I messed up. Door won't close now

[crazzmc]

I can't get my door on my passenger side to close. I was messing around with the little latch in the door and clicked it up too much I guess? Anyway I can't get it down. And I'm trying to get my door panel off but the armrest bolts won't come off.

Still working but wondering if any of you knew what to do. Here's a pic.

That black latch is stuck up.

[71Fe2O3]

I have done that before fiddling around with door latches on old cars. Once, perhaps more than that, I remember doing it to one of my parent's cars, and thinking that I had damaged the car and would get in trouble if they found out. I believe I either just flipped the latch back into position or pushed on the outside door handle, or some combination of those, and it went back into the correct position, leaving me relieved but with a greasy finger. Perhaps you have already figured it out.

With regard to the armrest bolts, you just have to get the correct 1/4 drive deep socket (don't recall the size right now, but think it might be 3/8) with a short extension, finagle the socket into position and unscrew it as you would any other bolt. The bolts are recessed pretty deeply into the armrests and are longer than you might think they should be.The socket tends to get stuck in the armrest; I pull it out with needle-nose pliers.

[sargentrs]

If your arm rest bolts still won't come out, you may have broken the plastic nuts in the door and they're just spinning around in the hole. Try applying pressure on the arm rest by pulling out on it while backing out the bolts. Might have to alternate front bolt/rear bolt until you can get it off. As for the latch, try taking a punch or screwdriver and hammer and tap down on the latch gear while operating the handle. Probably just needs a little bump. Don't whack it hard. If it won't come down with a few taps hitting it harder won't help.

[crazzmc]

Yeah I finally got into it and I just ripped off the ***** arm rest. They were different colors anyway gonna get new ones. But I adjusted everything the best I could and found out that it's the latching mechanism. So it latches from the bottom and that top on my driver door but only from the bottom on my passenger door. That top one's spring I believe is broken. I got it working for a single close it still didn't close all the way but the mechanism worked. Not sure what to do I can't get into replace it. Probably just live with it for now :/

[Bill Ramsey]

Arm rest bolts use an 11/32" socket. The long one so you can get it back out.

[sargentrs]

Doesn't look like any of the usual vendors carry the latches. Might post in the Parts Wanted section to see if somebody here has one for you. Otherwise your only option is EvilBoy http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Truck-Door ... SweQBZpGX4