I just finished replacing the inner mechanism of the driver's side exterior
door handle. The symptom was that the handle was loose on one side, and it
was close to breaking off entirely. I had already previously replaced this
interior part on both doors.
The entire operation took a total of three hours including breaks. It was
tricky to do, so here is how I got by the hard parts of it:
First remove the door panel as described elsewhere. Basically, there are
about 6 bolts around the side rest and at the front of the door inside the
main air vent intake, plus a couple of screws along the bottom of the door.
The inside handle comes off by removing one screw and sliding the plastic
toward the rear and off. The round lock handle comes off by removing the
inner piece with a very small flat blade screw driver and removing a nut,
then pull it off. The round plastic guard piece itself unscrews and comes
off. I left the wires and the panel attached to the door, but supported off
to the side.
Next carefully pull back the sheet plastic lining only enough to expose the
openings in the back half of the door. Make sure the window is completely
closed.
Locate the anti-theft plate that goes next to the locking mechanism. Just
loosen the nut and bolt that hold its mounting bracket in place at the
bottom front corner. Don't completely undo them. It is designed to slide
off once loosened. Now roll down the window all the way. Finish removing
the plate by unscrewing two screws: one located in a recess at the top edge
of the door and the other at the back side of the door at the top above the
door latch. With the window all the way down you can then maneuver the
plate out.
Now once again close the window completely. Note you do not at any point
have to loosen the window glass nor remove it for this procedure.
Illuminate the inside of the door. Locate the lever attached to the door
handle mechanism. Pop it off with a medium sized flat blade screwdriver. At
this point if you are a Pigmy brain surgeon you can use an allen wrench to
remove the two small bolts with washers that hold the exterior door handle
to the inner mechanism and then use a 10 mm wrench to remove the two nuts
with washers that hold the inner mechanism in place and replace it. There
is some room for adjustment so that the door handle does not rub on the
door. Be sure to check this for smooth operation before putting everything
else back together.
I chose to remove the door locking mechanism to have better access. To
remove it use an allen wrench to remove two bolts that are slightly
recessed along the top edge of the door and then remove the two bolts
holding the door latch also using an allen wrench. I was then able to reach
the lever from the door lock and pop it off of the door locking mechanism
with a smaller flat blade screwdriver. The entire door locking mechanism
should then be lowered into the door, and you will have a straight shot at
the inner door handle mechanism. Replace as described above. Be sure to
adjust the door handle so that it doesn't rub against the door.
On reassembly first slide the door lock button back up through its hole.
Then reattach the lever from the door lock to the door locking mechanism.
I was able to easily do this by first removing the door lock, which is easy
to do. Simply remove the rubber cover and with an allen wrench remove the
bolt and washer that hold the lock in place. With the lock held just
outside of its hole in the door, using a flat blade screwdriver reaching
into the door lock's hole in the door, I was able to press the lever back
in place to its connector on the door locking mechanism. At some point
reattach the lock in the door with its bolt. I waited until I had the
following step done.
The last tricky step is to reattach the lever from the door locking
mechanism to the connector on the inner door handle mechanism. Do that from
below by pressing it on with a medium sized screwdriver.
Reassemble in the reverse sequence.
With the window all the way down, position the anti theft plate by sliding
the lower bracket onto the lower bolt and loosely secure it with the two
screws, one along the top edge of the door and the other just above the
door latch. Then you should close the window and tighten the nut and
bolt.
Use adhesive spray or contact cement to resecure the sheet plastic and put
the door panel back on after checking to see that all the wires are still
attached. Reattach the lock knob and various small pieces.
--
Dan Shapiro
'82 928 5 speed "S package" Chiffon/Brown
Borla exhaust, Custom radiator
'77 Scout SUV
http://home.earthlink.net/~dnalaw/index.html
