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Old 05-20-2011, 09:05 PM
J.Belknap's Avatar
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Redneck outside door handle fix

Tools/parts used:

4mm allen wrench
1/16" drill bit & drill
cotter pin slightly larger than 1/16"
wire snips
dremel sanding wheel & dremel
hammer

----------------
It seems over time the plastic "keyed" part of the painted door handle wears down. Here's a pic of the front part of the worn front driver's side and no-so-worn front part of the rear driver's side handle.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5/IMG_1518.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5/IMG_1522.jpg

To remove the outer door handle pop off the center plastic cap, then pop off the plastic ring on the door jam area

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5/IMG_1538.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5/IMG_1539.jpg

Unscrew the 4mm allen bolt enough to release lock mechanism (DOESN'T NEED TO COME OUT, JUST UNSCREW ENOUGH SO THAT YOU CAN SLIDE OUT THE LOCK MECHANISM)

Slide out the small painted part/lock mechanism. (This might be a bitch, but once the allen screw's threads are all the way out, the small painted part/lock mechanism will slide straight out.

Now, while holding the door handle OPEN, unscrew the 8mm nut holding the outer door handle. Push out the bolt.

Here's the tricky part, (BE CAREFUL NOT TO SCRATCH YOUR DOOR) you must hold the handle OPEN as if you were opening the door, and ROTATE the handle CLOCKWISE from 3:00 to about 5:00 to allow the front part of the door handle to "un-key" and slide out. Again, hold the carrier out (as if you were opening the door) as you do this rotation of the outer door handle.

The handle should now be free in your hand.

I found a 1/16" drill bit (broken, but worked for me), and cotter pin that was SLIGHTLY BIGGER. I don't know what size the cotter pin was that I used, as it was in a parts bin. It's slightly bigger than 1/16" as it was a "firm" press fit.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5/IMG_1541.jpg

Note where the old plastic "key" was ALIGNED and the DEPTH of the "key".
Drill hole.
Clip off straight section of pin.
Press/hammer pin in.
Clip off waste (WHILE LEAVING A LITTLE EXCESS)
Dremel/file down pin to exact fit

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5/IMG_1524.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5/IMG_1529.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5/IMG_1530.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5/IMG_1535.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5/IMG_1537.jpg

As you can see.... there's not much left at the "exact fit" point.

When you go to slide the handle back into the "keyhole" the carrier must be raised as if you were opening the door, or else it will not reach. This is going to suck for the fingers, but just do your best to grab onto the rear part of the carrier to bring the front part "keyhole" closer to the door handle, for "insertion" testing.

Take a little material away at a time on the pin, as you can see not much is left at the point where the front part of the outer handle can now slide freely back into the keyhole. You don't want too much pin, as you can't just jam it in there, it must slide in freely at 5:00, then rotate the handle counterclockwise back to 3:00, and reassemble.

Hope it helps,

- J
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Last edited by J.Belknap; 05-20-2011 at 09:16 PM.
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Old 05-20-2011, 10:27 PM
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I've honestly never seen that particular failure before... usually the hinge point of the carrier breaks. Good work with the fix though, necessity is the mother of invention!
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Old 05-20-2011, 10:36 PM
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Thanks bud. My local BMW guru said the same thing as you, first time seeing that failure. I'm on fresh carriers, so perhaps that accelerated it. I wondered for the longest time why there was "slop" in the front part of the outer door handle not springing back tight against the body.... turns out it was the plastic "key" wearing down in "depth".

Looking back on it, (and I still may disassemble again to do this myself) I think I'd recommend a "drop" of oil on each end of the pin, to ease the now metal/metal engagement.
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Old 05-21-2011, 07:46 AM
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If not a drop of oil a smear of grease or something. Can't hurt really.
__________________
"When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all" (Bender, futurama)

You make something idiotproof, they'll make a better idiot


You think professional is expensive, just wait until you pay for amateur.

Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right.

Examine what is said, not who speaks.

X5 pics

RIP 4.6is.....

2003 4.6is
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