Door or Window crank handle removal 160A, B, C late 68B & 68C & others

[160B]

I received the below PM from brianpharmd, and rather than send him an answer I thought I would post it as a new thread for others to share.

Originally Posted by brianpharmd

Hello 160B,

I have a 31 S/W 160B as well. I need to remove the door panels for the front doors in order to get to the door latch mechanisms. Since your user name is 160B and you have posted on several S/W threads, I thought I would reach out to you with a couple of questions.

1. Do you have any tricks or special tools that are needed to remove the window and door handle on the inside of the car?
2. My driver side window has about 90 degrees of slop before it engages (either raising or lowering the window). Since I need to take off the driver side door panel what do I need to be looking for in order to fix this slop?

Thanks,

Brian

I can help with the door and window crank handle removal. Maybe some one else can answer the window regulator slop.

I made a tool out of hardwood that just fits over the door handle or window crank, see attached photo.

Sit in the car and put the hardwood over the handle or window crank and push the escutcheon plate back so you can remove the pin. The escutcheon plate holds the pin in place and you only have to push the escutcheon plate back the diameter of the pin, which is 1/8 inch. I have done it by myself with the door closed and sitting in the car, so you can put some force against the closed door. Also it helps to have a pair of needle nose pliers to remove the pin. Some times it drops out, some times it takes a gentle push and then grab it with the needle nose pliers.

Note that the handle has two holes 90 degree apart for the pin, so the pin could be in either hole.

If you had someone to help he could hold the door while you push on the hardwood tool and push the escutcheon plate.
see the below photos.

hope this helps

[Oldbluoval]

The window crank issue could be several things
But likely its wear inside the winder cup assembly.
If that happens the glass usually creeps up and down.
Parts are available but pricy. Also could be the gear on the base of
The winder stem has broken and rotates freely inside the assembly
Again parts available but some of the repo parts are not
Fully interchangeable with original parts

[duke36]

Just went thru this and to add to posts, the little pins (if not correct profiles) can hang up inside the escutcheons. I had to cut off one escutcheon with wire cutter and replace it (cheap from the vendors though not orig.nickel). Also, the springs behind the panel if originals, should push fairly easily. The repros are too stiff and need to be cut down somewhat. The flared end goes against the uphols. panel. While at it with panel off, check the door locking spring action on drivers door. Hopefully it is OK.

[Y-Blockhead]

There is a tool available for removing the pins. It worked great on removing the door handles on my Town Sedan.

While not cheap it does work well and I have not seen it available any where else except MAC's. http://www.macsautoparts.com/ford_mo...oval-tool.html

If you're handy I don't think it would be hard to fab one.

[Y-Blockhead]

Here is the same tool on ebay with more views of the tool. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1932-48-Ford...VYJPXF&vxp=mtr

[brianpharmd]

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Thanks 160B for starting the thread and posting the pictures. Do you happen to have the dimentions of the opening for your wooden jig? Seems easy enough to make from a scrap piece of wood laying around than the price for the specialized tool.

In relation to the windows - I am not aware of any creep either or down with the windows. Once I get the panels off I can provide some more detail and pictures. I just thought I would ask since the door latch issue is a common problem that perhaps the window issue was as well.

Thanks,

Brian

[160B]

Originally Posted by brianpharmd

.................. Do you happen to have the dimensions of the opening for your wooden jig? Seems easy enough to make from a scrap piece of wood laying around than the price for the specialized tool. ..................
Thanks,

Brian

here is a photo

[brianpharmd]

Thanks 160B for the jig measurements. I was able to build one and get three of the four escutcheons. The fourth on the passenger side door had the pin hang up inside. I had to cut the escutcheon off in order to get the pin out. Otherwise, no issues. I was able to get the door latches out once I figured out how the glass came out. That was rough but got it out. I think I am going to leave the window regulators alone. They seem even more difficult to get out.

I would like to add some soundproofing to these doors since I am down to the skin. Any suggestions on what has been used in the past? I may expand to the cowls, rear doors and the other body panels I can get to without pulling out roofing or otherwise material sections. There is no sound proofing at all in this car.

Thanks,

Brian

[duke36]

Sorry you had to cut off the escut. the pins shouldn't be longer than the shaft dim. My car had cut nails as pins that weren't dressed properly !
Have seen many (original) cars with something like a dried roofing mastic on the inside of outer door skins probably as a noise attenuator, given that water gets inside the doors.
Re: your window slop, perhaps check the "rollers" that slide in the lower window tracks for wear in addition to other suggestions. Should be more BARN posts on this subject.

[brianpharmd]

I ordered a new inside door handle escutcheon plate from Bert's. On their website, there are these springs:
A-47545 Escutcheon Spring- Behind Handle
http://parts.modelastore.com/show_Product.asp?ID=5240

Mine did not have them behind the escutcheons on either handles (door or window) for the front doors. Is this something that I should order? If so, I take it that the narrow end goes against the escutcheon and the wide end goes against the door panel. Any concern with the end of the spring digging into the cloth on the door panel?

Lastly, the wood grain window molding has 3 rubber washers on the underside where it mounts to the door molding insert. I take it I can replace them with the same ones used on the dash rail?

http://parts.modelastore.com/show_Product.asp?ID=4164

Thanks,

Brian

[Tom Wesenberg]

The springs are to be placed between the steel door panel and the upholstery panel.
This way it presses the door panel and escutcheon up to the handle.
The small end of the spring goes against the steel door panel.

[duke36]

the washers only go behind the dash rail; none on the side trim.
The wide end of the spring goes against the upholstery panel. May have to trim a little off the spring to reduce the stiffness.

[brianpharmd]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

The springs are to be placed between the steel door panel and the upholstery panel.
This way it presses the door panel and escutcheon up to the handle.
The small end of the spring goes against the steel door panel.

Tom,

Any tricks to keep the springs on the door latch posts while mounting the door panel? Or is the spring circumference small enough that they hold snug to the latch posts?

Thanks,

Brian

[brianpharmd]

Originally Posted by duke36

the washers only go behind the dash rail; none on the side trim.
The wide end of the spring goes against the upholstery panel. May have to trim a little off the spring to reduce the stiffness.

Duke36 -

I will remove the old washers then that are currently behind the side trim. Is there any anti-rattle/rubber that goes on any of the faux wood trim metal pieces when putting them back together in the doors?

Thanks

Brian

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by brianpharmd

Tom,

Any tricks to keep the springs on the door latch posts while mounting the door panel? Or is the spring circumference small enough that they hold snug to the latch posts?

Thanks,

Brian

I've only done a couple, but as I recall the spring will rest on the shaft while the panel is pushed into place. Maybe I used my fingers to help hold it.

[brianpharmd]

Since I have the door panels off I thought I'd take a look at the cowl panel to make sure everything is in order. I have a bad rattle in the passenger side cowl so I figured it had to do with the door check strap. It appears that the previous owner installed an improper strap and rubber check. I will need to replace it with a correct one. Any suggestions on how to get the pin that holds the strap onto the door out?

Any pictures of how the u-clips and retaining covers go on? Both front doors have incorrect straps leading to rattles and rubbing on the inside metal of the cowl panel.

Lastly, I see that Bert's has these door latch springs A-48536 that keep the inside door from rattling. I did not see them on the door handles when I took them off the other day. Any insight on how they are installed and are they effective?

Thanks,

Brian

[Tom Wesenberg]

It's been years since I worked on the metal door checks, but don't they just have a metal cup and rubber bumper that need to be moved to remove the retainer?

[brianpharmd]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

It's been years since I worked on the metal door checks, but don't they just have a metal cup and rubber bumper that need to be moved to remove the retainer?

Tom,

Here are a couple of pictures of the door checks on my car. This is the passenger side front door. As you can see, I don't think electrical tape/nail were the retainers of choice for these bumpers. I don't have anything to go on in the car since both front doors are the same.

Brian

[Tom Wesenberg]

Page 137 in the 2014 Bratton's catalog shows the door check parts. You slip on the rubber bumper, then the retaining cup, then the C clip. Then slide the cup over the C clip, and slide the rubber against the cup to keep it in place.

[duke36]

As to the springs, the panel can be attached partially on the sides and work your way up to the window sill, while carefully and very slightly bending panel and hold the spring wide side out towards panel and then push panel against it while pushing panel clips in near top sides. Some upholstery panel boards are thicker than others and make installing the escutcheons sometime difficult with repop springs..
Re; the door checks, the arms can rattle at the door clip. Sometimes crimping the clip or adding a pan head machine screw with nylock nut can compress the clip slightly to stop the rattle. The rubber back "plate" inside the cowl jamb has a slot which wears out and those should be replaced to keep the arm firmly positioned.