Door handle removal

[usatrade]

Hi,

I need to replace the right door panel on one of my Spiders. Unfortunately the door handle small retaining screw cannot be unscrewed due to the fact that the head is broken (it was not an allen head but a slotted head);
It is next to impossible to go there with an electrical drill to drill through that screw.
Does anyone has encountered this problem...and came up with a solution (other than cutting the handle with a disc grinder and install a new one) ?
Many thanks for the (good) solution.
Claude

[Tifosi]

Oh I feel your pain as I had it happen a couple times actually.

I was lucky enough to have half the slot remain during one occurence and managed to finagle it out with a fatter jewelers screwdriver, but had to chase the threads afterwards with a tap.

Another occasion saw the whole slot part dissapear and leave no trace.

Using another jewelers screwdriver and a set of vice grips to hold it, I treated it kinda like a impact driver. Apply a little twisting pressure against anything it would grab on the screw end, rap it with a hammer (not too hard mind you) then try to turn and repeat until the screw loosens enough that you can spin it out using the screwdriver in whatever little notch you (likely) created by tapping at it.

Note that the above is a time consuming process, but it will work with persistance.

Once they're out, do yourself a favor and head to the local hardware store and get some long allen set screws. (M6 1.0 IIRC)

Cut them to length and grind a taper onto the end like the screws have, spin them in with an allen wrench and never worry about that BS again.

[usatrade]

Hi
Thanks for sharing my pain(s). Unfortunately the screw is just about seized !
I am afraid the only answer so far is cutting through with my disc grinder :-((
I have a Dremmel like drill but it is not powerful enough to drill through.
Claude

[SpiderWebb]

Is it this nut that is seized?

[usatrade]

Hi
No, no. it is the screw which holds the door handle onto the shaft coming out through the door panel...unfortunately

[SpiderWebb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by usatrade Hi No, no. it is the screw which holds the door handle onto the shaft coming out through the door panel...unfortunately

[usatrade]

Hi Spiderweb,
I do have a replacement handle but it drives me banana just with the idea of destroying that handle. But I guess it will be the only issue.
So I will put on my protective googles and spin at 12k RPm my grinder and go through the metal !
Claude

[Tifosi]

Oh, wait........ Duh, DOOR handle, not WINDOW CRANK handle. LOL


Time to point and laugh at the goofy ****er

[SpiderWebb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tifosi Oh, wait........ Duh, DOOR handle, not WINDOW CRANK handle. LOL Time to point and laugh at the goofy ****er

[Tifosi]

ROFLMAO

usatrade, just knock the hinges apart and replace the door itself.

That'll cover all the bases by golly !

[SpiderWebb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tifosi ROFLMAO usatrade, just knock the hinges apart and replace the door itself. That'll cover all the bases by golly !

[vf31rhill]

I had the same problem with my passengesr side inside door handle. I drilled off the head of the screw and removed the handle. This left about 1/4 inch of cut off screw shaft projecting out of the handle shaft. I was able to get a secure grip with a new pair of expensive "Vice Grip" brand vice grips (not a cheap knock off brand) By alternately loosening and tightening the stub I was finally able to screw it out. The problem was that previous person (unknown) had installed a too long screw which bottomed out and began to mushroom at the bottom of the tapped hole.
I then removed the handle screw from the drivers side and went to Home Depot and bought 3 similiar metric screws in a package. I don't have the Home Depot part number but can go get it if you need it. These 3 screws were also too long, about 1/4 of an inch. I used English standard electrical stripping plyers which also have crimping nose and tapped holes to cut off screws to desired length. One of the SAE tapped holes was close enough to metric that I could screw the screws in and cut to correct length. Cut off about 1/4 of an inch. I replaced the screws in both handles with these new phillips headed custom screws. Did not take that long and cost was less than $1.00. Still have one extra screw left for the future. I already had the new vice grips from a previous, non Alfa related, project.
Robert

[usatrade]

Hi vf31rhill
How did you get your drill to fit there ? i just went to harbor freight to get a small flexible shaft and I am going to try the drilling this afternoon on the inside door handle not THE WINDOW CRANK (for those who could not read properly :-)) (Didn't I say that I had to replace the door panel in my thread ? didn't I say door handle ?)
Will keep you posted with the smooth driller or the mad disc cutter
Claude

[usatrade]

To Spiderweb
I tried the radiator cap bit but the engine is still overheating. Perhaps the cap should be replaced too and that becomes expensive now.
To Tifosi
I have been considering your solution too but those hinges are complicated to unbolt and I am afraid to hurt my hands doing so.
Claude

[usatrade]

To all of you who like a good laugh here is a good one:

This guy is constantly on the BB and his girlfriend is getting a bit upset about this. he is neglecting her. So she wants to get back his attention and wonders what to do about it.
She has some tattoos on her boobs and her boyfriend likes them.
So she has an idea, how about tatoos on her buttocks.
So she goes to a tattoe parlour and ask the guy what could she do to attract his attention. after a few ,inutes of talking to the guy she tells himm that her boyfriend is constantly on the BB.
the tattoe guy says i have a bright idea, let me look at your famous BB and i will use same colour and same lettering to tattoe on be B on each side of your best part.
So he does.
the girl is super happy and super excited about this and want to show this to her boyfriend secretely hoping he will put his hands on teh new BB away from the keyboard and the screen.
So she runs back home and tell her boy friend : come quick darling I have something to show you and I know you're going to love it.
And there she goes, she shows him her brand new tattoes.
the boyfriends looks at it and saay:
Oh yeah, who is BOB ?