Broken Outside Door Handle Fix

[ronh95]

Our '05 X5 driver side rear door wouldn't open from the outside, so I obtained the OEM part from my local dealer (Crevier). I found the original part in good shape with no wear or frame breakage, so the cable must have stretched just enough to prevent it from unlatching.

I have spent the last two days trying to get the rear hole in the carrier to line up with the threaded hole in the fake lock cylinder and it's just not happening. When you tighten the front screw, the rear of the carrier frame deflects towards the inside of the door, about an 1/8". This is making it imposssible to get the lock cyclinder piece to go in far enough for the two tabs in the upper and lower tracks of the frame bore to engage with the detents in the 'lock' cylinder itself. Until those detents line up, and allowing the the lock cylinder piece to move towards the front of the car, that hex bolt will never line up. I've tried pulling out with the handle and pushing the frame from inside the door, but it defies me.

I have tried not tightening the front screw as much to allow it to come closer at the rear, but it's like the carrier frame is standing at the wrong angle. The top edge of the lock cylinder piece hits the rubber trim gasket well before the lower edge does. I am wits end with this thing. I've done a lot of heavy wrenching on this car in the 10 years we've had it, but nothing has been more frustrating than this poorly designed door carrier. The only options for adjustment of the carrier while still keeping the front screw in its slot and the square rear mounting tab with the hole for the hex bolt aligned vertically, appears to be fore and aft. No amount of fore aft movement reduces the tendency of the frame to deflect when you tighten that front screw. I'm about to get out the Dremel to take som material off the side of the from that contacts the inside of rather door. The worst part is, I've torn up the roller shade portion of the door panel trying to get the panel off (!$&@! Screw hidden behind the bottom of the vertical shade case) AND managed to scratch the pristine door paint while trying to single hand the screwdriver in that front screw. Arghhh!

Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to describe what I'd attempted in detail before soliciting your help. Any advice on how to get the hex screw lined up on a rear door carrier would be greatly appreciated. Talk me off the ledge! =)

P.S. I love the excellent Bav Auto how to video, but it shows zero deflection when he tightens that from screw. The rear mounting boss just sits there perfectly aligned flush with the door surface. Not my reality at all!

Thanks all!