Ugghh the Grab Handle! How do you put it back on?

[Jeff K]

I had my door panels off to adjust the linkage. My goodness, how do you put the grab handles back on and get that screw in? It's the most ridiculous thing I've seen. I bought a 22" driver and fixed the screw to the end. I'm pretty sure I stripped the hole in the process.

I was going to cut a slot in the grab handle bracket, put the screws in the grab handle and slide in on and crank it down.
http://www.delorean.com/store/p-9914-brkt-grab-handle-rh.aspx

Is there a specific tool? Any suggestions?

[sdg3205]

Jeff,

I attached the bracket LOOSELY to the grab handle first, THEN attached the bracket to the mounts in the door. Then go back and tighten the screws into the grab handle from the front and back. I found this way easier.

Give it a shot.

[dmc6960]

You must have followed the shop manual's directions. There is an easier way.

Instead of unscrewing the two impossible-to-reach screwes on either side, remove the two top bolts above it (facing up towards the window). Since your trying to put it back together, pull the panel off again, remove the two bolts and the handle bracket, reattach to the panel, then put panel back on the door.

[robvanderveer]

I feel your pain, i've been taking them off and on quite a few times now in my 12 years of ownership.

What I do is attach the bracket to the handle, and manoeuvre the bracket towards the door. I then take 1 long Philips screwdriver to align the bracket to the door by putting it in one of the holes (from the top).

Don't press in the clips of the lower door trim yet. You may need to reach there for fallen screws.

Then I close the door while sitting inside the car. This avoids working overhead. Navigating through the hole where the mirror switch is, I then use another long driver with some gum (or putty) to make the screw sticky. I carefully insert the screw into the second hole of the bracket. If the screw still happens to fall inside the door, use some swearwords and a flexible grabber to retrieve it. Most of the time, you can use your fingers along the bottom end of the door (you didn't press in the door trim yet, did you?)

After that screw is in (not fully tightened) i remove the first screwdriver and to the same trick with the putty on the second screw. You now only have to align the bracket and tighten the screws.

Oh and it helps TREMENDOUSLY to replace the bolts with point-ended ones (the original are flat). Growing small hands/wrists and flexible joints also helps.

I hope this helps.

[Jeff K]

Good tips, thanks!

I was going to try removing the bracket and putting it on at the end. I was naive enough to actually believe the shop directions. Man that was frustrating. it reminded me of the scene in "A Christmas Story" when the dad was fixing the car.

[TTait]

As stated by others, go after the screws from above... Another tip to add to it though.

I chose to replace my phillips screws with bolts - (M7 X 12mm?).

Then, get the right socket (10mm?). I started out by putting a few nuts into the socket so the bolt fits just into the end of it. Then I set the bolt into the socket. Finally I get a piece of masking tape about 2" long, and make a small hole in the center. With the bolt facing up in the socket - I put the tape down over it and affix it to the sides of the socket, so the bolt cannot fall out.

With the door open, you insert the socket and extension horizontally, and start the bolt. Once its well started, but not tight, pull the socket back out, tearing the tape, and making sure the nuts don't fall out. Start the second bolt the same way (on one of them you need to just nudge a rod out of the way a little) and tighten it all the way up.

Remove the spacer nuts from the socket, and then tighten up the first bolt all the way.

Doing this I've never taken more than about 2 or 3 minutes per door to hook the bracket back on.

Tom
10902
03238
(4 doors total - 8 handle bolts - no cussing)

[AdmiralSenn]

Don't hate on the manual TOO much - it is TECHNICALLY possible to do the procedure they way the describe it - I've done it.

But the door-handle access method is MUCH MUCH MUCH easier. Just another one of those little tricks nobody tells you when you buy one of these. :p

[jawn101]

I would actually call this the most difficult task I've done on the D :) I spent *hours* trying to reattach my passenger side handle. I eventually learned how to do it with a 10mm hex driver that I jammed some electrical tape into before pushing the hex cap screw into it. That holds it in without using a magnetic driver that will get stuck to all the door internals. It helps make it possible to drive the screw, but it still sucks. I lost about a pint of blood in my most recent attempt :)