Door Pannel Problems

I am in the process of installing a compleate car audio system in my 98 Jeep Cherokee Classic. A friend is doing the work and has impressed me so far, but we incountered a problem yesterday.

We poped off the front door pannels, but the small plastic part that has the door handle and the lock button won't come off. We know that it's attached to what actually makes the door open and close so we're tryin to be really careful. Does anybody know how to detach this piece to get the door pannel compleatly off?

Any help would be greatly appreciated I would like to get the job finished ASAP.

Thanks

thats the lock rod clip....lift the back end of it from the rod then the rod should pop out allowing you to remove the switch assembly.

I've never had to remove that assembly when removing the door panels on my '88 cherokee. I was always able to wiggle the assemblies at an angle through the hole in the door panel w/o removing the connection rods.

Then again, the 97-up cherokees might have different door panels?

-Nick