drivers side door won't open
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 807
Likes: 2
From: VIRGINIA BEACH VIRGINIA
drivers side door won't open
My drivers side door will not open from the outside. The handle pushes all the way down but it will not open. It will open from the inside. I locked and unlocked from the inside and outside and it will still not work. Any ideas before I pull the door panel off?
Dan
Dan
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,422
Likes: 591
From: McHenry Illinois
It sounds like you will need to pull the door panel. A word of caution, after you find the problem and before you close the door, make sure it latches and unlatches, locks and unlocks before you ever close it. If the outer handle is out of adjustment, it will not unlock and you will be working on it with the door stuck closed.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 315
Likes: 5
From: Sheboygan Wisconsin
Sounds like the hinge on the bottom of the door handle broke. Same thing happened to me last year.
You will have to replace the exterior door handle assembly. Several things to keep in mind: When buying a new door handle assembly, make sure you buy one that is "Made In USA". It will cost more than one made "off-shore" but it's worth it as the cheaper one will break in the same place in about 1 year. (Advise from a local Corvette Restoration place). Read this article http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/4696/index.html Take your time and don't get frustrated, it's a bear of a job and VERY little space to work in. One of the keys to it is to get the lock water shield down and out of the way. Also when moving the retaining clip on the arm that is attached to the clevis on the door handle opening rod, don't push the clip too far so that it comes off the arm because it's a real bear to reinstall (learned that the hard way). To pull the clip back into place I took a piece of stiff wire and bent a hook on the end and got behind the clip and just pulled it back into place. Once you've gotten the new handle installed and hooked up, make sure you try the interior and exterior door locks to see if they operate freely. (don't make the mistake I did and put everything back in place and reinstall the door panel before trying the locks and then have to remove everything again @#$%%) if they don't, you will have to disconnect the clevis from the arm and move the clevis either up or down until the locks work freely. Mine was putting too much downward pressure on the arm and I had to turn the clevis upward. Again, take your time, you WILL skin and cut your fingers and hand in a few places (I'm 70 years old and I used some words that I haven't used since I was in the U.S.Army in the early '60's)
Good Luck, Mike
PS Depending on who you talk to, some will tell you to do it with the window up and some will tell you to do it with the window down. For me, on my '74 it worked the best with the window all the way down.
You will have to replace the exterior door handle assembly. Several things to keep in mind: When buying a new door handle assembly, make sure you buy one that is "Made In USA". It will cost more than one made "off-shore" but it's worth it as the cheaper one will break in the same place in about 1 year. (Advise from a local Corvette Restoration place). Read this article http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/4696/index.html Take your time and don't get frustrated, it's a bear of a job and VERY little space to work in. One of the keys to it is to get the lock water shield down and out of the way. Also when moving the retaining clip on the arm that is attached to the clevis on the door handle opening rod, don't push the clip too far so that it comes off the arm because it's a real bear to reinstall (learned that the hard way). To pull the clip back into place I took a piece of stiff wire and bent a hook on the end and got behind the clip and just pulled it back into place. Once you've gotten the new handle installed and hooked up, make sure you try the interior and exterior door locks to see if they operate freely. (don't make the mistake I did and put everything back in place and reinstall the door panel before trying the locks and then have to remove everything again @#$%%) if they don't, you will have to disconnect the clevis from the arm and move the clevis either up or down until the locks work freely. Mine was putting too much downward pressure on the arm and I had to turn the clevis upward. Again, take your time, you WILL skin and cut your fingers and hand in a few places (I'm 70 years old and I used some words that I haven't used since I was in the U.S.Army in the early '60's)
Good Luck, Mike
PS Depending on who you talk to, some will tell you to do it with the window up and some will tell you to do it with the window down. For me, on my '74 it worked the best with the window all the way down.
Last edited by outlawkinser; Jan 10, 2011 at 03:43 PM. Reason: Added PS
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,223
Likes: 666
From: Northeast
Sounds like the hinge on the bottom of the door handle broke. Same thing happened to me last year.
You will have to replace the exterior door handle assembly. Several things to keep in mind: When buying a new door handle assembly, make sure you buy one that is "Made In USA". It will cost more than one made "off-shore" but it's worth it as the cheaper one will break in the same place in about 1 year. (Advise from a local Corvette Restoration place). Read this article http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/4696/index.html Take your time and don't get frustrated, it's a bear of a job and VERY little space to work in. One of the keys to it is to get the lock water shield down and out of the way. Also when moving the retaining clip on the arm that is attached to the clevis on the door handle opening rod, don't push the clip too far so that it comes off the arm because it's a real bear to reinstall (learned that the hard way). To pull the clip back into place I took a piece of stiff wire and bent a hook on the end and got behind the clip and just pulled it back into place. Once you've gotten the new handle installed and hooked up, make sure you try the interior and exterior door locks to see if they operate freely. (don't make the mistake I did and put everything back in place and reinstall the door panel before trying the locks and then have to remove everything again @#$%%) if they don't, you will have to disconnect the clevis from the arm and move the clevis either up or down until the locks work freely. Mine was putting too much downward pressure on the arm and I had to turn the clevis upward. Again, take you time, you WILL skin and cut your fingers and hand in a few places (I'm 70 years old and I used some words that I haven't used since I was in the U.S.Army in the early '60's)
Good Luck, Mike
PS Depending on who you talk to, some will tell you to do it with the window up and some will tell you to do it with the window down. For me, on my '74 it worked the best with the window all the way down.
You will have to replace the exterior door handle assembly. Several things to keep in mind: When buying a new door handle assembly, make sure you buy one that is "Made In USA". It will cost more than one made "off-shore" but it's worth it as the cheaper one will break in the same place in about 1 year. (Advise from a local Corvette Restoration place). Read this article http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/4696/index.html Take your time and don't get frustrated, it's a bear of a job and VERY little space to work in. One of the keys to it is to get the lock water shield down and out of the way. Also when moving the retaining clip on the arm that is attached to the clevis on the door handle opening rod, don't push the clip too far so that it comes off the arm because it's a real bear to reinstall (learned that the hard way). To pull the clip back into place I took a piece of stiff wire and bent a hook on the end and got behind the clip and just pulled it back into place. Once you've gotten the new handle installed and hooked up, make sure you try the interior and exterior door locks to see if they operate freely. (don't make the mistake I did and put everything back in place and reinstall the door panel before trying the locks and then have to remove everything again @#$%%) if they don't, you will have to disconnect the clevis from the arm and move the clevis either up or down until the locks work freely. Mine was putting too much downward pressure on the arm and I had to turn the clevis upward. Again, take you time, you WILL skin and cut your fingers and hand in a few places (I'm 70 years old and I used some words that I haven't used since I was in the U.S.Army in the early '60's)
Good Luck, Mike
PS Depending on who you talk to, some will tell you to do it with the window up and some will tell you to do it with the window down. For me, on my '74 it worked the best with the window all the way down.
Picture looks exactly like mine did a few months ago and I did not enjoy myself changing it. I used the link mentioned.
Just a word of caution. Roll your passenger window down until you do the replacement. If the passenger side handle breaks too then your ......
Good luck.
Last edited by BKarol; Jan 10, 2011 at 03:56 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 807
Likes: 2
From: VIRGINIA BEACH VIRGINIA
Thanks for the help guys. Not sure what you are talking about but I will understand once I open the door up and look in there. Just got the damn thing running good to. In between snow and rain, I was beginning to enjoy it.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,485
Likes: 7
From: Peekskill NY
If you're lucky, it just might be the connecting rod came loose, that connects the exterior handle to the inside latch mechanism. While your in there, it's a good time to clean up all the assemblies. Clean out the old grease in the window tracks and put new grease in the tracks, re-lube the inside door handle latch and all the other moving connections. You'll be amazed how new it feels.
Glenn
Glenn
