On Jul 10, 8:35 pm, "Perry Noid" <nob...@home.com> wrote:
> the car: '89240wagon
> the problem: The outside handle on the drivers door is getting a little
> "loose". That is, there more play in it than in the others. I checked inside
> the door, and it doesn't seem to be in the linkage, so I'm guessing that
> over the years, the metal in the hinge of the handle has just worn away
> slowly.
>
> Of course, the other 3 door handles are still pretty firm, since they don't
> get anywhere near the use that the driver door gets. I was wondering if the
> handle mechanism for the two left-side doors would be the same? That is,
> could I swap the left rear handle to the left front, and get a few more
> years out of it?
>
> parrot33 at hotmail dot com

One day recently, I pulled the driver's door handle on my '90 240 DL
and it came right off in my hand. I had to go around to the passenger
side to open the driver's door. Here's how I fixed the problem in
about 45 minutes.

The handle is held in by 2 retaining screws. Mine had fallen out and
were lying in the bottom of the door. Sounds like yours are just
loose.

Safety step 1: disconnect your negative battery cable.

To remove the door panel, start by removing the handle, window cranks
(if applicable) and door pocket screws. The handle screws will likely
be found behind a plastic plug. If you have crank windows, there's a
screw in the "axle" of the crank, behind a small plastic door. For
power windows, you'll need to remove the button assembly (it slides
out sideways), after you have removed the handle and disconnected any
wiring plug(s). Once screws are removed from the bottom of the door
handle, the top is removed by rotating the entire door handle counter-
clockwise 90 degrees.

There are 3 plastic "screws" underneath the door pocket at the
bottom. Be careful with these, they break easily.

Once all handles and screws are removed, slide a screwdriver or putty
knife under the edge of the door panel and apply gentle presure
outward to "pop" loose the retaining clips. Repeat around both sides
and the bottom of the panel until it is free. Lift the panel straight
up to remove it from the top (near the window opening). Disconnect
any wiring clips, if applicable, and remove the door panel. Then peel
back the plastic film to access the inside.

Your handle retaining screws will be clearly visible and probably only
need tightened. Test it before you put everything back together.

Reassembly:
Replace plastic film
Plug-in any door-lock wires and push power window plug (if applicable)
throught the opening in the panel
hang panel from the top of the door
push in along the sides and bottom until each clip "pops" back-in
replace black plastic screws at bottom of door-pocket
For power windows insert button assembly
insert top of door handle and rotate clock-wise 90 degrees until screw
holes align.
Plug-in window switch
Replace door handle screws and plugs.
For manual windows, replace crank handle
Re-attach battery cable

All done!

<vicjagger@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1184944811.537237.4880@n2g2000hse.googlegroup s.com...
> On Jul 10, 8:35 pm, "Perry Noid" <nob...@home.com> wrote:
>> the car: '89240wagon
>> the problem: The outside handle on the drivers door is getting a little
>> "loose". That is, there more play in it than in the others. I checked
>> inside
>> the door, and it doesn't seem to be in the linkage, so I'm guessing that
>> over the years, the metal in the hinge of the handle has just worn away
>> slowly.
>>
>> Of course, the other 3 door handles are still pretty firm, since they
>> don't
>> get anywhere near the use that the driver door gets. I was wondering if
>> the
>> handle mechanism for the two left-side doors would be the same? That is,
>> could I swap the left rear handle to the left front, and get a few more
>> years out of it?
>>
>> parrot33 at hotmail dot com
>
> One day recently, I pulled the driver's door handle on my '90 240 DL
> and it came right off in my hand. I had to go around to the passenger
> side to open the driver's door. Here's how I fixed the problem in
> about 45 minutes.
>
> The handle is held in by 2 retaining screws. Mine had fallen out and
> were lying in the bottom of the door. Sounds like yours are just
> loose.
>
> Safety step 1: disconnect your negative battery cable.
>


Disconnect the battery cable? To fix a door handle? Why? I would think it
more risky to fiddle with the battery than to just leave it alone, of course
either option is probably less risky than walking down the stairs to go out
the front door of the house.