switching door locks

[kidarkitect]

the drivers side door lock was giving me trouble until i took it to a mechanic to get me "caught up" on some maintenence/repair while busy this summer. now it doesn't work at all but the passenger side is fine. Can I switch my passenger side door lock with my driver's side.

haven't had to worry about it until now since it has been under construction- but all things going well it should be back on the road monday and i'd like to be able to get in without the hassle of unlocking the passenger side, crawling in, unlocking the drivers side from the inside, climbing back out... you get the idea.

[kastein]

probably not. However, I know exactly why they are getting gummed up - all of mine did the same thing. The actual lock mechanisms are getting gummy (the lock slides the actual release bar over till it can't release the latch), you can get new ones for something like $35 each at discountjeepparts.com. You want part number 5500 0767:
http://www.discountjeepparts.com/adv...words=55000767

Ignore the fact that they call it the passenger door latch, their stock is from right hand drive Cherokee NOS parts. I got part number 5500 0766 (their "driver" door latch) and it worked perfectly as a replacement for my passenger door latch.

this should apply to 4 door (front doors) and 2 door models equally. Rear doors on a 4-door are another set of part numbers.

EDIT: just to verify that I'm right about what's getting gunked up, if you hit the electric unlock button do they lock/unlock properly?

[ehall]

I don't see why the lock cylinders wouldn't be interchangeable but you can verify with part number lookup. The latches are side-specific, but the lock cylinders are separate, and should pull the rod up either way, so I don't see why they wouldn't be movable.

If you want to do it yourself...

roll window all the way up, and then pull the interior door panel off and prop the door open

remove the three torx screws on the side of the door holding the latch in place so that the latch is loose

find the rotator clip on the latch that holds the lock cylinder rod to the latch and rotate the clip off the rod with a flathead screwdriver

there is a metallic spring clip that holds the cylinder to the door, pull it down and off the cylinder

pull cylinder and rod out through the exterior

stick new cylinder in

fish the lock rod onto the latch and secure it with the rotator clip

push spring clip back over cylinder

reinstall torx screws, interior panel, etc


A locksmith will replace them for you too.

[kidarkitect]

thanks guys, yeah its the actual cylinder that is screwed up. i'm sure of that. fall break from school is this week. it has manual locks and it works fine from the inside. I replaced the latch itself about a year ago w/ one from teamcherokee. wish I had done the locks at the same time but it was just barely starting to give me trouble and I was told is was probably just the latch... but where you insert the key there is visible skiddilywomposness. now the key, if you get it in will not turn at all and you can see loose parts in there.

ehall- can't wait to see your beater build done, been following that thread for a while now.

[wacho4]

Originally Posted by kidarkitect

visible skiddilywomposness

I must find a reason to start using this phrase

[kidarkitect]

sorry, its copyrighted

[wacho4]

dammit

[lawsoncl]

Originally Posted by kidarkitect

thanks guys, yeah its the actual cylinder that is screwed up.

You didn't say what year, but your profile says 89 which I believe means the cylinder is a standard gm part. Auto store or mail-order should get you a pair of new keyed cylinders pretty cheap. My drivers side lock cylinder on my 89 is screwed up as well. I just don't bother locking it. One of the benefits of living in a low crime area.

[61scout80]

how did this turn out?

the drivers side lock on my 87 2 door (with manual locks) will turn with the key, but it does not lock or unlock the door, just turns 1/4 turn each direction. The passenger side will occasionally work. crawling through the hatch was annoying enough for me to look to see how to fix this.....

[kidarkitect]

well, never got a chance to do it. last night some a-hole tried to break in while i was in a movie. he buggered up the passenger door lock beyond usable. so now I'm crawling in the back hatch until i get some new ones.