Door Panel Removal

[CharlieV]

So apparently whatever moron had the Puff before the guy I bought it from purposely disconnected every single handle and lock with the exception of the interior doorhandles on the two front doors. Why this was done is faaaarrr beyond me. Since mine is a cargo van, the barn doors and the side door were a piece of cake to make work again. Just a simple metal panel. The front two doors are not so easy. I had to take off the passenger side door panel once to see if I could reconnect the door handle (which worked for the rest of the day but never worked again), and the removal was fairly simple compared to past door panel experiences I've had, but the one thing that got on my nerves was that darn little metal horseshoe clip that holds on the window crank handle. I was planning on going outside later today to get the locks working on the front two doors, but I don't wanna get into another fight with that clip just yet. So my question is, what is the easiest way to get the clip off and on? I know that everyone on this side who has ever had to remove a door panel has run into this pesky little thing. Can anyone help?

[StanVan]

Wow. It's been too long since I had to deal with non-electric windows, so I'm not 100% sure, but there used to be a tool. With most vehicles going electric that tool might be difficult to find. Short of that, you could try some sort of a hook. And getting it back on is easy, as long as you have a rubber mallet. Put the clip in the handle, and because the shaft has a beveled end, a smack of the mallet will reinstall the handle. Good luck.

[CharlieV]

Getting it back on isn't as much of a problem as getting it off.

[Leeann_93]

A hook. Generally a clotheshanger works great.

Putting it back on is child's play...put it on the handle and push the handle on.

[tedanderson]

X2 on putting the clip on the handle first. That's why the stub is tapered. It will allow the clip to expand while the handle slides in place.

As far as getting the clip off, one thing that I do is bend a hook on the end of a straightened paperclip or I'll use a strand from a piece of Cat-5 cable and thread it through so that I have a good 6 inches or so on each side of the wire to yank it off. Before pulling it, I'll twist/braid the wire around the clip once it comes free, it will stay on the wire and it will not pop off and get lost.

[sadglad]

I bought one of these at the LAPS for about $10. One end removes the clip, the other inserts it. Worth it for as much as I visit junk yards. I've also done several exterior door handle replacements so the clip tool has been worth it for me.

[Jasen]

I take a shop rag, kinda slide it in and wrap it around, then a quick short pull and the clip is off and stays stuck in the rag more times then not.