in the 90s. I know I bought a pair from N&A back then. Maybe all gone now? W/o checking parts books not sure if also used on rear doors of 4dr cars so more likely to find a less worn one from a parts car. Someone likely has used ones.

That gear is pot metal I think, so no welding.

If you find a good used one, make sure the gear is snug on its shaft and not floppy. Check the door alignment and for loose hinges. There is a reason your old one is mangled.

[Flashback]

I believe S I has these NOS (latch assy). Good used are also kinda easy to find.

[studebakerkid]

Plus It could well be that you do not have the catch side adjusted correctly. It takes a bit of practice to get it set just right. Look at the scrape marks critically and it will tell you where it is hitting and not catching correctly.

[hausdok]

Hi,

Doesn't Muggyweld make some kind of pot metal repair product that one could use to build up the teeth? Perhaps that stuff is too soft.