Removing door panels

[Adarcy]

Are the parchment door panels held on by the little snap in guys like conventional door panels? Any special steps or precautions that I should take? Or is it just remove the arm rests, and pop off the panel? Thought I'd ask before getting into it and accidentally breaking something.

I need to remove them to fix my outside door handles. When you push in the button they no longer release the door.

Thanks!

Andy

 

[Adarcy]

And the window handle of course

 

[carter2772]

Remove the arm rest (use 1/4" drive deep socket, dont remember the size) the remove the window crank. Then it should pop off. I just get my fingers behind one of the upper corners and pull real slow and careful, then just work my way around to the next snap. They are little wire snaps... See here http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-18227-door-panel-cloth-type-clip-kit.html ... Just be careful when pulling them out, if they are stubborn, they can pull through the backing of the pannel. Not the end of the world, but it does happen. Maybe even try getting a flat screw driver or small flat bar right next to the clip and pry it out with that. And if its never been off, there will probably be some black sticky caulking bind it too, and possibly a paper backer.

Hope that helps!

 

[Adarcy]

I've got the black sticky glue like stuff on them so I suppose that means they've never been off.

Thanks

 

[carter2772]

I've got the black sticky glue like stuff on them so I suppose that means they've never been off.

Thanks

Well, you can reapply it but putting it together in the same orientation and make it look like it had never been off. But more than a handful of times, it looses its gusto. You can usually tell by the way it looks.

So I assume it went ok? Did you loose a socket in the arm rest? Lol... I learned the hard way.

 

[Adarcy]

I got it all taken apart and fixed the door handle. A few clips stayed in the door, but I pulled them and will put them back in the panel.

Thanks for the help

 

[ilovemaui]

I was going to say, yes, little clips but you've already fixed the problem. At the risk of hijacking your thread, I'm having a problem with my passenger inside handle. I can't open the door from the inside. The outside button is pretty tight but it does open. I took the door panel off and everything appears to be working but it isn't moving the mechanism far enough to release the latch.

 

[carter2772]

I was going to say, yes, little clips but you've already fixed the problem. At the risk of hijacking your thread, I'm having a problem with my passenger inside handle. I can't open the door from the inside. The outside button is pretty tight but it does open. I took the door panel off and everything appears to be working but it isn't moving the mechanism far enough to release the latch.

If everything is tight, as far as linkage and any bushings, you can simply bend the rod to make the distance shorter between the handle and the latch.

If you outside handle is hard to open it is usually the door latch or handle it self. With the door open, operate the two seperatly to see if its either. Sometimes they need to be cleaned and lubed A LOT... Also, it can be miss alignment of the latch and the striker post. If when they are closed, and they are binding because they are miss aligned, it can be difficult for it to open.

Only other thing I could point you towards, is if the door post on the hinge side is bend, by closing the door you could be actually having to bend the door / post together for it to close. (hope that makes sense)

Good luck!

 

[Adarcy]

Is this what I think it is on the inside of my door?!? Covered up rust?

 

[carter2772]

Hard to tell by the pic. It might just be noise deadener either from the factory or PO. Scrape it, and you will know. If it falls the yep, if not and seems kinds gummy, its deadener.

 

[carter2772]

And now that I think about it. Its most likely deadener put on at the factory. If the rust was as bad as that looks, you would defiantly see it from the outside. It just looks like the your truck has been repainted, and the just shot the inside of the door too. Its all good!

 

[Adarcy]

It doesn't fall off when scraped. That was a close one!

 

[Adarcy]

Should I even put the paper back on? Maybe source some of the newer style black plstic stuff thats found on current cars?

 

[carter2772]

Lol, I am the only one answering... To my knowledge, the reason for the paper, is just for dust and debris control. To keep it out of the inside of the door. I dont see any other reason to have it on there. I am sure anything you put on there, like plastic, will do the same job.

 

[Adarcy]

I was noticing that too, lol. Thanks!

 

[montana68]

After this winter, I am unable to open EITHER of my doors from the inside or the outside
I took off the passenger side armrest, window roller and interior panel, but I have no idea what broke or what I am supposed to be looking for to even fix? Could you help me? I am stumped because now that the armrest is off, so if the door handle, so I am not sure how the hell to fix this?! Plus, I still can't get the door to open, so I am crouched in the car with very little room to work within and I am getting frustrated and hot and cranky. If you (or anyone) knows how to fix the doors/handle mechanism so they work again, I would be very appreciative. Or, if I need to order something - what would I order? Please help!!! Thanks!

 

[carter2772]

Can you take a pic so I can help walk you through it? Does the outer handle not work? Can you push the outside button all the way in? Sometimes it takes two hands to push them if they are being stubborn and wont go. Missalignment, and sticky parts can make it hard. If they worked the last time you tried this prior to winter, I would assume they are just being stuck.

 

[carter2772]

If the interior pannel is off, there should be 4 rods going to the latch at the rear of the door. You need the door panel on the inside off to see these. 1 goes from the interior handle to the the latch and is on the spring loaded side of the latch. On that same lever (spring loaded) of the latch another rod will connect to the outer handle... The other 2 rods go to the outside key lock, and the interior lock, those attach at the latch on the non spring loaded lever. Hope that makes sense. If you handles are not working correctly, you can pull on either of those connecting rods, and should be able to open the door that way. Pulling on the interior rod is the easiest. Hope that helps.

 

[montana68]

Thanks Carter - I also posted my question as a separate thread, didn't want to to hijack yours... I will go home after work and try to take photos, but since I can't get the door to open, I am not sure how well the photos would come out, you know? I'll try. I just printed out a schematicc of an exploded parts view that someone hooked me up with on my other thread about this, so maybe I can tell what's going on. I'll be back in touch after I get home and can check into it more....

 

[patterdale]

If everything is tight, as far as linkage and any bushings, you can simply bend the rod to make the distance shorter between the handle and the latch.

If you outside handle is hard to open it is usually the door latch or handle it self. With the door open, operate the two seperatly to see if its either. Sometimes they need to be cleaned and lubed A LOT... Also, it can be miss alignment of the latch and the striker post. If when they are closed, and they are binding because they are miss aligned, it can be difficult for it to open.

Only other thing I could point you towards, is if the door post on the hinge side is bend, by closing the door you could be actually having to bend the door / post together for it to close. (hope that makes sense)

Good luck!

You don't have to bend the rods as they will straighten out again and you will revisit the problem again sooner than later. If you loosen the clips on the ends of the rods you can screw them in a bit to shorten the rod to increase the effectiveness of the travel.