I recently undertook removal of my driver’s outside door handle for repair purposes.
http://www.rangerovers.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18325
Due to woefully inadequate directions provided in the RAVE CD or the Factory Workshop Manual, I ended up breaking the door handle lock mechanism in the process. The major problem is disconnecting the connecting rod for the lock mechanism at the door handle side. There is a clip holding the rod to the door lock tumbler mechanism, which is difficult, if not impossible, to release from inside the door. Trying to pry with a screwdriver simply broke off the arm on the lock tumbler.
Here is the broken arm.
This post describes how to remove the door handle without breaking it. My Range Rover is a 2001 model. I’m not familiar with earlier P38 models, so maybe the instructions in the workshop manual ring true for earlier years. I know however, that a 1997 owner had the same problem I had and also broke the same part.
The workshop manual instructions are fine for removing the door panel and getting access to the inside of the door. I’ll just mention the usual cautions about releasing the door panel clips. Pry carefully on the door panel close to the clips. A plastic wedge tool is helpful to get the first couple released until you can easily work your fingers between the panel and the door.
At this point, the workshop manual says to remove the door lock rod by releasing a clip at the latch side and then simply removing the control rod from the latch and door handle ends. This is baloney. There is no clip to release at the latch end, and the clip at the door handle end is, as I said, impossible to release from inside the door.
Instead do this:
1. Begin by removing the door opening connecting rod. Release the red clip as shown below and pull the latch side of the lever out of the clip. With the latch side loose, you can then remove the connecting rod from the door by working it off the lever arm of the door handle. It’s held to the door handle by a kink in the rod. You’ll see. The length of this rod can be adjusted by turning the latch-side connector up and down the threaded shaft. You may or may not want to adjust it when reassembling the mechanism.
Here is the top of the rods at the door handle. Remove the door opening rod first, then tackle the lock connecting rod as described below.
2. Remove the bolt securing the door handle. It’s a T-25 torx.
3. Here is the trick. Do not try to remove the door lock rod from inside the door. Partially pull out the door handle and release the door lock rod from outside the door. You must slide the handle toward the front of the vehicle about 1/4 inch, then work the rear portion of the handle (the lock end) out of the door. The best way to do this is to hold the lock end against the door and pull the handle as if you were opening the door. This rotates the pivot arm down and out of the way, and you can easily pull the lock end of the handle out. Now you can tackle the clip holding the door lock rod.
First, here is the nature of the beast. This is the clip that you need to remove. Note that this picture is not relevant to the removal process. It is actually my broken off tumbler arm stuck on the lock rod temporarily. I just wanted to show what the clip looks like.
Here is a pic of the lock rod still attached. You can just see the clip. Do whatever it takes to remove the rod. You need to pry the clip open and pull the rod out at the same time (three-handed job). You still need to be careful not to break the lock tumbler arm. It is cast aluminum and not very strong.
And, finally, this is after lock rod removal. This full shot shows how the door handle is pulled out of the door while you remove the lock rod.
4. Remove the forward portion of the door handle from the door. Done.
5. Reinstall in the reverse order. Connect the lock rod while the rear section of the door handle is still outside the door.
Hope this is helpful.
Brett
http://www.rangerovers.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18325
Due to woefully inadequate directions provided in the RAVE CD or the Factory Workshop Manual, I ended up breaking the door handle lock mechanism in the process. The major problem is disconnecting the connecting rod for the lock mechanism at the door handle side. There is a clip holding the rod to the door lock tumbler mechanism, which is difficult, if not impossible, to release from inside the door. Trying to pry with a screwdriver simply broke off the arm on the lock tumbler.
Here is the broken arm.
This post describes how to remove the door handle without breaking it. My Range Rover is a 2001 model. I’m not familiar with earlier P38 models, so maybe the instructions in the workshop manual ring true for earlier years. I know however, that a 1997 owner had the same problem I had and also broke the same part.
The workshop manual instructions are fine for removing the door panel and getting access to the inside of the door. I’ll just mention the usual cautions about releasing the door panel clips. Pry carefully on the door panel close to the clips. A plastic wedge tool is helpful to get the first couple released until you can easily work your fingers between the panel and the door.
At this point, the workshop manual says to remove the door lock rod by releasing a clip at the latch side and then simply removing the control rod from the latch and door handle ends. This is baloney. There is no clip to release at the latch end, and the clip at the door handle end is, as I said, impossible to release from inside the door.
Instead do this:
1. Begin by removing the door opening connecting rod. Release the red clip as shown below and pull the latch side of the lever out of the clip. With the latch side loose, you can then remove the connecting rod from the door by working it off the lever arm of the door handle. It’s held to the door handle by a kink in the rod. You’ll see. The length of this rod can be adjusted by turning the latch-side connector up and down the threaded shaft. You may or may not want to adjust it when reassembling the mechanism.
Here is the top of the rods at the door handle. Remove the door opening rod first, then tackle the lock connecting rod as described below.
2. Remove the bolt securing the door handle. It’s a T-25 torx.
3. Here is the trick. Do not try to remove the door lock rod from inside the door. Partially pull out the door handle and release the door lock rod from outside the door. You must slide the handle toward the front of the vehicle about 1/4 inch, then work the rear portion of the handle (the lock end) out of the door. The best way to do this is to hold the lock end against the door and pull the handle as if you were opening the door. This rotates the pivot arm down and out of the way, and you can easily pull the lock end of the handle out. Now you can tackle the clip holding the door lock rod.
First, here is the nature of the beast. This is the clip that you need to remove. Note that this picture is not relevant to the removal process. It is actually my broken off tumbler arm stuck on the lock rod temporarily. I just wanted to show what the clip looks like.
Here is a pic of the lock rod still attached. You can just see the clip. Do whatever it takes to remove the rod. You need to pry the clip open and pull the rod out at the same time (three-handed job). You still need to be careful not to break the lock tumbler arm. It is cast aluminum and not very strong.
And, finally, this is after lock rod removal. This full shot shows how the door handle is pulled out of the door while you remove the lock rod.
4. Remove the forward portion of the door handle from the door. Done.
5. Reinstall in the reverse order. Connect the lock rod while the rear section of the door handle is still outside the door.
Hope this is helpful.
Brett