chris928

The part behind the handle broke, I think it is the "hinge" assembly in the following link. Now I can't open the door from the outside. PITA!

Has anyone changed this before, any tricks, hints or special tools I will need. It looks like it would be easier to pull the engine than change this thing.

<a href="http://www.mailordercentral.com/928intl/prodinfo.asp?number=928%20537%20063%2004&variation=&aitem=7&mitem=72" target="_blank">http://www.mailordercentral.com/928intl/prodinfo.asp?number=928%20537%20063%2004&variation=&aitem=7&mitem=72</a>

DR

[quote] The part behind the handle broke, I think it is the "hinge" assembly in the following link. Now I can't open the door from the outside. PITA!
Has anyone changed this before, any tricks, hints or special tools I will need. It looks like it would be easier to pull the engine than change this thing. <hr></blockquote>

Hi Chris,

No special tools needed (unless a metric allen wrench set is considered special).

You will need to remove the door panel for easiest access.

The tricky part is removing the security shield that covers the door lock assembly. It is held by 2 phillips screws (one in door jam area, one on the inner door frame surface in a recessed hole) and a 13mm head nut that also holds the door "crash tube". It has been a while since I did one, but you need to move the window from one position to the other to remove the shield (either up to unbolt it and down to pull it out, or the opposite, I forget). It is tight in there but it is not too hard to do.

The outer "painted" part of the door handle is a separate part and is attached to the "hinge assembly" with 2 allen screws.

This is a common failure and we always try to stock those parts. Cost is $38.45 for left and $34.68 for right.

Big Dave

Chris:

I feel for ya' on this one. I had the same thing happen a few months ago and it was the most unpleasant repair I've done yet to this car. It's not mechanically hard, just difficult because of the very tight space and the likelihood that you don't have hands the size of a 4 year old.

<a href="http://sis125.berkeley.edu/928.html" target="_blank">Door Handle Fix</a>
Follow that link and click on Door Handle in the Mechanical Info menu. Print it out and keep it handy

The biggest trick is moving the window up and down to provide the room you need. It'll have to be down for most of the work.

Including a couple breaks and a trip to the store for a proper ratchet size (forget what it was for), it took about 5 hours. I truly hope you can do it faster.

Count how many times you drop parts into the interior of the door. I lost track.

HTH

Dave <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />

Randy V

I also did this repair last year. If I recall, it took about 2 hours - most of that time was the removal and reinstallation of the door panel.

Tip - to remove the door lock ****, remove the thin plastic cover from the face using a putty knife. There is a nut under there that must be removed before you can pull the **** off.

Ed Ruiz

Thanks to the Service Manual, it only takes me 5 minutes to remove the door panels. Getting to the lock and handle is another 10 minutes. Fixing it all, then buttoning it all up should be about an hour, with the Service Manual. YMMV.

Chucker

Chris, I did this twice on the same side. I was never able to get the security plate back on. Good luck, the one thing that I do remember is that I had to cut the plastic and re-tar it in place. <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Chucker
1982 928 White

Steve J.

I'm in tight working quarters. Must I be able to open the door all the way to perform this repair? What's the minimum?

John Struthers

As to that **** Randy mentioned. You can pry off the little cap/cover with darn near anything but, having a set of those jewelers flat tips worked well with no deformation of the plastic for me.
WARNING! That little nut on the square shaft - under the cap/cover - should not be reefed upon. There was no lock washer on mine so I, CAREFULLY, snugged it down upon reassembly. All was good for 2 days then while I was driving one day I heard a little 'pop', didn't see anything wrong. When I stopped the **** - nut with part of the shaft inside - was laying on my lap and the abrasion ring was alongside the seat. Use a dab of silicon and don't snug to tight!
Use a magnetized socket set/ tools/screw drivers/nut driver set when tinkering in there it will save a good bit of aggravation.
You can use a telescoping, or, flexible magnetic retriever to recover lost hardware but in tight quarters the darnded thing sticks to ANYTHING with steel content BEFORE you reach the escaped part. Go easy, Leonard -Full Metal Jacket -.
HTH John S& Pattycakes
<img src="graemlins/crying.gif" border="0" alt="[crying]" /> <img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" />

DR

[quote] Tip - to remove the door lock ****, remove the thin plastic cover from the face using a putty knife. There is a nut under there that must be removed before you can pull the **** off.
<hr></blockquote>

Update to Tip(so as not to confuse 83-95 owners):

Only 78-82 have a nut that threads onto a threaded shaft for securing the door lock ****. 83-95 have a phillips head screw that threads into a threaded hole.

Addtitonal Tip:
When reinstalling the Door lock **** surround trim (large round part) make sure it is screwed in far enough so it doesn't bind on the door lock ****. This binding can cause the electric door locks to be non-functional, but still work manually.

chris928

thanks for the update, I found this out during the inspection phase last weekend. my door wouldn't open from the inside either! I thought I was going to have to go Bo Duke out the window in my church clothes when I thought about the lock maybe sticking, sure enough!