Door handle or Rubick's Cube !!!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 482
Likes: 1
From: Brandon Manitoba
Door handle or Rubick's Cube !!!
Ok , I have been fiddling with my exterior door handle replacement and it feels like trying to figure out one of those mind bender puzzles. What is the trick to get that little rod off the door handle ? It's driving me nuts ... Thanx Brent
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 12,065
Likes: 2
From: Smalltownville Michigan
Cruise-In 5, 6 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
Patience and a pair of long needle nose pliers.. I found it was easier to take it off at the mechanism as opposed to at the handle.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 482
Likes: 1
From: Brandon Manitoba
Tried that , then went and looked at taking it off from the botom. As you had suggested. No luck from that angle. The AIM does not even show how that rod is attached at the bottom . Might have to break something fairly soon ,,,,,,,,, Brent
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 286
Likes: 1
From: Mesa az
The clip has a small tab that has to be lifted to push the clip backwards and off the rod. That's all there is to it. When it's installed all you have to do is adjust the rod length and press the adjuster pin into the clip. It was designed for ease of assembly. If you have a Corvette shop/supply house in your area they may be able to show you one that will help understand what needs to be pressed/pulled.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 482
Likes: 1
From: Brandon Manitoba
So what Wattac2 is saying is that I must remove the rod from its bottom attaching point first. If I understand you correctly. What I must figure out now is how to release that rod at the bottom point. Brent
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,259
Likes: 7
From: Ontario
Remove the three screws from the latch assembly..they are on the door jam side. This allows the assembly to move up a little to provide slack in the linkage to unhook it...with the extra slack and by holding the 'handle latch' down it twists right out. I did this several times over the last few years. I can pull a handle off in less than 5 minutes...including removing the inner door panel. I think that Wattac2 is saying that you may also have a clip on the upper end of the rod where it attaches to the handle...some do and some don't. If you have one it will be obvious and you will have to unclip that also, but I suspect that is not your issue. PS..put lots of tape on your paint around the handle to protect it....since you will be moving the handle around to unhook the rod it is easy to scratch up the paint.
Last edited by Retro78; Mar 10, 2005 at 01:28 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,431
Likes: 52
From: Florida
Originally Posted by foundvettelifeisgood
Once the key hole and handle are off, does the door latch still operate? I need to do this in preparation for paint and then drive to the paint shop. Are my doors going to fly open?
Jim
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 4
From: Fairview Heights Illinois, near Saint Louis MO, STL C3 Shark
I replaced my door handle, got the little clips off with needle nose pliers, just push on the little tab part of the clip, then pull the rod out of the door handle "lever". I was unable to put the door handle back in using the needle nose pliers, but managed to contort my hand enough to get it back in and clipped into place, 20 minutes or so per handle. There just isn't much room in there. Take a minute and just look at the mechanism/rod clips etc to get a good plan of attack. 
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
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From: Beverly Hills/Pine Ridge Florida
Originally Posted by carguy4sure
Remove the three screws from the latch assembly..they are on the door jam side. This allows the assembly to move up a little to provide slack in the linkage to unhook it...with the extra slack and by holding the 'handle latch' down it twists right out. I did this several times over the last few years. I can pull a handle off in less than 5 minutes...including removing the inner door panel. I think that Wattac2 is saying that you may also have a clip on the upper end of the rod where it attaches to the handle...some do and some don't. If you have one it will be obvious and you will have to unclip that also, but I suspect that is not your issue. PS..put lots of tape on your paint around the handle to protect it....since you will be moving the handle around to unhook the rod it is easy to scratch up the paint.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Once I detached the 3 screws from the latch assembly, the door handle replacement was a piece of cake. I'm a little concerned since I found a mangled clip on the rod which was too damaged to reuse. But I can't imagine how that rod would ever come loose from the handle lever the way it twists into it.
Mike '80
Mike '80
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 977
Likes: 1
From: wash. dc
door handle
i did mine today, disconnected the rod at the bottom, installed in handle and dropped handle and rod into door... removed door access panel at bottom of door and reached up with long needle nose pliers to reattach...took patience and determination for sure... but the joy is doing it yourself no matter how long it takes...
