Door handle replacement

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JUS 1 MO
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2010 11:30 am
Location: South Carolina

Door handle replacement

Postby JUS 1 MO » Mon Jan 18, 2010 11:56 am

I just bought a 1991 Pathfinder 4 door and there are several things that I need to repair. I need to replace the drivers side outside door handle. I can get the handle on ebay. Could someone lead, guide, or direct me with instructions?

Thanks in advance...


Scaramoche
Posts: 63
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:45 pm
Location: Albuquerque New Mexico

door handle

Postby Scaramoche » Thu Feb 11, 2010 11:15 am

Ive done this to my 89 pathy, in a nuttshell, it requires moving the door panels. this is done by removing all accesories connected to the door panel, ie arm rest, windshield handle, etc. then with a flathead screw driver, pop little plastic rivets between door and door panel(be careful). Once the panel is removed, you will have access(i bit tight) to the door handle. you will notice that it has a rod tied to it. Just remove this and the doorhand will pop out. replace with new one and put panel back on.

ohollenbeck
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2012 6:18 am
Location: East of the Miss

More Detail on door panel removal

Postby ohollenbeck » Fri Jan 11, 2013 11:51 am

I've been searching the forums about this quesion, and without getting the detail I wanted, just experimented myself and was sucsessful.

I had seen references to prying out things, and I hate doing that, cause if your wrong or in the wrong spot, your breaking plastic things.

Luckly for me I was able to get the panel off without breaking anything, but it was close.

Let me explain how things are attached, and hopefully someone will benifit. This is for electric window/door lock pathy's

1 - There are only one item that is a friction fit to be pried off, that is the bezel ring around the inside door handle. A medium screwdriver and some careful prying around the edges and it will pop off. the handle mechanisum and the door plate behind it stay in place, you don't need to take them off.

2 - The electric window switch panel is semi friction fit on the rear end, the front end has a small metal hook that you disconnect by tilting the rear up to about a 45 degree angle. Carefully take a medium screwdriver and work it under the back end of the panel and pry it up until it releases. the front will still be held on, now while tilting up the panel in the rear pull back to disengage the front hook, now the window switch panel is out. Turn it over and you will see a white plastic tab in the center of the wire plug, depress it and then you can pull the wire plug off the switch panel.

If you have a manual handle, just take it off now.

3 - The Arm rest is covering two large screws that hold the door panel to the door. So you must remove the arm rest. Look down into the hand hold and you will see a small circle in the middle of the hand hold. Use a small prying tool like a small screwdriver or pick and remove this vinyl plug. Under it is the screw that holds the armrest in place, remove it.
With the screw removed, use a large flathead screw driver and pry the armrest to the rear, (it slides rearward to remove, but may need prying to start it moving, don't pry up on it, pry in front, moving it rearward).
Once the armrest is off, you will see two large phillips head scews holding the door panel to the door, now you can remove them.

4 - Now for the perimeter plastic holders, pick a easy to see spot about halfway down the rear edge of the door panel, put your large flat head screw driver under the panel and pry away slightly until you can see a little behind the panel. Look for the closest plastic holder near the edge, and get you screwdriver as close to it, or on it and pry it off. There are many of these all the way around, just take your time and try not to break them or pull them out of the door panel.

5 - Unscrew pull handle on door lock and now your ready to remove the panel.

6 - Pull the bottom of the panel away from the door making sure all the plastic pins are disconnected, and gently use the heal of your other hand to push, (tap), the panel straight up, and disconnect it from the door on the top side.

That should do it, reinstall in reverse.

ohollenbeck
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2012 6:18 am
Location: East of the Miss

Handle replacement

Postby ohollenbeck » Fri Jan 11, 2013 4:29 pm

Well the real reason to take the panel off was replacing the door handle as this thread started out.

Wow, what a PITA that was.. the old rubber fitting the control rod goes through on the handle is tough to disengage as it's old and stiff.

Actually ended up with a pocet knife to cut off the tab that holds it in place, then I could push the rod out of the old fitting, not easy in the very tight space to work in.

Then after the control rod pops out it falls to the back of a pocket in the door, but fortunately I was able to righten it an stick the top of it outside the opening for the door handle.

Now you can remove the #10 nuts and take off the broken handle.

From the outside I was able to hook up the new rubber tab and get the end of the control rod started into the new handle fitting.

Going back to the inside I was finally able to squeeze the rod all the way in place after I had put the new handle in place and hand tightened the #10 nuts.

Ya need a small #10 combo wrench to reach these nuts and tighten them up.

lawless
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 6:17 pm
Location: North GA, USA

Re: Handle replacement

Postby lawless » Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:04 pm

ohollenbeck wrote: Now you can remove the #10 nuts and take off the broken handle.

Ya need a small #10 combo wrench to reach these nuts and tighten them up.
Those are 6mm nuts, which have a 10mm head/wrench size. Bolt and nut sizes refer to the size of the threaded part, not the part you put a wrench on. Just in case you ever need to go buy nuts or bolts. :wink:

I just replaced the outside door handles on a 1994 Pathfinder. It's easier to use a 1/4" drive ratchet with an extension and 10mm socket to get the nuts inside the door panel. You just gotta peel off the little piece of plastic that covers the access hole for the second nut.

Is it just me or do these door handles look like they were designed to break? They're pretty cheesy considering they cost almost $20 each. I'm thinking of making some out of stainless next time they break. Considering the cost and what a pita it is, I don't want to replace them any more than I have to and if I make 'em out of stainless steel they'll outlast me and the pathfinder both. :D


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