Driver (& Pass) Door Handle Hinge Replacement - How To w/ Photos (long)
 

Before Christmas my driver's door handle hinge broke - resulting in an inability to open the door from outside, still locks & unlocks fine and opens from inside - but its a bit embarassing having to open the passenger door - open the drivers window and then walk around and reach through the window to get in... (glad I have the ROW window config...).

BTW the door handle feels almost normal (just a little bit less spring tension) - if your handle is really loose feeling or floppy on one end this is a different issue - likely either loose handle screws - or a broken handle part.

Changing this hinge out is a real PITA (& back..) - here are some follow-along notes with photos to help if you have to go down this path. If you have good tools and all the equipment you need allow about 3-4 hours.

There are good descriptions elsewhere of how to get the door inner cover off - so follow those, if you've never done it before don't wing it - it isn't that obvious, you could break something.

Do stock up on panel fasteners: 433 867 299A - White 823 867 299 - Black. But it doesn't really matter which you get. These are generic parts lookf for them at good Ace hardware or local upholstry stores - pretty widely available (and much cheaper if you buy generic in bulk).

Some will break for sure, get some before you start - also get a small upholstry pry tool - its the best way to get them out - behind the panel pry on the fastener skirt not the panel... easy enough.

Of course you also need the handle hinge :
Driver side (LHD): 928.537.063.04
Passenger side (LHD) 928.537.064.04

This project is basically the same either side, but the pictures are drivers side.

With the inner door exposed peel back the plastic skin panel at the rear top to expose the lock area:

http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04213s.JPG

Security Plate - must be removed:
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04214s.JPG

Remove two easy access screws:
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04215s.JPG

http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04216s.JPG

With the window up - loosen (do not remove) the bolt behind the bottom left of the security plate - Look underneath. The plate can rotate forward from under the bolt... This one was extremely awkward...took me 15 minutes to figure out what size it was (here's 15 minutes back... its a 13mm head). Looking at it via a mirror - the head looked bigger than it was... and I only had one 13mm open ended wrench.. the one in the 928 tool kit (...first time for everything)

http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04218s.JPG

Remove the cable clips - use regular pliers to pinch the plastic behind the panel to release.
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04220s.JPG

Here is the plate out of the car: (you can remove it with the window up - just). Be careful moving the window when the plate is loose

The front in the installed orientation:
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04241s.JPG
From the Rear:
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04242s.JPG
Showing the rear hook that goes on the bolt head:
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04243s.JPG

Wind the window down

You can now see the hinge - here are the rightmost 3 of the 4 fasteners:
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04222s.JPG

The outside pair are allen head machine bolts that connect to the handle part, the inside 2 are 10mm nuts that fasten the hinge to the door via captive bolts on the door. Here are the left most 2 of 4:
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04223s.JPG

Remove the swivel adjustable link - the bottom is easiest to remove - use a medium flat blade screwdriver to pop it off:
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04224s.JPG

Tape the handle to the car so it cant fall off:
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04227s.JPG

Remove the handle (outer) connections first (the right side is easy - straight shot):
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04225s.JPG

Its easiest if you lubricate all these just after you break them free - that way you can do more work with your fingers - room for tools is very tight...

The left side is much more challenging:
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04226s.JPG

Then remove the hinge - the 10mm nuts are easier (still fiddly). This hinge is broken in the typical - weak spot - position:
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04229s.JPG

Here are the handle ends in situ:

http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04230s.JPG
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04231s.JPG

Replacement parts:
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04232s.JPG

Heres the handle removed from its natural habitat:
http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04234s.JPG

Reassembly is the opposite flow - Generally I found reassembly to be quicker (everything was clean and lubed and moved much more easily

The only part harder than dissassembly was getting the security plate back in. It barely fits so its awkward anyway - and the bolt behind the plate has a washer under it - this is a horrible choice - getting the plate back under it is very difficult...

Porsche should have just used a bolt with a flanged head... :soapbox:

Anyway as a solution I taped the washer to the head (slightly) with masking tape and used the tape as a "ramp" to get the plate's flage under the bolt/washer - helped a lot.

Many have left the security plate out - I can see why now... :surr:

http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04244s.JPG

Great to be able to just open the door again :D

Alan

Did this PITA job two years ago, and looking at your pics it looks a lot easier than my UK RHD car.., there is pressed sheet metal covering the whole area where yours is (totally different inner door skin) , so in reality I was working completely blind.. you can.t even see the A/T plate.

H,mm different doors.., for different shores ???

Ken
80 928 S
5 Speed

UK

Great write up Alan...I have done both doors on my car but will have more to replace soon. It is a tight fit in there and those with big hands...even worse. I have rather small hands and that helps.

Probably the same across shores but different by years... I have no idea when the change happened but maybe someone can chime in? Actually now I think about it - I wonder if the side protection beam is different for ROW cars - that might change this...

This was really a pain, but turns out I had all the tools needed - but some tools I thought would be good just didn't fit.

I also stocked up on sound insulation panels (second skin) and door panel reinforcements (928 Intl)so those will also go in before its all done (mostly completed now).

Alan

Great pic's. Alan! That's not easy with black cars, light just get absorbed or turned into nasty reflections.

And many thanks for the writeup, I've filed it away, I am sure it will come in handy!

:cheers:

Nice writeup Alan, and great pictures.
I would add a few ideas to your post.

before removing the hinge plate,
tape the door handle into position and leave it there, Use Blue tape as Alan has done.
I put tape longways so the handle wont move,
this way, it will not require any adjustment when the new hinge is installed.
The tape holds the door handle in place.

Just make sure the handle is centered in the handle cutout prior to taping it.

After installing the new hinge, spray lube the door striker/latch mechanism from inside the door.
Use good quality oil not WD40,
this should let the mechanism work with less effort thus lessening the chance of breaking the new hinge.

Make sure to adjust the small tierod so the handle opens the latch sooner rather than later.
This will lessen the chance of snapping the new part

To open the door lift the handle till the door unlatches then without pulling up any further on the handle, open the door by pulling outwards on the handle instead of up.
After replacing one of these hinges you will be more cognizant of how you open the door

This may seem silly but it will lessen the amount of strain placed on your new hinge plate.

Alan Thanks again for taking the time to post these great pictures and writeup

Ken it would be interesting to see the cover that your talking about,
I would think that the theft covers are similar, and you may not have realized it could be removed to swap out the hinge on the right door.
But hey I have never seen the inside of a RHD car door, so maybe you can teach us something.

Great write up and pictures. Thank you

Jim - too right, ended up using my SLR with my best wide angle lens and a really bright LED flashlight. Very awkward to get access for all that in the places it needed to go, probably added a good extra 30 minutes to the whole process - getting a clear focus on the item of interest is challenging when there is so much 'junk' in the way, (too challenging sometimes it turned out!).

You'll note no tools are depicted, I didn't have any hands left or room available to do the "Dwayne style shots"

Aside from my intent to help others with the same ailment, (I had a write up that helped a bit - but no pictures - so when it says "undo the 2 screws" you don't know which ones...) I know that I will almost certainly need to do my passenger side at some point later... and with memory being what it is... ;)

I think I could shave about 45mins off next time...

Alan

.., your right Stan the theft covers are the same ( I never re-fitted it ) as it was a right pita to get out, even more so with the deeper door section. Basically it looks the same as Allans but with a less bigger access area section which covers two thirds further down that opening, and consequently limited access to the handle carrier and theft plate directly over the handle/mechanism area. I remember at the time thinking, if only that exact area had been not so deep it would have been easier. Next time I,m in there I,ll get a pic. but hope it won,t be any time soon (ha-ha !)


Ken
80 928 S
5 Speed

UK

I actually removed the handle to inspect it after removing the hinge. I don't think it is so critical to tape it so it doesn't move - if you follow my sequence of reassembly (handle taped back on, attach hinge to car first then attach hinge to handle) I think it will mostly self align - once attached remove the tape & test the centering & action. If its not centered you can loosen the two 10mm nuts and adjust lateral fit slightly - there really isn't much movement in the captive bolts and just a short slot of travel on the hinge. Bolt it up tight...

Yes that's a good idea - its tough to get to any of this once its all back together

This is one thing I deliberately didn't change - just left the adjustment "as was". You may have a point on fine tuning the adjustment... but the action on mine is pretty quick to release and has worked fine over the first 18 years or so - so I just left it the same to avoid too much trial & error work.

Alan

Great write up, thanks for sharing! Is this one of those "everyone will have to do this eventually" jobs?

I did this more than a year ago and it took about 3 hours. Not bad actually on an 86. Same setup. Getting the plate back up was rather easy but I guess we had beginner's luck. Putting back the panels was the hard part, some of them wouldn't lock in place. Ended it up getting them all fitted upon retracing what we screwed in was wrong.

Probably... depending on use, for a DD I'd say yes - there is little stress at rest - so its an accumulation of usage thing...

I have about 125K, ~daily use for last 12 years - nowhere near as much before that...

Alan

Yes, I did this - 3 turns is all it takes to remove the slack and now the door opens on the early part of the upswing so there is less stress on the hinge.

BTW - I think the worst thing you can do to the hinge is to raise the handle up high and then just release it so it snaps back - you can hear the metalic clunk... I know this has happened to mine on a couple of occasions when my fingers just slipped off the handle - avoid this...!

If you can (lift it less - Stan's point - and) gently release it you will prolong its life...

I don't recall this preceding the actual break - but its possible it starts off a stress fracture that takes time to propagate...

Alan

Super, thanks for sharing. Should help alot.

After 251K miles and 24 years, I finally had to do this job on my left side handle last week. Alan's guide is spot on. Wish I had seen it before I went into the door. Took me several hours.

I'll add my experiences to this thread having just completed a replacement. The directions above are wonderful, I figured a few more things out in the process.

Diss-assembly is always the easy bit, just watch for falling parts, I must have run the window up and down a zillion times..

Assembly is the real pain as always.

The biggest pain point for me was the rear hex bold, getting it aligned so as to not strip the threads on the way in. The handle is fairly soft metal and this appears to be easy to do..

So what I did was pull the tape off the handle so it floated free, then with my long hex wrench with a rounded tip I put the bolt into the hole, all the way in.

I could then gently turn the hex wrench while manipulating the door handle to get the right alignment. Once done the rest is cake for that bold. Then put the front one in but be sure to align the handle before snugging the two bolts down.

One gotcha fro the rear bolt.. If you look right below it there is a bracket.. If you drop the bolt in can go behind the bracket and get lodged in there.. As me how I know. I stuffed a rag in from the bottom and "floated" it to the top.. left the rag in there til I was all done :)

All in all not a terrible job, just a major fiddle due to lack of space.

Enjoy!

good idea about filling the small pocket on the inner door with a rag,
as a side note try adding some 3M strip caulk to the bolt head,
then the allen will stick to it and the bolt wont fall off

I will be doing this on the week end.
Thanks for the write up.

I'm not sure if it matters as far as hand position when opening your doors. I tend to apply a little more pressure toward the rear of the handle to open the door versus the front of the handle, which feels like you're stressing the latch. When releasing it, I gently lower the handle back in it's usual resting spot. My handles feel solid for now, but I don't trust them since I don't know if they have ever been replaced before I purchased the car in 2001.

long time lurker here... just broke my left door handle// I think it broke because I rushed to pull it open, while the locks were still unlocking. I've done that before, but it has never broke on me. Also, looking at some of the threads (pics), my handle does NOT look askew from the outside.

Put in my $.02 'cuz this was actually a recent thread!!

...., don,t beat yourself up, I doubt very much if you caused the break, the carrier on the inside of the door is a known weakspot.., it would have developed a stress crack over time and eventually broke, mine did after 20 years ownership !
All sorts of theories have been mentioned regarding " How to open the door" that should never be an issue, it,s a door handle designed to open a door, you should,nt have to plan in what manner..., am I going to use, to open it !

Ken
80 928 S
5 Speed

UK

Has anyone had any symptoms prior to failure? I'm thinking something along the lines of pulling the handle with a little more force than usual to open the door. I noticed on mine that if you apply more pressure toward the rear of the handle (closest to the keyhole), my door opens easier. This is the same for both sides of the car.

Just another Thank-You post. My '91 $$$$4 is going into the shop for a full re-spray soon and I agreeed to do a lot of the dis-asembling of the trim, etc. :banghead: This write up will be invaluable for that and when I try to put it back together. :thumbup: BTW, shouldn't this (along with the add-on hints) be in the permanent how-too's? Thanks again!

For some time I remember weeks/months previous, I noticed a deterioration in the reluctance to open .

Ken
80 928 S
5 Speed

UK

I totally agree with the above statement. For weeks/month prior to complete failure the handle became more and more difficult to open. When the car was cold (just out of the garage) the handle seemed to work, but when when sitting out in the heat of the day, the handle did not work. Finally after a spirited drive on some bumpy roads I heard a rattle in the door (one side of latch inside completely broke off) and the handle no longer worked at all. I was told in another thread that if the handle gets harder and harder to work, it was inevitable a complete failure is coming. Exactly what happened.

I don't agree though that this was a very difficult fix. Especially because of Alan's and another write up. It was little tight, but not too bad at all. Getting the security plate out after loosening the bolts seemed the most difficult, at the time because we failed to bring the glass down. After that, is was easy. I did not reinstall the security plate. I saw no point in having it. The next side will be easy. Removing the reinstalling the door panel takes some time.

but mostly due to motly crew in the cheering section! :icon107::cheers:

EXACTLY! That added about an hour to the process! :roflmao:

Mine was instantaneous and I'd expect that to be fairly normal from the configuration and ultimate classic failure - one day it worked fine the next day nothing. Still moves freely ~ as normal - bit looser at rear end...

Now failure could also be due to handle looseness and in that case missaiignment could lead to increased operating pressure - also stressing the hinge and leading to failure. I'd expect you'd be able to feel some lateral handle movement in this case though ...

Alan

I think your correct Alan regarding handle looseness, and your reply refreshed my memory. I distinctly remember as I said., that the handle had not been working correctly for some time, but previous to that I had to tighten the handle carrier as I found the nuts fairly loose, and remember thinking that was the problem of the sticky handle, when in fact the carrier was already badly fractured, and tightening the nuts helped it down the slippery slope to total lockout, which happened sometime later.

Ken
80 928 S
5 Speed

UK

ken, rick,

+1 on your comments. was harder and harder to open (had to pull up to make sure it would unlatch)....

and then

I' m in the middle of mine, just got to get the pesky power lock mechanism out of the way.

Happy Friday all!

I owe you 15 mins
 

............ With the window up - loosen (do not remove) the bolt behind the bottom left of the security plate - Look underneath. The plate can rotate forward from under the bolt... This one was extremely awkward...took me 15 minutes to figure out what size it was (here's 15 minutes back... its a 13mm head).............

Thank you Alan

Great write up. Replaced passenger door handle yesterday. Took 2 hours start to finish following advise from Alan. If I may add one bit of information it is that for re-installing the tie rod these two tools make it easier to snap the ball onto to tie rod (a small pliers and an angled trim screw driver)

Attachment 837979

Great Write-Up! Now a question or two which could only really happen to a newbie... (I hope):

-DS Door Panel Off: This was easy as shop already had it off!!!

-Easy Access Screws: Check!

-13mm Bolt: And I'm lost...

Can't find it. Got security plate loose, but could tell it was still being caught up- but couldn't see or feel where.

(Wait, it gets better...)

Noticing a few differences between the images and my door, I attempted to remove (electric) lock motor (as mentioned in other guides on this topic...). Got it to wiggle, down and to the right (facing DS door interior from driver's seat). Just a little bit...

And then I removed the door latch mechanism. I'm not sure _why_I did this- perhaps to remove lock mechanism? I'm not sure.


Anyhoo... try as I might to remove electric motor (as I think it is in images)- and no such luck.


So I decide to throw in the towel- temporarily, anyway...

Re-install latch mechanism (wait for it...)

Replace easy access screws. Heck, even checked red door light & window operation.

Leaving window down (yep), I closed the door.


VERY IMPORTANT TIP: If you are ever in a situation where you have removed the latch mechanism- for whatever reason- make sure it works BEFORE you close your door.


That said, two questions:

1) Where is this elusive 13mm bolt? (working on my '84 S (US) Especially in relationship to one or two known points, if at all possible.

And... as I am about to search rennlist....

2) Any pointers on getting my door open? Or should I start practicing the Dukes of Hazzard maneuver?

Sorry I dont have any input for getting the door open.

However I do want to mention that I to just finnished up the same repair following Alans write up.

My car being an 87 was a bit diffrent from Alans car, my lock motor mechanism was in the way also. In the pics Alan provided his door lock mech appears to be more forward and out of the way, however on the older cars its smack dab right in the way!

While it is a bit more tricky getting the security plate out with the mech in place it can be done. Just takes a lot of wiggling and cursing!

I was indeed able to get it out without messing with the door lock motor.

Just wanted to point that out.

The pictures of the plate should make it clear relative to your plate - it is behind the plate - left end at the bottom. Get a small mirror (raid the make-up drawer...) and a small flashlight - you should be able to see it.

I think this is doable for all years as described based on what we have heard so far - yes some are a little bit different - but you should just follow the guide to avoid 'new' issues like this. Removing more than you need to on mating parts always runs the risk of significant extra alignment issues. With something like the locks you can end up with multiple compounding alignment adjustments to optimize - ALWAYS avoid that if you can.

Hopefully the latch isn't too missaligned - you need to pull the release that the handle is connected to.

Alan

Aloha Alan!

Thank you for your posts and reply... In the process of getting my DS door open (still in progress)- I noticed a bolt which just might be attached to the security plate!

Just curious, does the head surface of the 13mm bolt run parallel to the front of the car and is positioned between plate and interior side of door? (With, I think, door latch mechanism just aft of bolt?)

-tom

Again the Photos really should help - pay attention to what is what:

Your security plate should look very much like ths one in situ:

http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04214s.JPG

When removed: from the front and in the same orientation wrt the door (left end near the latch mechanism):

http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04241s.JPG

Turned around - rear view (right end near the latch mechanism):

http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04242s.JPG

Here is a picture of the 13mm bolt that secures the little arm off the back of the security plate:

http://www.moore-fun.net/images/Driv.../DSC04244s.JPG

Note that here the black item under/to the right of the bolt is the door reinforcement beam (USA only?). The bolt is in the same orientation as the door handle bolts (head parallel to door surface). You can see elements of the lock cable releases & linkages .

Alan

Hmmm... something doesn't seem right. Or is it me? (And no, it's not that the locking mechanism is in view.)

Attachment 838672

Yes its a little different...

If it has the same arrangement see this below.

You really need a flashlight and mirror to figure out what's back there

Alan

Update/Resolved:

In taking Eleonore for a few things I needed help with (like bolts I couldn't loosen), checking horn function, finishing safety, AC Recharge, new lower hood latch receiver, etc.... Turns out DS door was just stuck after my moving latch out of alignment (not paying attention!).

Though I was really hoping to tackle my interior door hinge (honest!), they jumped on it. It is fixed and working well- and I am very appreciative of this!

Oh, and of course, Mahalo Alan for your all your Kokua! I will indeed try this on my own though so I know I can next time... ;-)

[QUOTE=WyattsRide;10767978]I totally agree with the above statement. For weeks/month prior to complete failure the handle became more and more difficult to open. When the car was cold (just out of the garage) the handle seemed to work, but when when sitting out in the heat of the day, the handle did not work. Finally after a spirited drive on some bumpy roads I heard a rattle in the door (one side of latch inside completely broke off) and the handle no longer worked at all. I was told in another thread that if the handle gets harder and harder to work, it was inevitable a complete failure is coming. Exactly what happened.

QUOTE]

The bolded is precisely what I am experiencing. The question for the group is: can it be saved before it breaks? Is there an adjustment, lube or something else that can be done to keep it from breaking? It sounds like something is right on the hairy edge of working if the heat of the day is enough to go from working to not working.

I am looking forward to doing this repair, not!

[QUOTE=928wolf;11508746]..., nothing you can do IMHO, it,s the two mounting bolt holes on the carrier that develop over time a stress fracture, which eventually, breaks off usually just the one hole at least it was with mine, hole nearest door edge. It has been mentioned to use a "technique" to open the door, but this is,nt necessary really, as mine failed after 25 years, so a new one should last you out. ;)


Ken
80 928 S
5 Speed

UK

Once it starts exhibiting issues - its already broken & bending - it just hasn't cracked all the way through yet - I think there is no way to save it at that point - most of the strength has already been lost and any kind of use is likely enough to finish it off.

Alan

Update:

My driver's side door has been exhibiting this condition for several months, still able to open the door but with a lot of effort. A couple of times when it was pretty hot outside I couldn't open it at all. The fact that many people reported the problem first showed itself when it was hot outside, and that the inside door lever still works, told me this was an adjustment problem of a very sensitive mechanism. Being inherently lazy and not taking enjoyment in tackling difficult repair jobs, I went looking for an easier way to deal with this issue.

So I looked into how the handle operates, from the pictures in this thread, parts catalog, etc. The handle operation, whether the cable operated inside door handle or the linkage mechanism for the outside handle, both move a part that kicks the spring loaded door latch open (see pictures open and locked). The difference between it working and not working is very small, as little as 1 mm. The cable operated inside door lever doesn't seem to have any problem because it actuates a different lever that moves this link, the cable allows a longer linear pull which gives more leeway to absorb small tolerance differences. The outside handle mechanism obviously cannot take small variations, probably due to wear. A mechanism that goes from working to not working due to temperature is pretty darn sensitive, metal parts are only going to expand and contract by tiny amounts in normal ambient temperature ranges, plastic parts a little more but still not a lot.

So the mechanism goes out of adjustment, causing the amount of force needed to open it to go up, this puts more load on the handle mechanism, which looks like it is a (relatively brittle) casting. The higher loads start fatiguing the metal, then one day it breaks.

I noticed that there is an adjustable link between the handle lever and the door latch lever (see pictures). The Engineers put that in there for a reason. Either the mechanism is sensitive enough that it can't be accurately set on an assembly line without an adjustment or the mechanism wears over it's life and needs the ability to accommodate over time, or both. I suspect it is both, so I took advantage of the adjustment our friends in Weissach gave us, regardless of why they did it.

The worst part of the job was figuring out how to get the door panels off without damaging them, and that aggravating security plate. Once I got hands in there (barely) I can see why replacing the door handle is such a pain.

I got in there, popped the adjustable link off the pin, turned it 4 turns and it worked just fine. While the link was off I actuated the lever from the inside and tried get it to move the kick-out piece the same amount as the inside door handle moves it. This looks like only about 3-5 mm (if these are 1mm threads) but it was enough to make it work like new, or at least like my passenger side door. Make sure you tighten down the nut on the turnbuckle so everything stays tight. Don't adjust the amount I did, adjust it the amount that makes your mechanism work properly.

I may have only held off having to replace the door handle, but hopefully for several years. Fatigue is an additive process, you can't undo the damage but you can keep from doing any more.

My advice: the minute your door handle gets difficult to operate make this adjustment (I let mine go for months), it's much easier than replacing it.

Note: To get that pesky security plate out, follow the steps in this thread plus one: Once you have the plate loose, CAREFULLY lower the window all the way down and it practically falls out. It took 15 minutes of aggravation to get there.

This morning I did some more investigation. It appears that one of the tabs that mounts to the outside handle is broken. The reason the mechanism still works is that it is connected through a rod to the other side. Now all of the load is being taken the forward tab, transmitted to the lever by through the rod. The extra adjustment allows the mechanism to work with the extra flexure due to all the load being taken by the forward tab. It appears that in normal operation most of the load is taken by the rear tab directly into the lever. But there is a stress riser in the transition from the tab to the lever where it necks down, and a parting line in the casting right down the center of the load path, a prime spot for a fatigue crack to develop. Hopefully the other tab has a lot more life in it.

How long will it live? Who knows, depends on how much margin the Engineers designed into the handle. We'll find out.

I admire your tenacity, however you won,t stop the inevitable, they all display the exact symptoms of inevitable failure ,... sooner or later, I say just get it over with...., bit like a visit to the dentist ;)


Ken
80 928 S
5 Speed

UK

No need to wait here - it is quite clearly already broken in exactly the classical way - just get a new hinge and fix it while it is all fresh in your mind.

I don't think it went out of adjustment - it just broke, adjusting just made it barely work for a while...

Alan

jflorance55
 

I've got an 88 with a similar problem. The Driver's door will not open from the outside unless I press the lower rear part of the side glass firmly while lifting and pulling the door handle. Then, with some luck, the door opens. I suspect the same fix will work for me. What do you think?

Yes.

Alan

Thanks Alan for this excellent guide. To help others in the future, just adding a couple more pictures.

Very usefull thread Alan & all members that replyed. I have the same problem on my passenger side's door ROW (Japan) 89 S4. The last owner told me it was an easy fix & just needed a weld tack to repair (???...) for the moment, I simply open the door from the inside & it's becomming a bummer.

I figure it's the same procedure 'mirror' like (left is right & vice-versa)?

Where do you buy panel fasteners in bulk & is there any aftermarket parts or genuine Porsche for the door hinge?

Best thread or link for door inner cover removal? (to save time...)

Thank's

I don't know about right vs. left door. The white plastic door clips are part #433-867-299-A and run about a buck each. The hinge itself is Porsche and is surprisingly cheap (for Porsche anyway.) I ordered from Roger (928s R Us) and I think it was around $55. Alan has the hinge part number in his first post. I'm VERY slow and this took me about 3 hours. Good luck!

Doors are basically a mirror image - same instructions apply, get the correct hinge.

Poor design and/or materials - these should not break consistently like this - seems it is far too common a failure...

Chalk up another to the Porsche "B-Team" - they get all over...

Alan

Maybe down to poor quality pot metal casting.., from a "cheaper than the rest" outside supplier ? hence why it,s not the usual high price Porsche item.

It's definitely a 928 spring for me. Installed a clutch master a few weeks ago in the 78, and the drivers side door handle broke today in the 87.
Everyone outside the restaurant thought I was being a gentlemen getting the door for Lorelei....yea well....she needed to get in first :p

I think I'm just going to cut a hole in the door to make this job a lot easier........ :icon107:

To add insult to injury, I finalized an order from 928 International yesterday, already shipped.

Anyway, thanks for the write-up Alan, it doesn't look too horrible with your photos as a guide.

I have done this twice but still want to say thanks to Alan and everyone else as it will be much easier now!!

Just started this project. The driver's door opened OK to move the car from its hibernation spot, but a couple actions later it no longer worked. It would have been more, um, inconvenient had the hinge failed a few actions sooner, as there was no easy way to get into the car where it was stored tight against the wall.

Also can't say enough good things about the instructions and pictures shared by Alan and the group. I'll add a couple pieces of info that may help others.

-- The bolt that's hidden by the security shield is actually the rear door brace bolt. The door brace is a US-mandated tube that runs fore and aft in the door an inch or so inside the outer door skin. The "beam" doesn't look like it will withstand much of an impact, but it's tight between the latch area and the hinge area so would have to stretch to allow intrusion through the door. So follow that beam towards the rear of the door and you'll easily find the bolt.

-- After the bolt is "broken loose" with a box-end wrench, a stubby 13mm GearWrench is perfect for getting the bolt out further. I completely removed it as I fiddled with getting the shield out. Finally lowered the window to allow the shield to rotate out, and left the shield in the bottom of the door. Bolt went back in part way in anticipation of refitting the shield.

-- The little Allen-head capscrews that connect the hinge to the handle need a 4mm Allen key. A long 4mm ball-end hex key will make removal a LOT easier, vs trying to fumble with a standard hex key. Especially helpful for the rear fastener.


New hinge is on the way from Tom at 928 International, along with a new front AC expansion valve. That expansion valve is a separate story for later.

I mentioned it before but incase anyone missed it,
make sure to lubricate the lock mechanism before buttoning up the door,
this part becomes sticky from water or lube dry out and is a casual participant in the hinge failure

Stan--

I'm debating whether to go ahead and pull the latch assembly out for full cleaning and re-lubrication. The exterior moving parts have been lubed as much as possible with white lithium spray, but it's quite obvious that this does nothing for the major latch plates inside the door. IMO, this aging grease in the latch is the prime contributor to the hinge failure.

Removal doesn't look to be too hard, once I build a map of where the release and lock linkages all attach. I'll dust off the camera if I decide to get into this seriously.

Guidance from those who have done this before is certainly welcome.

Cap Screw Tool
 

I just did this job a couple weeks ago. I followed the instructions in this thread which were very useful. The only tip I can add is for the reinstallation of the little Allen-head cap screws that connect the hinge to the handle. To install the rearmost cap screw I cut a 1” section of an Allen wrench, and then taped it to the cap screw. I was easily able to install this difficult to access screw using this. Once it was in finger tight, a standard Allen wrench can be used to tighten it up.

Good stuff! With the link removed it's easy to get onto that rear capscrew with a long ball-head Allen, but only after you get it started with nimble fingers or by your method.

I looked more closely at the internal portion of the latch mechanism and there's no real benefit to removing it. It will get some spray-lube in place, per Stan's suggestion.

I'm a little biased by WYAITitis right now, but since your inner latch mechanism is detached from the door handle right now, and your inner door panel is off, I would pull and clean it. 2 cap screws through the outer latch body, 3 phillips screws on the interior door handle, and whatever attaches the electric lock actuator thingees, to remove the inner latch mechanism. We noted a huge improvement in the door latch smoothness after running the inner mechanism through a thorough cleaning and re-lubing.

38 years of door atmosphere, Eastern San Diego desert, last November:

https://webfiles.uci.edu/redwards/pu...2011-26-15.jpg

Better now, fresh white lithium grease:

https://webfiles.uci.edu/redwards/pu...d%203-9-16.jpg

Likewise, it is a bit frightening how much petrified grease there is in the lock cylinder, and it's quite easy to disassemble them, clean out, and re-lube. 2 extra (tiny) screws with the alarm contact on the cylinder.

Hello, nasty:

https://webfiles.uci.edu/redwards/pu...%204-12-16.jpg

Cleaned and lubed with Superlube grease:

https://webfiles.uci.edu/redwards/pu...%204-12-16.jpg

Rob--

Thanks for the pics and description. Mine is incredibly not anywhere like the one in your pictures, is clean and nice except for the obvious orange staining where the original grease has turned to wax/soap residue. The basic oil/petro components have moved on.

I'll pull the assemblies out tomorrow and share pics of the process. Afternoon concert today or it would be coming out right now. Chilly and precipitating outside right now, with a combination of rain and yellow aspen/ponderosa pollen. Garage door is closed, warm and comfortable inside. Still going to the concert. The local symphony gets the support the LA Phil and Pasadena Pops used to get.

I too have just completed this operation on a RHD ,91 ,S4. Allan's instruction were excellent and a great help.
Being a little over 6 foot tall, and a tad old and decrepit, I struggled to contort myself to spy up into the door. So I removed the inner window trim from the top of the door. This enabled a good view down into the door.
One small trap for young players is to note that the hinges are left and right handed. I had a parts car and the mental note to self was remove drivers door parts on both cars. I forgot the parts car is LHD, so took wrong side off. I have now done this job 3 times, so almost got the hang of it now.

This is a great tip, makes seeing stuff (and getting a long screwdriver or prybar onto the lock-to-latch and latch-to-door-handle arms) much easier. The inner trim is very straightforward to R&R.

Closing out my little portion of the lesson here--

-- I removed the latch and lock mechanisms. The latch was pretty much as-new clean, except that the factory lubrication had deteriorated to soap. All cleaned out and with new grease, it works... exactly as it did before. The critical part to lubricate, in my estimation, is the lower arm that does the "latching", on the outside portion of the assembly. Note that you can safely and easily remove this by removing the two large Allen screws on the outside. The inner portion has captive threads and stays indexed in the holes in the door. Once removed, you can clean and re-lubricate that section. The two moving parts pivot on the sleeves that surround the bolts, with no way to disassemble without destroying. Regardless, mine got a thorough cleaning, and an intense barrage of Teflon spray Super Lube between the plates, thinking it will run in and fill the area where the plates fit around the sleeves. The upper sliding plate engages the pin in the other half of the latch when the door is closed, so gets EP grease in the section where it wraps around the pin. The lower sliding plate has two separate places where it "latches" the top plate, once when the door is partly closed, a second where it holds the upper plate in the full-closed position. EP grease on those contact points helps a lot with wear. The lower plate is "activated" via a spring-loaded pin that passes from outside half of the latch to the inside half, and this is how the latch is released from the inside. A dab of EP grease through the little hole in the door where that pin passes through might do some good. Reassembly of the outer half back onto the door takes a few seconds. Just be careful that you get the pin indexed correctly, and that the latch is in the full-released position before you try to close the door the first time.

A need to resize some pics, and will add them later.

What an awesome year--both driver's side and passenger's side failed within 12 months. :biggulp: After doing this job twice, the only thing I can add is, it is sooooo much easer to do this job sitting on the floor instead of a stool. The angle is much better to see what you're doing and to unscrew/screw on the bolts with finger tips. Wearing a headlamp light to see was nice too. Much better than trying to hold a flashlight or a lamp that's always in the way or hands/body casting a shadow.

Just a deep thought (by Jack Handy), would there be any value packing JB weld around the weak area on a new hinge before installing it?

Timely thread bump. Having just removed the handle from my red 80 for paint, I'm debating on replacing the hinge now since I'm sure it's the original one.

Or just lube it and leave it in there?

I just replaced my driver side hinge last month as well. My car is a '90, so if yours is an '80 and still original you would have to think that it's on borrowed time. Pretty easy job, especially if you already have the door apart.

I've done the job in situ as well on my 87, just one of those things where a voice in the back of my head keeps saying "leave well enough along".

I've also wondered if there was some design change causing the later design to be more prone to failure. Do the later lock design possibly put more pressure on the handle?

I guess if anything I would then have a "good spare" in the parts box in case of a weekend failure to get things going again.

Gonna fit one of these next time..., :banghead: no problem when this break's .

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...ac371eae3e.jpg

I've installed a preemptive measure.

https://rennlist.com/forums/attachme...d-img_0494.jpg

Replace it now. You are in there already, and you'll have piece of mind that the new one will last.

I did mine last year, and it's one less thing on my mind when I wonder "what will I need to fix next".

Many thanks to Alan

I would never have attempted this job without seeing his write-up

However this was on Theo's site, so I didn't see the great photos that were added by NoVector and others

For what it's worth I discovered that the window did need to be UP to remove the security plate

I've only spent about 4 hours on this job so far and I'm only half finished (what is the book time anyway - 3 hours?)

This insane job has convinced me that although the 928 is one of the best engineered cars in the world, my TVR Cerbera has door handles whose design far outdoes the 928

Here's a photo

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...f174dbc22a.jpg



And a little closer

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...639113e966.jpg


OK, I get it, the 928 has beautifully recessed door handles that contribute to the 928's superb clean lines

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...0017f08a9e.jpg


But the Cerbera is better (I don't think I've ever said that before)

door handle
 

couple extra points... security plate bottom nut is 13mm can loosen with a box end...the 2 screws are cross hatch as mentioned one on latch side alone high point and other one is recessed on door interior where plastic is...i use a heat gun to get plastic clip heated before prying with long screwdriver.

the allen nuts on handle was a metric number 4...and other nuts were 10 mm i used box end...i did not remove locking mechanism but it was doable...the hardest was allen on your left when fixing door...also you can readjust sensitivity of door handle by screwing or unscrewing that plastic piece which i used heat gun for....mysuggestion if you have big hands recruit a female or child as helper

Thanks Alan for the great writeup and pictures. Driver's door hinge and lock cylinder replaced tonight.

Another tip: if you drop any of the washers into the door while removing them, you can easily retrieve them with a clean/empty shop vac. I must have had the window up and down 5 times with the shop vacuum down in the door cavity. I got all the washers back and reassembled.

Agreed, I made heavy use of this write-up recently as well. My door swallowed several screws and washers which apparently vanished into the ether and had to buy more, but I did find some weird part...I need to post a picture of it, I have no idea what it is.

My 1985 Euro has the same location for the auto-lock motor. I removed the 4 bolts and it swung out of the way. I would not recommend trying to do this tedious job without moving the motor. It was enough of a nightmare getting the nuts and washers started by being able to get 2 hands in there. But mission accomplished, and its like brand new now.

https://rennlist.com/forums/attachme...4294534724.jpg