replacing outside door handle

[foxgap]

All,  what is the easiest way to replace the outside door handle on my 95 Legacy LS?  I had a door painted,  took the handle off that door and it was a real pain to get that 10 mm bolt out from behind the glass slide.  I thought I would try a different way to put it back on, but would not like to remove the glass and slide to do it.  Has anyone drilled a hole through the slide to get a 10mm socket through it?  Maybe open a hole big enough to get a swivel socket through the door sheet metal? 

I would have just changed the lock but the door handle is body colored and is in great condition.

 

Mark

[gbhrps]

foxgap,

 

I've wrenched on a lot of cars in 55 years, taken apart a lot of doors, window glass and door handles, and I'll bet it'll take you longer to drill the door panel, enlargen it and rust proof the raw edges, than it will to remove and swing the glass out of the way and possibly move the window channel out of the way.

[heartless]

mark where the glass sits in the channel to make reinstalling easier, remove it, drop the lift assembly out of the way and install your door handle. that is going to be the fastest and easiest way imho. not worth cutting into good metal and opening it up to rust formation.

[foxgap]

OK,  taking out the glass seems to be the way to do it.  I will find out today, raining like heck here so it is a good day to work in the garage.

[foxgap]

Well, I got the SOB's on.  Fought me all the way but the painted door is on.  The body colored handle is in place and all that needs to be done is get the door fitted properly.  That is the body man's job.....

 

Thanks again,   Mark

[Fairtax4me]

Have had to replace a couple of the clips that hold the latch rod on the door handle and they are a royal pain. I can get the back 10mm nut off but I don't bother to put it back. Doesn't make a huge difference and the lock cylinder is pretty well held in place by the funny little clip anyway.