2000 Camry Drivers Door Handle

Read several post about replaceing the outside door handle.

Getting the panel off and the fasteners off were not a problem!:grinyes:

The problem is disengaging the rods for the lock and opener! The snaps for the clips were easy to undo but no matter how or in what position I hold the ouside handle I can not get the rods out of the clips!

I tried using a large flat screw driver inbetween the rod and the metal retainer but it wont budge!:banghead:

Any sugesstions

Thanks in advance

Neil