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I am trying to fix my issue of having to depress the outside door handle all the way plus giving it a little "jiggle" in order to open the door. I currently have the lock/latch mechanism soaking in degreaser to clean and re-grease. When I removed my outside door handle I noticed there was some "play" when the handle was depressed before it made contact with the mechanism that the rod fits in. Is this normal? My handle does sit flush so I don't think the spring is bad.
Ahhh, I need to look into mine because the driver side handle isn't flush anymore. I'm guessing it's an easy spring fix? As easy as tearing apart the door...
There are two springs, one on the flapper, and one on the lever that actually pushes the mechanism back up when you release it. If the flapper spring is good it will come back up flush, but the lever below won't. The lever under the flapper needs to come back up most of the way to the flapper. If you let it go till it gets worse, neither the inside or outside handle will work and you'll to use a screwdriver in the window slot to get the door open. If that happens, post back and I'll attach a picture of where to push. Check where that lower pot metal lever has the spring around the pin and make sure it's tight, then check the rod that connects into that lever and make sure there's not enough play to let it drop down too much.
The upper arrow points to the hole where the rod attaches that has to be adjusted correctly, and the lower arrow points to the spring that raises that lever back up. I also had one that that lower lever where the spring is that I drew an arrow to was cracked. Check BOTH ends of that spring and make sure it springs back up against the door flapper when you release it.
Last edited by 65GGvert; Feb 19, 2016 at 05:29 PM.
If your door handle is GOOD...and the outside flapper comes up flush.
And when you removed the handle...the rod that was attached to the outside handle STILL HAD the special clip on the end of the rod. THAT CLIP is critical and HOW it is installed is critical also. Many people do not install it correctly or leave it off and the rod ac actually begin to wok into the hole where the rod goes and cases for problems due to movement OF THE ROD in relation the the handle itself.
YES...but be CAREFUL...because you can lengthen this rod TOO MUCH...and when you do that...that extra length is now pushing on the arm of the latch mechanism..and what happens ( or can happen) is that when you go to LOCK the door...you will be able to LOCK it...BUT you will not be able to UNLOCK it or it will have a bad bind in it when you try to do so.
ONE TIP:
The flat metal lever ON the latch mechanism....that the door handle rod clips onto. When I am setting up the outside door handle.....I reach in and can lightly press down on this flat lever and when I feel it STOP ....THAT is the point I start from and adjust the door handle to....THEN I check it. NOW...I DO NOT have the special clip caged onto this flat lever so I can keep changing the length of this rod until I get it where I want it...becasue I am going for a specific angel of the flapper to actually be this point that the door opens.. Once I get it right....I slide the clip on and clip in the rod and I am done. AND like I wrote above...I AM checking the LOCK-UNLOCK function also.
Here is that clip that goes on the end of the rod where it slides into the door handle. This clip gets attached to the rod FIRST and locked in place ..then the rod slides into the handle. THAT is how that works.....and NOT...REPEAT ...DO NOT install the rod INTO THE HANDLE and then this clip....THAT IS WRONG!!!
If your door handle is GOOD...and the outside flapper comes up flush.
And when you removed the handle...the rod that was attached to the outside handle STILL HAD the special clip on the end of the rod. THAT CLIP is critical and HOW it is installed is critical also. Many people do not install it correctly or leave it off and the rod ac actually begin to wok into the hole where the rod goes and cases for problems due to movement OF THE ROD in relation the the handle itself.
YES...but be CAREFUL...because you can lengthen this rod TOO MUCH...and when you do that...that extra length is now pushing on the arm of the latch mechanism..and what happens ( or can happen) is that when you go to LOCK the door...you will be able to LOCK it...BUT you will not be able to UNLOCK it or it will have a bad bind in it when you try to do so.
ONE TIP:
The flat metal lever ON the latch mechanism....that the door handle rod clips onto. When I am setting up the outside door handle.....I reach in and can lightly press down on this flat lever and when I feel it STOP ....THAT is the point I start from and adjust the door handle to....THEN I check it. NOW...I DO NOT have the special clip caged onto this flat lever so I can keep changing the length of this rod until I get it where I want it...becasue I am going for a specific angel of the flapper to actually be this point that the door opens.. Once I get it right....I slide the clip on and clip in the rod and I am done. AND like I wrote above...I AM checking the LOCK-UNLOCK function also.
Here is that clip that goes on the end of the rod where it slides into the door handle. This clip gets attached to the rod FIRST and locked in place ..then the rod slides into the handle. THAT is how that works.....and NOT...REPEAT ...DO NOT install the rod INTO THE HANDLE and then this clip....THAT IS WRONG!!!
Thanks for the replies everyone. I am thinking my exterior door handle is good.
DUB - is this the special clip you are referring to? If so it was nowhere to be found. I will have to order it. Is there only one way to install it? If not, I will need some pointers since I was not able to see how it was installed. I couldn't get your link to work but I think I know what clip you are referring to and will use your tip. Thanks.
Outside door handle '73 (question)
