Normally i can sort most things out - I have a 74 sliding door where the bear claw feels solid - I have gone through the cables and its is wrecking me as i cant shut the door- Any clues or pointers
It has quite a strong spring holding it down. It only actually locks when the bar slots in above it, and it has to go up over the edge of the striker at the front and drop down again. If it fails to drop fully, lifing the handle wont pop the latching bar out at the front. I had to build up the striker plate with weld and space it out on some 2mm thick washers to get it to work. Make sure the internal locking switch is in the unlocked position. And you have lifted and shimmed the front roller bracket.
I took it all off today and it works on the bench -grrrr but back on the van nope the latch will not rotate unless the big spring is off - Are there any pics of the cables and spring set up