Early Bronco Door Latch (Right)
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.

With the lock control UP (unlocked), the lock slide is aligned with the catch, allowing both the release levers to drive the catch down, releasing the jaws. If the lock control is DOWN, the slide is angled forward, and it misses the catch, so neither release works. If the jaws are then closed (by closing the door), the auto unlock lever pushes the slide rearward, which forces the control UP; unless either release is down (outside button held pressed, or inside lever held), causing the auto unlock arm to miss the slide. This is why many doors get jammed such that they cannot be opened from inside or outside - the pushrod for the outside buttons is adjusted wrong, causing its lever to stay down, preventing the latch from unlocking, which then prevents either release from working.

To reversibly disable auto unlock, simply bend its arm upward (outboard) so it never contacts the lock slide. To permanently disable it, cut the lower jaw off so the catch never operates it.

To make the inside handle always work, AND unlock the door automatically, add a lever to the auto unlock pivot and move the inside release operating rod to the new lever, as shown in subsequent photos.

The latch's original functions will be left UNmodified, so it will be easy to revert to the factory configuration & function simply by moving the operating rod back to the factory inside release lever. The new lever can remain (unused) without affecting the latch's performance or reliability.

Because this latch has failed to release the door more than once due to a sticking lock mechanism, it will be modified so the inside handle is failsafe, and so operating the inside handle unlocks the door. The auto unlock lever's pivot has to be removed so another lever can be added.

The latch's original functions will be left UNmodified, so it will be easy to revert to the factory configuration & function simply by moving the operating rod back to the factory inside release lever. The new lever can remain (unused) without affecting the latch's performance or reliability.

A new lever was cut from a steel plate and drilled for the pivot & operating rod. A short sleeve was used to prevent the bolt from clamping the levers. The new lever is adjustable by cutting its notch lower. It isn't attached to the original lever so that the catch can move normally, without forcing the inside handle. But the inside handle will now operate the catch at all times, regardless of the condition of the other levers, or the position of the lock.

After some testing, the nut was found to interfere slightly with the lock slide, so the bolt was reversed.

A new lever was cut from a steel plate and drilled for the pivot & operating rod. A short sleeve was used to prevent the bolt from clamping the levers. The new lever is adjustable by cutting its notch lower. It isn't attached to the original lever so that the catch can move normally, without forcing the inside handle. But the inside handle will now operate the catch at all times, regardless of the condition of the other levers, or the position of the lock.

After some testing, the nut was found to interfere slightly with the lock slide (the boot-shaped part), so the bolt was reversed.

Pulling the new lever forward forces the auto unlock lever to push the catch down, releasing the jaws. It also pushes the lock slide back, unlocking the latch.

To retain this unlocking, but permanently disable auto unlock when closing the door, cut the lower jaw off the auto unlock lever, just below the catch.

To reversibly disable all auto unlocking, simply bend the arm up & outward so it never contacts the lock slide.

With the bolt reversed, there is no interference with the lock slide. The nut has red threadlocker to prevent it from vibrating loose.

The nut doesn't interfere with the lock slide now, and it has been red-threadlocked.

The final steps are to adjust the angle of the new lever for optimum force, and to extend the inside release operating rod to reach the new lever. When adjusting the step on the new lever, it should always point to the center of the pivot hole. I moved it down ~45 degrees from what's shown here.

The latch's original functions have been left UNmodified, so it will be easy to revert to the factory configuration & function simply by moving the operating rod back to the factory inside release lever. The new lever can remain (unused) without affecting the latch's performance or reliability.