Door Handle Question

Somehow tonight my brother managed to break something in outside door handle of my XJ. The problem is when I have the door apart and I'm pushing the button from the outside, the wire piece doesn't have any movement what so ever, from what I remember it didn't used to do that, does it sound like something broke? If so, how do I get the door handle off so I can work on it? I noticed two screws, is there more than that?

Thanks

I seem to recall there are only the two screws, but a quick feel around inside the door should confirm this. There should be one at the "tail" end and one near the button end.

Usually, there are these silly little plastic clips that hold everything together as far as those linkages go - have a look at the inside latch and lock button for an example. Often, when some part of the door linkage quits working, it is due to the fracture of one or more of these silly damn clips. They can be had in original Nylon or sometimes in spring steel with a brief perusal of the "HELP!" section at your local parts house. The breakage of a rod is rare, and it seems that if the problem is in the handle, it is the handle itself that breaks (they are typically sintered - powdered metal in a mould, then pressed and heated. Cheap to make in bulk...)

As long as the handle itself is find, I'd check for those little clips and see how many need replacing. Try to get the spring steel ones if you can - they work just as well but take rather longer to break...

5-90

I'm pretty sure its not one of those clips, The rod is connected to the door handle, but the button on the outside won't do anything. And if I feel up to the top the linkage is together but its all limp and lifeless Can't see too well in the dark and its cold.

I went out and say one nut, but I couldn't see anything else I could reach easily. Is it just that or is it a big pain to take off the handle?

Easy to take off. You'll have to remove the door panel and the little plastic 'button' on the back side of the door, but be careful. The bolts, at least on the tail of the handle are way easy to break off. Would defnitely use something like PB Blaster on it forst, and to help free the bolt. With the one I removed, seems that the nut corrodes itself to the bolt.
Good luck!

www.rockauto.com has handles for around $17.00 + S&H. Chances are that what feels like the mounting bolt, its actually an integral part of the handle will break off when taking the handle off. You might as well replace all the clips while you have it apart, won't hurt to clean the door latch either while the panel is off. Hopefully you'll never have to take the handle apart again but its a good idea to put some anti-seize or something else on the threads of the handle. good luck.

Plastic button on the back side of the door? I have all the interior stuff off so I can reach my arm all around in there. Not sure what the button you're speaking of is. Is it the button on the handle? If so, how do you take it off?

verrive said:

Plastic button on the back side of the door? I have all the interior stuff off so I can reach my arm all around in there. Not sure what the button you're speaking of is. Is it the button on the handle? If so, how do you take it off?

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If you look at the inside back of the door, you'll see what I guess could be almost described as a 'patch' or 'bandaid' if you will It'll be usually ovalish in shape, and will be plastic. It can be removed easy with a flat screwdriver. Once off, you'll see the bolt. I've found that one is the easy one to take off, The other one, reachable for the inside of the door, is the one I find that corrodes and tends to break off.

Ohhhh, I think I know what you're talking about, it makes sense now I'll go out tomorrow when its light and see what happens