Outer door handle

[winkeldc]

My wife recently bought a '90 4x4 in relatively decent shape. I have been trying to get the driver's side door lock working, the door wouldn't lock with the power locks or manually. The actuator is broken. I disconnected the actuator from the mounting bracket and I could lock the door, but then it wouldn't unlock manually. When I hold the handle rod up, the lock works perfectly so there needs to be tension on that rod and/or the exterior handle.

Is that tension provided by the actuator or is there a spring or clip that holds the rod or the exterior handle where it needs to be? With the actuator disconnected, the exterior handle is loose, but the interior works as expected. I have looked everywhere so I think I may need some help from those with more experience.

Second question. How do you remove the actuator? I have it disconnected from the mounting bracket, but I can't move it enough to get the top shepards crook removed from the plastic connection that ties the actuator into the rest of rod mechanism. Is there a trick to this?

 

[bronco2fan]

It's always useful if you post pics of what you're trying to remove.

I looked at the LMC catalog online and couldn't find the diagram anywhere. If the clip is one of those that slide over the rod and push on to what it's holding, you generally have to pull the clip part away from the rod and then it slides off. Does that make sense.

I'll look more in depth when I find my manual lol.

 

[winkeldc]

Here is a pic of the actuator I bought to replace the faulty one. That s shaped rod connects to the door lock mechanism and I can't get the old one off. I can't get a picture of that, but it feels like it runs through a plastic clip that connecrs the actuator to the rest of the lock/handle mechanism. I can't seem to angle it correctly.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IZ2Y06/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And thanks by the way! I haven't worked on older cars for a couple of decades, so I have forgotten more than I ever knew . . .

 

[bronco2fan]

Well if that's the correct part it looks like it's got a pin in it to hold it in. So the pin needs pushed out to disengage, in to lock down. For what it's worth, I've not seen or worked on that type before.

 

[winkeldc]

Thanks! Yeah, that has a pin. Turned out I spent 40 minutes trying to figure out how to avoid the five minute task of just pulling the entire latch assembly to replace the rod that connects the actuator to the latch assembly.

I still can't figure out how the handle rod is supposed to be connected to the handle, but I zip tied it tight so that now everything works. The handle doesn't fully return so i am assuming I am missing a spring or two and a new handle is in order, but for now it all works so . . .

Thanks again! I appreciate the help.