The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Advice on removing stuck inside door handle

I need to know if there is some special way to remove an inside door handle that is stuck on hard. It's in a 53 1/2 ton.

I have completely removed the set screw. I've tried prying with a large screwdriver, and put some nut-loosener in there (not sure much of it actually got in).
I am considering using a crowbar but worry that will damage handle bracket on the regulator. A less appealing option I have considered is to cut the handle apart with a grinder, but I really want to keep the original.

I have to remove the handle to install a door panel.

Any ideas will help.
Thanks.

Your mention of a set screw is puzzling. Your handle should be held on by one of these. To remove said clip you'll need one of these. Both are available at nearly all vendors. Those I linked to are at The Filling Station.

JFG, shine a light into the hole where you removed the screw and see if there is another screw in there. My 53 had a set screw and a cap screw on top of that.

I think that JFG is referring to a set screw such as these (originals where not hex insert, however).

Maybe someone else will answer but I dimly recall the set screw being "topped" but another screw in some of the inside door handles I have removed?

I have taken off an original many years ago and remember there is a "set screw" that is put in with a flat head screwdriver. After it is tightened there was a "top screw" that went in behind it. I wonder why they did that but I figure it was and early way to keep the first one from backing out???

Both, the set screw and the cover screw can be purchased from most vendors.

If you have to cut the door handle off let me know. I have an original I would let you have just to help you out.

A-ha. It sounds like maybe the screw I took out was a 'top screw' as you guys are describing. It was about 1/4" in diameter, much bigger than you would expect for a set screw. I'll take a look into the hole tomorrow to see if there is a second screw in there. I suspect there is. I'm glad I didn't resort to the crowbar yet.

Thanks for the offer of an original handle, Chipmunk... let's hope it doesn't come to that!

Turned out that big one *was* the set screw. So I put alot of penetrating oil on the shaft and after it sat a while I got it to pop by carefully using my crowbar. I think the handle must've been pounded on by the PO. My guess is that since the head of the screw is a bit distorted, it might not have been tightened well enough to hold the handle securely. It'll probably keep falling off now like the window crank does!

Thanks for the advice... I just wanted to hear some before I started any brute force stuff.

John.

OK guys so when did Chevy stop using the horseshoe clips? I remember them being used well into the '60s when I was a body man. Other brands used set screws but all GM cars & trucks I ever worked on had the clips. What am I missing.

I don't recall any older trucks with the C clips Tiny, just cars until late 60's I believe

Bill

OK I guess. I know my rememberer doesn't work as well as it once did AND I HAVE slept a time or two since then so it's possible I'm wrong. You'd think after all these years that crow would start tasting a bit better.

Tiny,

"OK guys so when did Chevy stop using the horseshoe clips? I remember them being used well into the '60s when I was a body man."

The better question to those of us that have limited experience is not "when did they stop using" - we would ask "when did they start using . . . ".

My 54 chevy has the set screws. I remember the clips, but they came later. We used a hacksaw blade to catch the edge of the clip and pop it off.
On my 58,I drilled and threaded a hole thru the handles into the shaft. The 8x32 screw keeps the handles from coming off unless you want them off.It aint origional, but it works.

Is it possible previous owner used some kind of glue or JB weld ? Shaft may have been stripped.

for the newer style clips, get a 6" length of fairly heavy coathanger (the dark colored not the thinner white ones), bend one end into a loop to hold onto and a small right angle bend on the other end maybe 1/8 to 3/16 long.
use this as a catch on the backside of the clip and pull.
just don't let that clip go flying... these old eyes have a hard time finding them again.