L-body stuck door help

[SpiritedShelbys]

Ok you guys with lots of L-body experience, I've got a good one for ya! How can I get the door open when both the outer and inner door handles won't work? I need to pull the door panel but I can't get the door open to do so. I know a good number if not everyone with an L-body experiences this and I can't find my damn manual so I'm in a pickle here. Any help is extremely appreciated!!

[1983Rampage]

How is your interior door handle broke? Is the rod off or did the door handle just get removed? Then which L-body is the problem on?

[SpiritedShelbys]

I just got the car, interior door handle never worked and the outer handle felt extremely loose and I could have called the failure, just not this soon. The car is an '86 GLHT.

[1983Rampage]

Ouch, well, there will have to be somebody else that will have to chime in then, I really only know the workings of the 2 door L-bodies. Sorry.

[SpiritedShelbys]

Mechanically they should be the same, right? Same style handles and mechanisms. The only difference is the omni has the locks on the top of the door instead of the rotary knob next to the interior handle, right?

[ol"blue]

Unless you hear of an easier way, try the following.
Remove the following and the door panel can be removed with the door still
closed.
Take off arm rest. Remove bezel around mirror adjuster. Remove inner door handle and trim piece around same. Remove inner lock knob. Pop loose clips
holding vinyl-covered lower section of panel to door, leaving plastic upper piece on door. Pull towards you and down, and panel will slip out of groove in plastic upper piece. Upper piece is held on with phillips screws in the groove.
If the 2-piece panels have been replaced with the later 1-piece panels,
delete the part regarding phillips screws. With lock knob removed, tilt the upper piece inwards at the bottom and lift it off. It's been a while, but I think that's it.

[SpiritedShelbys]

so the door panel CAN be removed without having the door open with the seats IN? I haven't tried yet but I'll check it out tonight. Without taking the front seats out I really don't think the door panel can be removed without tearing it up but I'll try... Thanks!

[ol"blue]

I'm pretty sure that if you move the seat all the way back, and recline/lay
the seat back down you'll be able to get it. When popping loose the clips that hold the sides & bottom of the panel, start at the bottom front corner near the speaker grille.

[BobD]

This may sound dumb, but the latch mechanism gets dirty and takes much more force to open. That's the main reason why L-body door handles break off so easily. That and cheap pot metal handles. Try to pull the inside handle and bang on the door near the latch. The vibration may be just enough to get it to "pop". If this works, before anything else, take the latch mechanism off and spray liquid wrench or similar in it and work all levers and moving parts. After a while, blast hot water through it to rinse the crud out. Then lube it up with some type of oil. I don't know what's best, but I had a can of some bicycle chain lube. Yhis stuff foamed when it went on. I blasted air through it to get the excess off. Wipe it off and reinstalled it. That thing works SO good, there's hardly any resistance when you pull the outside handle. It worked so well, I did it to a Daytona door. If you've ever had a Daytona, you know that the handles don't break, but you use everything you got to pull the #$%^ thing open. Mine worked like some other kind of car when I was done. Didn't have to adjust anything either.
One thing, if you need new outside handles, DO NOT buy the aftermarket ones from the parts store. Yes, they sell them for L-body's. But they are much worse than the Mopar ones. They will be lucky to last a year. Spend the money and get the real deal. If you fine an OMNI in a salvage yard, grab the back handles. They haven't been used as much and you have a better chance of getting one that'll last. But the biggest thing is get those mechanisms clean. Don't just spray WD-40 on them. Take them out and clean them right. After you do one, you'll be so impressed, you'll jump at the chance to do the rest.
Good luck. I hope you get them open.

[LeBarys]

I've never experienced this on an L-body. Although I've had it happen on two Fords. Can't you just take the door handle off on the inside and grab the rod with pliers. I thought most interior door handle failures were related to grimy latchs tearing the plastic piece that keeps the handle and the rod together. I had a P-body that this happened in and the rod fell vertical. The outside still worked fine though. Good Luck.

[SpiritedShelbys]

I'll check it out tonight but I know the outer handle is broken. I thought maybe the car had some kind of unseen rust because the handle damn near came off. I've never seen a handle do that before so I'm glad to know this is typical cuz there's no rust on this thing. Had me really worried for a second... This never happened with my CSX or R/T..

[turbo1168]

If you still can't get the door panel off with the seat in place, pull the seat bolts and move it out of the way. May be easier anyways, without it there. Only 2 bolts and 2 nuts hold it in, just be real careful with the front bolts. I would spray some lube on the threads, if you can get to them, before you start. The front bolts go into sheetmetal nuts (like the radiator mounts), which is in a slot on the sheetmetal hump. You can tear the metal if you force them, then you have no slot to mount them back with.

[SpiritedShelbys]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobD This may sound dumb, but the latch mechanism gets dirty and takes much more force to open. That's the main reason why L-body door handles break off so easily. That and cheap pot metal handles. Try to pull the inside handle and bang on the door near the latch. The vibration may be just enough to get it to "pop". If this works, before anything else, take the latch mechanism off and spray liquid wrench or similar in it and work all levers and moving parts. After a while, blast hot water through it to rinse the crud out. Then lube it up with some type of oil. I don't know what's best, but I had a can of some bicycle chain lube. Yhis stuff foamed when it went on. I blasted air through it to get the excess off. Wipe it off and reinstalled it. That thing works SO good, there's hardly any resistance when you pull the outside handle. It worked so well, I did it to a Daytona door. If you've ever had a Daytona, you know that the handles don't break, but you use everything you got to pull the #$%^ thing open. Mine worked like some other kind of car when I was done. Didn't have to adjust anything either. One thing, if you need new outside handles, DO NOT buy the aftermarket ones from the parts store. Yes, they sell them for L-body's. But they are much worse than the Mopar ones. They will be lucky to last a year. Spend the money and get the real deal. If you fine an OMNI in a salvage yard, grab the back handles. They haven't been used as much and you have a better chance of getting one that'll last. But the biggest thing is get those mechanisms clean. Don't just spray WD-40 on them. Take them out and clean them right. After you do one, you'll be so impressed, you'll jump at the chance to do the rest. Good luck. I hope you get them open.

You win the kewpie doll today bud. I figured what the hell, why not. First thing I tried before pulling off door panels and seats and I was laughin hysterically when the sucker popped open and simply couldn't believe my eyes. Everyone else who mentioned the built-up filth as the cause gets second prize, LOL. The pot metal broke on the handle and will need to be replaced. I'm sure with a thorough cleaning and reassembly the doors will all open like new again. Thanks guys, u really know your cars!! http://www.turbododge.com/forums/ima...iggthumpup.gif

[BobD]

Quote:

You win the kewpie doll today bud.

Cool, glad you got it open. Now if I could just fix my own car.

[moparfwdsleeper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobD Cool, glad you got it open. Now if I could just fix my own car.

You and me both pal