[MONK]

What's the secret to getting the interior
door handles to stay in place?

Seems that small clip holds for awhile
then then the handle will slip off......I've got
new clips on all window cranks and handle.

 

[oldcarnut56]

The clips are not engaging the groove. Smack the handles hard . the other issue could be the clips. personally I would use the olds clips.

 

[bam bam]

may be the gear on the door is worn. they sell replacements . they should snap right in and not pull off. there more of a pain to take off than put on are the handles new they could be worn to. and are made of softer metal.

 

[chevman57]

I agree with Bobby, sounds like the clips aren`t holding in the groove. If using new clips go back to the GM originals, they are hard to beat.
Terry

 

[mr 265]

The new clips are garbage use the old clips !!!:tu

 

[stonewalker]

This happened to me and it drove me crazy. Those that have posted are absolutely correct: the clips must engage the groove in the spindle or the handle will fall off eventually. In my case one of my window crank handles had the teeth stripped so I just assumed it was not engaged correctly and thus got stripped. I got a generic handle and put that on until I could get to my Chevy supplier. The generic handle fit fine but looked a bit off (clips engaged). I got the new correct Chevy handle and tried to put it on. The clip would not engage totally with the “correct” handle. This annoyed me greatly so I pulled another handle. The new handle would not engage on another window regulator spindle. So, I then drove the old girl to the supplier to figure out the mystery. We pulled all the handles (mix of old and new) and what we discovered was that in some cases the groves for the clips varied and you cannot get the handle on far enough to engage the clip; but only on some spindles, not all. What was even more perplexing was that the diameter of some of the spindles were just a tiny bit too big for all of the new handles (off shore repos btw). To the best of my knowledge all the regulator spindles were original.
I told him I would find a way and left with a new handle that at least seemed to have the groves correct. I reamed out the new handle with a drill bit on a manual brace. It took off a minute amount of material so it was the exact same size as the regulator spindle (7/16 if I remember right). It barely touched the teeth.
So, what I think is that the sizes of the old spindles do not always line up with the new repos; but sometimes they do. And the clip groves are too high in some cases. One has the peer down between the handle and the door panel to see if it is truly engaged.
Ah, but the mystery of the old cars is half their charm.

 

[Booty]

Ok -

Good input Stonewalker - Thanks!!

 

[MONK]

The beauty of the Tri 5 Forum.......feedback
:happy0030:

Thanks for all the input

 

[dei355]

Door Handels

I had the same problem with my new door handels, change the clips and still would come off, look at the grove in the handle and it was not deep enought so I had to cut mine with a saw so the clip would go deeper in the grove, reinstall them never fell off again. Must be made over seas. Hope this will help you. Bill

 

[mickeywestsr]

If it gets in the groove, then it should stay. Did you use the plastic spacer?

 

[MONK]

If it gets in the groove, then it should stay. Did you use the plastic spacer?

If you're talking about the plastic disc
that goes behind the handles.....yes I did.

I'm assuming these are designed to prevent
wear and tear on door panel.

 

[flamed55]

handles

Stonewalker was right on about the groove not going in far enough for the clip to engage. I had the same problem with some new handles I bought from Danchuk. I compared them to the old handles, and found the groove to be closer to the inside flat of the new handle then the old ones. Bought two new handles from Car Shop in Orange Calif., and my problem was solved.

 

[hrbhrb]

Thanks to all that contributed to this thread. Had the same problem. Searched for and found this thread. My new handles also had the groove mis-positioned. Put my originals back on. They are a little pitted, but they work!
Thanks, Bob