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Getting into the rear doors

47K views 60 replies 38 participants last post by  RVMAN 
#1 ·
I've been here before, but I can't remember the username i used.

Anyways...

I have a '95 Astro with the barn doors, and my outside latch just broke. It's been stiff for the last while, but always worked. Is there any way I can open the first door without cutting out the interior panels or breaking something? There's no inside handle, which sucks. And, the screws for the interior panel are inaccessible with the door closed. Basically all I can do is remove the speaker cover.

Any ideas?
 
#3 ·
Bust out the license plate area to access the linkage, then get a JY replacement?

When my handle failed I was able to remove the panel screws from the inside. It was a sunny beach laying over the seat, but I got it done. Instead of buying another handle to fail, I drilled out the mounting boss that had broken and replaced it with a self tapping ¼x20 shoulder bolt (Briggs & Stratton carburetor mounting screw). The handle will stick open if you pull it all the way, but it works every time now.
 
#4 ·
You drill out the bolt heads on the handle (outside) and remove the handle, this will give you access to the rod that opens the door, as I recall. I have the same project on my hands right now with my 86 astro. I have a new handle (about 55-60 bucks on the Internet). Once you get the door open you remove the interior trim from that door to get inside and install a new handle.

Astro8604
 
#5 ·
Astro8604 said:
You drill out the bolt heads on the handle (outside) and remove the handle, this will give you access to the rod that opens the door, as I recall. I have the same project on my hands right now with my 86 astro. I have a new handle (about 55-60 bucks on the Internet). Once you get the door open you remove the interior trim from that door to get inside and install a new handle.

Astro8604
great idea
 
#6 ·
Astro8604 said:
You drill out the bolt heads on the handle (outside) and remove the handle, this will give you access to the rod that opens the door, as I recall. I have the same project on my hands right now with my 86 astro. I have a new handle (about 55-60 bucks on the Internet). Once you get the door open you remove the interior trim from that door to get inside and install a new handle.

Astro8604
Heh, I actually thought of that at some point today I think. I'll have to get a new handle and then do that.

Are the back handles more expensive than the front door handles? I got the handle for the front passenger door last fall, and it was only about fifteen bucks locally. I do remember that when I got my last van, the guy I got it from said the back handle (which was broken and he'd gotten a replacement) was about eighty five bucks.

Anyways, "8604", thanks for verifying my thoughts, I'll try that probably this weekend if I can get a handle during the week, and then let ya know how it goes.
 
#7 ·
thehermit said:
Astro8604 said:
You drill out the bolt heads on the handle (outside) and remove the handle, this will give you access to the rod that opens the door, as I recall. I have the same project on my hands right now with my 86 astro. I have a new handle (about 55-60 bucks on the Internet). Once you get the door open you remove the interior trim from that door to get inside and install a new handle.

Astro8604
Heh, I actually thought of that at some point today I think. I'll have to get a new handle and then do that.

Are the back handles more expensive than the front door handles? I got the handle for the front passenger door last fall, and it was only about fifteen bucks locally. I do remember that when I got my last van, the guy I got it from said the back handle (which was broken and he'd gotten a replacement) was about eighty five bucks.

Anyways, "8604", thanks for verifying my thoughts, I'll try that probably this weekend if I can get a handle during the week, and then let ya know how it goes.
That will be Great.

Pix would be cool too.

Thanks in Advance.

Jim
 
#8 ·
Heh, I'll try to remember to take pics. When I think of it, I can get all the right pics...but I was without a camera for so long I usually forget that my phone has a camera in it. Hopefully I'll remember!

Thanks for mentioning that!
 
#10 ·
astroturf said:
Have you tried a screwdriver from the outside?

Jim
Just remembered- the 96 I used to drive for work broke on me. I kept a broken screwdriver wedged behind the bumper & used that to open the door all the time. I don't remember ever fixing it, I probably turned the van in like that.

Good call, Jim.
 
#11 ·
Well, wish me luck!

I had a few beer(s) tonight. But, tomorrow I'm going by the GM dealership and buying a door handle for one hundred f-ing dollars. Then I'll drill off the old handle, open the door, and install the new handle. At least, I hope it's that easy.

I'll try to get as many pics as I can, and host/post 'em in case anyone else has the same (or similar) problem.

Just sucks that a new handle is a hundred bucks. Oh well.
 
#14 ·
NOTE: Please mention if the pictures are showing up sideways. I edited 'em so they shouldn't, and I think it's just that my browser isn't refreshing properly, but if they are sideways I'll try to figure out why. Thanks!

OK, so I got it done! It actually went relatively smooth, although I did break a small drill bit. I also kinda forgot to take pics until the handle was off, but managed to kinda catch up.

The tools I used were: center punch, 3/8 electric drill, ~1/8" bit and 1/4" bit, pliers, Philips screwdriver #2, Torx driver T-27, flat screwdriver, 10mm deep socket on a ratchet. I think that's all of 'em.

First I center-punched each of the bolt heads, as close to the center as possible. Then I center drilled each of 'em with the small bit, about a 1/4" deep. Center drilling with a small bit always makes the bigger bit cut into the metal way easier and quicker.

Thirdly, I used the bigger bit on each of the bolt heads until it cut the head off the threads. That resulted in the handle falling off. But basically, it looked like this:


And like this without the handle:


This part was hanging inside, so I fished it out. It's the part that broke off the handle.


I grabbed onto it with the pliers and pulled it down (the door was already unlocked), and the door popped open!


Now this picture's a little difficult to see, but it's of me using the flat screwdriver to pry the plastic bushing and the lever thingy off the rod. Actually a nifty little clip. The lever part has to be back against the flat part of the clip, and then the clip will slip over the end of the rod. So pry on the plastic, not the metal lever thing.


On this door, Chevy actually went and put a nice sized access cover to get at the back side of the handle. Remove four Philips screws and voila, lotsa room! (Pic shows new handle already installed.)


Most likely you'll need the nuts that were on the previous studs, which you drilled off, and are now laying somewhere in the bottom of the door. So on the inside of the door, remove two screws on the bottom, and the (I think) five screws along the left side of the door. Also, here's where you use the Torx driver: you have to remove the window clamp from the door. (Three Torx T-27 screws.)


Also, use a flat screwdriver and carefully pry the speaker cover off. Of course this is easiest if you start from the right side. There should be a clip to release (simply by prying the cover away from the door) fairly close to each corner.

Then there's a snap clip in the lower left corner of the door trim that easily pops out when you pull the door trim away from the door. The main cover (already missing in the above pic) may just fall out, or there might be a clip to snap out of the door body at the upper center of the cover. Then remove the cover, and look for your nuts. Should be two of 'em somewhere in there. (At least for the guys.) Haha, had to say it!

Once you find the nuts, spin 'em off the remains of the bolts, and you're ready to install the new handle! This part I don't have pictures of cuz I kinda needed two hands to do it, and I can explain it fairly well anyway. So here goes:

Grab that new handle, orient it the right way, and snap the rod end into the clip. Now hold the handle in the "open" position so you can fit that lever thingy through the hole at the same time as you're lining up and inserting the bolts through their holes. Once it's seated in place, spin the nuts on from the access opening, and use the 10mm socket on the ratchet to tighten them.

You can test the handle to make sure it'll work before you reassemble the door. Simply push the latch (what actually holds the door closed) down two clicks, and then pull the handle. If it doesn't pop back up, make sure that you didn't accidentally lock the door, and try again. If it still doesn't work, well, I dunno. I didn't have that problem! :D

If it works, go ahead and do a double check by actually closing and reopening the door. If that worked, you're good to go! Simply reinstall all covers including the handle backside access cover (four screws), slip the main inside cover into place and screw the trim to the door (seven Philips screws, the two bigger ones go on the bottom), reinstall the window latch (three Torx screws), and, well, put away your tools.

I found that after this, the latch operates much smoother. There's absolutely no "catch" to it, and it works perfectly every time! Yes, I did spend a minute just standing at the back of the van opening and closing the door! Got a problem with that? :p

Also, seeing as this was a work van before, the bars that catch the doors at 90 degrees had been taken off the pins and then simply pushed into the doors. I found the one for the first door when I was doing this job, so I opened up the other door just to look for it. I have no need to swing the doors wide open, and I have been annoyed when the doors would swing around from the wind. So this is nice now!

Anyways, I hope this is helpful! There's alot of info here that you more experienced guys won't need, but I figured I'd give as much info as I could think of to make it easy for basically anyone.
 
#22 ·
Talk about deja-vu... Today I had the chance to break into the rear doors after the handle mechanism flew apart. I took my trusty 1" hole saw, and cut thru the plastic trim panel, and then thru the metal web that hides the passengers side door upper latch. I drilled in the corner of the window, just about where a door lock finger pull would normaly be located. The latch lever was high enough that I could get my finger onto it, and press down to unlatch the door. I think I'll look for a black rubber disk, like is on the front passenger doors used to cover the hole that gives access to the lower door handle mounting nut.

Keepin' on Truck'n

Bob

If any of you are wondering why there are no photos: Sorry, but I don't have the capability or technology for doing that kind of stuff.
 
#23 ·
my rear door is stiff as well. i usually push in on the door with the other hand to open the lever easily. withouy the push it seems as the handle will rip off. could our problems be from doors out of alignment??
 
#24 ·
Unfortunately, GM engineered all the hinges on these trucks to be nonadjustable. If you have a misalignment problem that a hinge rebuild will not fix, you gotta get a new bolt-in hinge assembly. It's in the book! Try cleaning the latches as best you can with a solvent, and plenty of shop air. Then shoot everything with a drying type of penetrating lubricant of your choice. do this with hinges, latches, levers, handles, locks... So far, It has worked well for me, 4 vans still in service and working everyday.

Bob
 
#25 ·
Seeing as replacing the handle fixed my stiff latch problem, I'm thinkin' that what causes the stiffness is the fact that the pivot pin on the handle is worn through and seizing up.

In this picture, the pin that snaps (and I think is seizing from being worn) is the shiny silver part at the bottom of the black triangle.


When new, this pin is greased, which is why it lasts a while, but then the grease gets pushed out eventually and the high stress wears and eventually snaps the pin.

Quite possibly, if a person made a habit of pushing the door closed while pulling the latch open, the handle would last much longer because of the lack of back-pressure on the latch putting stress on the pin as the handle is being used. If it's the right handle, and installed correctly (actually I can't see how it would be installed wrong :p ), the only stress on any of the handle/latch release assembly would be while the handle is being pulled to open the door.

Again, those are my thoughts.
 
#26 ·
Found this topic when researching to fix the rear door handle on my 2000 cargo with standard doors. Though I'd update it for anybody in a similar position.

Based on the thread so far I was ready for a nasty job ...but was pleasantly surprised.

New handle was $7, including shipping from ebay.
Only way to open the door was to unscrew the inside access panel on the door with the handle - about a 2 minute job on a cargo.
Pulled on the correct rod to pop the door open.
Used side access hole (the one that faces the other door when closed...has 6 screws IIRC) and needle nose to easily remove the rod from the handle assy. Removed one from lock as well just to get room.
Unbolt old handle, bolt in new handle, pop rods back where they go, screw panels back on, close doors, drive to 7-11 buy beer, open rear doors for storage. lols

Whole job took about 15 minutes tops. I'd post pics but the whole thing was over so fast that it's not really worth it. I guess GM learned something after building a gajillion of these things.
 
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