Door handle question
#1
Advanced
Thread Starter
Door handle question
I have a 77 for 6 months or so. I noticed my door handles are kind of difficult to open. You have to pull fairly hard to open the door. Also, once I depress the door handle it doesn't return back or the flush position. I haven't opened a C3 door besides my car. Is it normal or do you have any suggestions. Thanks in advance.
Tim
Tim
#2
Burning Brakes
It should return to level with handle bezel. You might try WD 40 on the
hinge, the spring at the back of the handle might be weak or sticking.
Donnie
hinge, the spring at the back of the handle might be weak or sticking.
Donnie
#3
Race Director
Depending on the condition of the handle, rod and clips....it can be several things that are causing this....including the latch mechanism needing so attention with a lubricant CAREFULLY.
DUB
DUB
#4
Burning Brakes
I have a 77 for 6 months or so. I noticed my door handles are kind of difficult to open. You have to pull fairly hard to open the door. Also, once I depress the door handle it doesn't return back or the flush position. I haven't opened a C3 door besides my car. Is it normal or do you have any suggestions. Thanks in advance.
Tim
Tim
I have recently had the same exact problem of the 'fairly hard to open' door on my '79. I just settled on the fact that I needed to take the door apart and investigate, clean, lube, etc.
I solved this problem by removing the door latching mechanism from inside the door, soaking it in cleaner, blowing it out, lubricating and then reinstalling. However, the real problem of the 'door hard to open' is that the outer door handle rod did not extend down enough when the door handle was depressed. This I attribute to the rod bending slightly over time.
Notice in this photo the rod extending down from the handle with a 'nut and pin' protruding from it. To "lengthen" the rod's reach once again, remove the clip on it, then 'unscrew it' by twisting it CLOCKWISE (looking from the top). Mine only took two complete turns - do not overdo it. Then reinstall the clip and pin into its hole in the door mechanism.
The door now pops open nicely when the outer handle is depressed. (It always worked well from the inside.)
I could do a complete write-up on taking the door apart, if it helps.
79 Vette Outer Door handle lock and rod.
#5
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Another issue with the outside door handle is the following.
The lid is made from what we call "pot metal" and is a soft metal. The pin running through the lid and through the handle housing that the lid pivots on is made from steel. Over time, the pin will eat away at the hole in the handle and the handle lid will begin to drag when it is depressed which will cause the lid to stay down and not return to the upward position. We make a "Helper" spring... but it is a band aide only that will eventually fail too.
If the lid is dragging and staying down when you push it... it's time for a new handle.
Willcox
The lid is made from what we call "pot metal" and is a soft metal. The pin running through the lid and through the handle housing that the lid pivots on is made from steel. Over time, the pin will eat away at the hole in the handle and the handle lid will begin to drag when it is depressed which will cause the lid to stay down and not return to the upward position. We make a "Helper" spring... but it is a band aide only that will eventually fail too.
If the lid is dragging and staying down when you push it... it's time for a new handle.
Willcox
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; 01-21-2016 at 10:30 AM.
#6
Advanced
Thread Starter
Thanks, that is exactly what I am looking for. I can probably figure out the rest, my car is in the shop getting the rear end worked on so when I get it back I will give it a shop. So once you cleaned all the mechanisms your door handle would come back to the flush position?
Thanks, again.
Tim
Thanks, again.
Tim
Tim,
I have recently had the same exact problem of the 'fairly hard to open' door on my '79. I just settled on the fact that I needed to take the door apart and investigate, clean, lube, etc.
I solved this problem by removing the door latching mechanism from inside the door, soaking it in cleaner, blowing it out, lubricating and then reinstalling. However, the real problem of the 'door hard to open' is that the outer door handle rod did not extend down enough when the door handle was depressed. This I attribute to the rod bending slightly over time.
Notice in this photo the rod extending down from the handle with a 'nut and pin' protruding from it. To "lengthen" the rod's reach once again, remove the clip on it, then 'unscrew it' by twisting it CLOCKWISE (looking from the top). Mine only took two complete turns - do not overdo it. Then reinstall the clip and pin into its hole in the door mechanism.
The door now pops open nicely when the outer handle is depressed. (It always worked well from the inside.)
I could do a complete write-up on taking the door apart, if it helps.
79 Vette Outer Door handle lock and rod.
I have recently had the same exact problem of the 'fairly hard to open' door on my '79. I just settled on the fact that I needed to take the door apart and investigate, clean, lube, etc.
I solved this problem by removing the door latching mechanism from inside the door, soaking it in cleaner, blowing it out, lubricating and then reinstalling. However, the real problem of the 'door hard to open' is that the outer door handle rod did not extend down enough when the door handle was depressed. This I attribute to the rod bending slightly over time.
Notice in this photo the rod extending down from the handle with a 'nut and pin' protruding from it. To "lengthen" the rod's reach once again, remove the clip on it, then 'unscrew it' by twisting it CLOCKWISE (looking from the top). Mine only took two complete turns - do not overdo it. Then reinstall the clip and pin into its hole in the door mechanism.
The door now pops open nicely when the outer handle is depressed. (It always worked well from the inside.)
I could do a complete write-up on taking the door apart, if it helps.
79 Vette Outer Door handle lock and rod.
#7
Burning Brakes
Thanks, that is exactly what I am looking for. I can probably figure out the rest, my car is in the shop getting the rear end worked on so when I get it back I will give it a shop. So once you cleaned all the mechanisms your door handle would come back to the flush position?
Thanks, again.
Tim
Thanks, again.
Tim
The problem of the handle not springing back to flush is a different problem, I believe. It's addressed by the other fine folks here who posted.
A couple of things when you take the door apart:
-- Roll the window all the way UP (stays more out of the way on the interior of the door.)
--
-- Having a pair of long handled needle nose pliers and a pair of long handled vise grips for reaching inside the access hole helps tremendously. I bought some at Harbor Freight that worked very well.
-- I Removed the lower access panel and fished the door mechanism in and out of that big hole… as well as dropped clips!
Last edited by G-Sting; 01-21-2016 at 07:23 PM.