Replace The Front Door Handles w/ A Sedans Rears

[AParrette]

Parts Needed
1 pass side rear door handle off a sedan
1 drivers side rear door handle off a sedan
2 boxes "Door lock rod clips" from advanced p#75450
(what you really need is the black clips in the boxes)
2 small stainless steel bolts 2" long roughly the same as a standard rivet
2 stainless steel nuts
ALOT OF PATIENTS

Tools
T30 Torque Star (Long Handle)
10mm Ratchet w/ Long Extension
Flat Head Screw Driver
Razor Blade

Time
15 Mins Per Side

Process

1. Gather the parts list & tools


2. this is the clip you must replace (the black one)


3. we need to remove the door panel, start by removing the dressing clips w/ a flat head (mine is curved at the tip so it's more like a mini crowbar)


4. now undo the torque screws, there is only 2 and they are a T30

5. now pull the whole panel off and disconnect the wires, the door panel is now able to be removed


6. remove the plastic protector screen


7. remove the Styrofoam


8. now remove the two 10mm bolts holding in the door handle


9. now carefully remove the door handle from the car until the rods prevent it from coming out any farther


10. how follow the handle rod down till you find the locking clip, it's black and a though bugger, but a little brute force and it'll pop open


11. now take a razor blade and break off the locking tabs (do this now for the rear handles as well


12. remove the handle completely, here you can see the brackets are on the wrong side.


13. cut the rivets off the old handle where the bracket is and the new handle on the same side


14. remove the bracket off the old handle


15. insert it into the new handle, you will need to bend the locking peg so it can fit into the channel, now here comes the hard part, bend the bracket so that the one with the prong goes from 90 degrees to 45 degrees. this step is the key to the whole thing working correctly. if it isn't bent correctly to lock the bracket into place this mod will not work!!!


16. i left the old bracket on the door handle. it doesn't really matter if you leave it or not


17. i used a stainless screw and nut instead of a rivet to replace the one we had to cut out


18. another important step is to place the black rod clip into the new bracket before you put the rod in



19. this is how you place the rod back in. now carefully place the handle back into the hole. loosely add the bolts.


20. straighten the rod, and clip the rod back into it's holder.

21. tighten the bolts up completely

22. check your work (also check the windows in case your rod is in the way)

23. reinstall the styrofoam

24. replace the plastic

25. reinstall the door panel

26. congrats you have just done this mod +35 exp


before


after



Please Post Your Results In This Thread

[tblake]

Nice!

Now that your Key fobs don't stop working you'll be pimpin.

Next write-up going to be paintless dent repair???? LOL!!!

[AutomediaJoe]

Nice guide man!

[AParrette]

Originally Posted by tblake

Nice!

Now that your Key fobs don't stop working you'll be pimpin.

Next write-up going to be paintless dent repair???? LOL!!!

sigh. i've only owned this car for a month and change
and thanks to the economy it'll be that way for a while unfort