Trunk Latch???

[RegencyRoyale]

Does anyone know if the trunk latch & actuator are all the same on the Buick (LeSabre & Park Avenue), Olds (88 & 98) and Bonneville? Mine is bent out of line and I have to keep plyers handy to make it close everytime. It seems to be leaking in there too since it doesn't alwasy grip down tightly.

???

Thanks

[harofreak00]

Aren't you actually bending the sheet metal that the actuator mounts to? That is a common problem.

[RegencyRoyale]

Humm, no that's not what I'm doing personally. I grip the tip of the latch, I call it the latch; it's the part of it that is mounted to the truck cover, but it's the device, not the sheet metal. I grip it with plyers and push upward. Then the truck closes. I figure that with the force of slaming it down it automatically gets bent back again so I have to do it again next time around....Should I be doing something different?

[harofreak00]

Next time you bend it, watch to see what is actually bending. I'm 99% sure its the sheet metal.

[RegencyRoyale]

Maybe it is the sheet metal that bends via my bending the latch but I'm unsure how to get it to close any other way. How would you do it without bending the latch? I don't really see much I can do there. I'd be happy to find a fix because having to put all that pressure on the latch everytime will no doubt eventually break it.

[harofreak00]

The only real fix to it would be adding some support to the sheet metal, or replace the trunklid.

[RegencyRoyale]

Something along the lines of removing the latch from the lid, mounting a metal plate of sorts to the lid then reattach the latch again on top of the plate?

[harofreak00]

Yup, or any other way keeping it solid.

[RegencyRoyale]

Ok, so anyway, in the meantime. Just incase I wanted to pick up another latch to replace my now badly bent one anyone know what models are a match?