How do I adjust the door handle linkage?

[adventureboss]

My interior door handle on the driver's side keeps breaking because the handle needs to be pulled way too far out whatever reason. The passenger side is completely fine for whatever reason. Does anyone know how to adjust the interior linkage inside the door to make it take less "pull" to disengage the door latch? I pulled the door card and tried to figure it out myself but I'm lost. It doesn't look like there is a nut and screw or anything?

No instructions in the service manual either

 

[MikekiM]

Remove the door skin you will see two long rods that connect the inside door handle and lock to the locking mechanism and outside lock. Look for the rod that has the rings on the end and is attached to a little metal clip. It's the only metal clip. All the others are plastic like the green one you see below...

Those rings look like threads.. they are not. Remove the rod from the metal clip.. gently. Those little fingers that are holding it in the clip are old and likely a bit brittle. Move the rod a few rings either way, snap it back into the clip and try your inside handle. Readjust if needed. Give everything a good lube while you're in there.

 

[adventureboss]

Remove the door skin you will see two long rods that connect the inside door handle and lock to the locking mechanism and outside lock. Look for the rod that has the rings on the end and is attached to a little metal clip. It's the only metal clip. All the others are plastic like the green one you see below...
View attachment 594909
View attachment 594910

Those rings look like threads.. they are not. Remove the rod from the metal clip.. gently. Those little fingers that are holding it in the clip are old and likely a bit brittle. Move the rod a few rings either way, snap it back into the clip and try your inside handle. Readjust if needed. Give everything a good lube while you're in there.

That must have been my mistake. I thought they were threads! I'll give this a shot today. Thank you

 

[MikekiM]

That must have been my mistake. I thought they were threads! I'll give this a shot today. Thank you

I was fortunate to have someone else tell me they weren't threads.. or I would have made the same mistake.

 

[DuckNut]

Over time the rod slips through these clips and the handle needs to be pulled further and further. If you are going in to resolve this issue, replace the clips or you will probe doing it in the near future.

 

[Succentor]

Give everything a good lube while you're in there.

Sound advice for life

 

[MikekiM]

Sound advice for life

Often better to lube it up BEFORE going in. Just sayin...

 

[adventureboss]

Over time the rod slips through these clips and the handle needs to be pulled further and further. If you are going in to resolve this issue, replace the clips or you will probe doing it in the near future.

Where can I get these clips? Stealership?

 

[adventureboss]

Ok so here’s a weird one. I went in to adjust it today and it worked, inside door handle works fine now, however now the door lock is stuck. It feels like it is binding on something but I’m not sure exactly what. It feels more stuck when the door is shut too.

I can either have the interior door handle be functional, or the door lock work. Not both. Any idea what’s going on? Is the mechanism just worn and done for?

 

[MikekiM]

Where can I get these clips? Stealership?

Good lord..no.
Amazon is your friend... tons of options. Just search "door lock rod clip assortment"

It's been about a year since I restored my half doors, so going from memory.. That ringed end is the only adjustment I recall. My best guess is you adjusted the inside handle too tight and the handle rod is binding against the locks rod. Image credit goes to @MountaineerTom.

If you adjust the interior door handle too tight it will eventually just snap off. Ask me why I know...

 

[DuckNut]

Where can I get these clips? Stealership?

Dig through the resource section. Scour the Google machine...I have seen them somewhere, just don't remember where.

 

[MikekiM]

Dig through the resource section. Scour the Google machine...I have seen them somewhere, just don't remember where.

Look two posts up...

 

[adventureboss]

Good lord..no.
Amazon is your friend... tons of options. Just search "door lock rod clip assortment"

View attachment 595371

It's been about a year since I restored my half doors, so going from memory.. That ringed end is the only adjustment I recall. My best guess is you adjusted the inside handle too tight and the handle rod is binding against the locks rod. Image credit goes to @MountaineerTom.

If you adjust the interior door handle too tight it will eventually just snap off. Ask me why I know...

View attachment 595372

Awesome thank you. So with the linkage, if I loosen it anymore or give it even a little more slack then the interior door handle won't open the door. But it seems like it being too tight is an issue as well. I'm not really sure what's going on, do these mechanisms wear out? I have almost 200k on the clock so I wouldn't be surprised. I'm going to also try to give it a good cleaning today with PB blaster.

 

[jjvw]

Over time the rod slips through these clips and the handle needs to be pulled further and further. If you are going in to resolve this issue, replace the clips or you will probe doing it in the near future.

Is that what is happening? Or are the various plastic bushings along the linkage assembly wearing thin?

 

[jjvw]

Awesome thank you. So with the linkage, if I loosen it anymore or give it even a little more slack then the interior door handle won't open the door. But it seems like it being too tight is an issue as well. I'm not really sure what's going on, do these mechanisms wear out? I have almost 200k on the clock so I wouldn't be surprised. I'm going to also try to give it a good cleaning today with PB blaster.

My instincts strongly tell me that the plastic bits are worn out and sloppy at their bearing surfaces. Replace those and the entire assembly will tighten up and work better than before.

 

[MikekiM]

Awesome thank you. So with the linkage, if I loosen it anymore or give it even a little more slack then the interior door handle won't open the door. But it seems like it being too tight is an issue as well. I'm not really sure what's going on, do these mechanisms wear out? I have almost 200k on the clock so I wouldn't be surprised. I'm going to also try to give it a good cleaning today with PB blaster.

The colored rod ends get brittle and break but wear out? I don’t know. I think they are either good or not. No in between

Are the two rods overlapping as pictured?

How did they work before the rod end broke?

I’ve rebuilt both my half and full door mechanisms. On my halfies I had the issue you described where the inside handle needed to be adjusted and moving two rings on the rod end solved the problem.

 

[DuckNut]

Is that what is happening? Or are the various plastic bushings along the linkage assembly wearing thin?

Yes. The plastic clip with the threads is the one that adjusts the throw length of the door handles. Which in turn pull rods that are attached to other plastic clips. These clips hold the rods together and if they break the rods come unattached from each other.

The threaded one is the adjustment. But with any dinosaur it is not a bad idea to change all of them while in the door.

 

[MikekiM]

Yes. The plastic clip with the threads is the one that adjusts the throw length of the door handles. Which in turn pull rods that are attached to other plastic clips. These clips hold the rods together and if they break the rods come unattached from each other.

The RINGED one is the adjustment. But with any dinosaur it is not a bad idea to change all of them while in the door.

Fixed it for you.
It's not threaded. You can spin it all day and it won't make any change to the length. It's just rings that lock into the metal clip.
I agree with the "While you're in there" strategy