Temporary fix. they probably wont stay in place too long, until I can find something better.
Stopped the rattle though...

Yours are missing. You see those big rectangular openings? Basically you need to bend up a piece of spring steel into a low profile V shape such that when you put the cover on the spring compresses a little. You could use some strapping material to make these.

Ron

Where are the springs supposed to be?
Is this shown in a manual?
None of mine cover this except for removing the whole assembly.

We replaced one set of seals maybe 3 years ago and it is fine and another last year also seems to be fine.

I bought seals for my woody a number of years ago and they are too thick. I cant get the doors to close. Are newer gaskets thinner?

This ^  

not sure of the location of the rattle, but you might try some clear tubing to slip over the rods. Like the stuff you use in an aquarium. the hardware store near me sells all sizes of that stuff, and if you can't slip it over one end, you could split it in the length and let it wrap the rods. It may isolate the vibration.

Great ideas! 

I don't know what the diameter of the rods are, but when I need a small steel bush or spacer, I find that the dog-bone engine stabilizer bush sleeves can be really handy.  I keep the old ones and just cut them to whatever length is needed.

Since we were in full naked bash & weld mode, we addressed the problem that the location holes for the latching rods on the barn door wear more predominantly at the bottom/lower hole on Woodys, Travellers, Estates, Vans.

So we lined up the doors & rods and welded in a solution that will be many years in showing any appreciable wear.

PHOTO - underneath...key was to get the drilled out nut at the right inclination to receive the rod. 

Good idea on the heat shrink as well. I just got some clear that would work.
I need to probably take it apart to see if the springs can be replaced to settle it down.

If you are thinking of going the tape route, heat shrink tube would make a nicer finished look. 

BTW- I now have a set of rear estate doors in bone white,comes with glass and all hardware

$500.00 OBO

Will be on display at Ancaster AutoJumble in April

Big AL

Thanks Ron. I will look into that and replacing the springs. Terry

If you remove the cover off the back of the latch there should be two spring metal parts that push against the bars. These would stop rattling within the latch box.

Ron

Brand new seals and the doors fit fine, it is just the mechanism that rattles. Not sure why the one on one car does and the other doesn't.

The electrical tape sounds like a good compromise.

I put new seals on the rear doors of my Woody.  Makes a very tight seal and seams to tighten up all moving bits.
Maybe your seals are in need of replacement

I just wrapped top and bottom of the rods with electrical tape.

It's held up for two years without rewrapping and stopped the rattle in my car.

This is my first wagon, wish I had looked closer at rear door latching before I

painted it. Think I would have welded a washer over the holes in the frame

where the rods go to reinforce them. Looks like they're starting to oval out a bit, 

although the car is 50 years old, so I guess the holes aren't in too bad of shape.

Bill

One of our wagons has a rattle from the rear door latching mechanism. Parts are metal on metal, so some rattle is expected, but one is annoying and the other is not.

The doors close and seal properly. It is just a rattle from the rods and I do not see any way to adjust anything.

Anyone have suggestions? At one point a previous owner had a block of rubber that was squeezed in, but there must be a better way.

Terry