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Door handles won't retract completely

OkieXJ

OkieXJ

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Muskogee, OK
I have a 91 4 door Laredo and my door handles won't retract. I took the door panel off several years ago to install some speakers and they haven't worked right since then. I'm finally tired of it so its time to fix it. Here is what the problem is:
handle.jpg

I found a torsion spring in the bottom of the door but have no idea what it was connected to. Here is a crude shot of the linkage that I can tell needs to move to suck the handles back in:
innerdoor.jpg

Has anyone fixed this before and how?
Also, I searched and couldn't find anything like this so if it exists already please send me a link and thanks for everyone's help.
 
The latch mechanism rusts up pretty commonly (my driver door won't lock right now, I've already replaced the other three door latches...) What you can do is pull it out, soak it in degreaser (I used gasoline :gee:), scrub it with a bristle brush (old toothbrush), then let it dry and re-coat it with lithium grease while working the mechanism. It should free up a lot, if it does not, you can buy new ones for approximately 35 dollars on discountjeepparts.com - let me know if you want the part numbers to look for, or I can find the thread I posted them in.
 
also for poops and laughs, make sure that white plastic around the latch isn't busted up and causing it to bind....That's what my '92 does.
 
Thanks for the advice. I hope the latch mechanism isn't too hard to get out of the door. I looks like there are a ton of rods to disconnect without much room. Also, anybody know what this tube is for? It isn't connected to anything on one end and I couldn't see where the other end connected inside the door:
picture.php

Sorry for the crappy pic.
 
OkieXJ said:
Thanks for the advice. I hope the latch mechanism isn't too hard to get out of the door. I looks like there are a ton of rods to disconnect without much room. Also, anybody know what this tube is for? It isn't connected to anything on one end and I couldn't see where the other end connected inside the door:
picture.php

Sorry for the crappy pic.
Click to expand...

Its not as hard as it looks I had an issue with my 94 it would not open from the out side. I unbolted it from the door then I used a little flat head pocket screw driver and undid the plastic clips from the rods, then the rods slide right out. They only reach to a certain point and go back together better then they come apart IMO. I got a new on from the JY and its working good still.
 
my inside door handles dont retract either. but i found the latch is working properly. found on the door handle itself (the peice that is removed before the door panel comes off) there is a small coiled spring on the 'axle' of the handle that had broken. i'm just dealing with it on mine cuz i don't care that much. but i would definately clean off all that gummy-nastyness off the latch.

edit: the tube i beleive is for the window regulator cable. nothing for the latch. i'm pretty sure atleast...
 
codyj86 said:
my inside door handles dont retract either. but i found the latch is working properly. found on the door handle itself (the peice that is removed before the door panel comes off) there is a small coiled spring on the 'axle' of the handle that had broken. i'm just dealing with it on mine cuz i don't care that much. but i would definately clean off all that gummy-nastyness off the latch.

edit: the tube i beleive is for the window regulator cable. nothing for the latch. i'm pretty sure atleast...
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that is the answer I was looking for. I found the spring in my door but I couldn't figure out where it was supposed to go. Thanks for the tip.
 
I freed up the locks on my '92 with WD40. Work great now, but I won't declare victory until I see how well the WD holds up in cold, damp weather. All I know is that all the white grease I applied through the years just about solidified into a sticky blob, to the point where the almost never used back doors had to be opened from the inside.
Like said earlier, your interior door handle appears to be in need of a new curly little spring. A 'new' handle should be available in any yard.
 
heyhar said:
I freed up the locks on my '92 with WD40. Work great now, but I won't declare victory until I see how well the WD holds up in cold, damp weather. All I know is that all the white grease I applied through the years just about solidified into a sticky blob, to the point where the almost never used back doors had to be opened from the inside.
Like said earlier, your interior door handle appears to be in need of a new curly little spring. A 'new' handle should be available in any yard.
Click to expand...

My rear door can only be unlocked from the inside. As soon as it quits raining here in OK (which should be today) I'm going to pull it apart, clean and lube it up. I've had really good luck with silicone spray so I think I'll give that a shot. I found the curly spring in the bottom of the door. Now the only trick is to figure out how exactly it attaches to the handle.

Latch2.jpg


I'll try to put it back like so plus the handle obviously.
 
Last edited:
If the spring has fallen off, it's probably broken. You can find a 'new' handle assembly in a yard for a few bucks. If you're gonna spray the silicone lube in, shoot the lock mechanism with carb or brake cleaner first, to dissolve the goo. WD40 will soften the old stuff, and work with it. Not so sure about silicone, although it may work fine. Please let us know.
 
WD 40 (water displacement formula number 40:read:) is good for freeing things up, and lubricates about as well as water (good until it evaporates)! Follow up with the appropriate lub after using WD40.
I find Silicone OK for light duty stuff. Possibly OK for door internals that do not require real grease.
 
careful with the carb and brake cleaner on the latch mech, it's got at least two plastic parts (the striker guide and the actual latch) and I'm not sure which of those is safe on the particular plastics used. I wasn't sure if gas was safe either, but I had spares from the junkyard just in case, and it seems to have survived just fine.
 
Yeah, the brake cleaner is about as kind to plastic as laquer thinner. I had my back door mechanisms out, so I could do a good job all around them. I also replaced all the outside handles with ZJ/ later XJ handles, which meant modifying the little rods. I guess I'll find out how effective WD is in the long run. It's snowing, and I had to take the '92 out to get supplies to patch the floor rust in my '96.
 
Finally got everything put back together. The silicone worked like a charm. The spring wasn't too difficult to put back on there either. Thanks for the tips everyone.
 
OkieXJ said:
Finally got everything put back together. The silicone worked like a charm. The spring wasn't too difficult to put back on there either. Thanks for the tips everyone.
Click to expand...

I've had this same issue for several months in it's really starting to bug me. Any tips on getting the spring re-attached? Was yours broke or did it just come off somehow? if it was broke where did you get a replacement. I think my spring just broke on mine so I'd have to find a replacement somewhere.
 
Your best bet for a replacement spring is the junk yard. You might be able to go to lowes to find a replacement though. Its just a torsion spring with a hold big enough to fit over the pin that holds the handle and the lock rocker. Mine didn't break though, they fell down in the door when I took it apart to install new speakers. I didn't notice they were gone when I put everything back together. They are somewhat of a pain to install because you have to hold them next to the plastic piece while you slide the pin through the door handle and lock rocker.
 
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