Results 1 to 17 of 17

Thread: Very little resistance pulling drivers door handle

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    U S A
    Posts
    1,079
    My Cars
    yay

    Very little resistance pulling drivers door handle

    Hey All,

    Did a search but results didn't really speak to my symptoms.

    So I've got my door panel off, and before I put it back on, I've got a bad feeling there's something going wrong up in the door handle mechanism.

    Symptoms are as follows:

    - very little resistance pulling handle up outside car
    - only unlatches at the very tip top of travel

    I tried snaking a camera up there but it's just impossible to see anything.

    Anybody experience this before?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    People's Republic of MD
    Posts
    2,291
    My Cars
    22 doors and 4 tops
    Your handle frame is fractured. This is very common from people using the handle to open the door, vs a door jamb, window etc + 20 years of service. The handles are made of this cheap ass pot metal and are very thin. The metal fractures, allowing flex in the frame causing additional pull to open (if your lucky) You will not see the fracture with a camera as the exterior cover is held on by a metal push rod that will obscure your view. Once this happens, your only recourse is to replace the handle. You can swap your key/tumbler into the replacement handle. There was a major change in handles in 95ish? The tumblers completely changed. You want the same version as what you currently have. I have good handles if you need one and more than likely way cheaper than ebay.
    PM me if you want any additional information.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    U S A
    Posts
    1,079
    My Cars
    yay
    Dang, confirming my fears. It just looks like one of those jobs that's a royal pain.

    Ok.

    Adding the handle to my to-do list. I read they updated the structure with some reinforcement along the way. But I have a '92 so I wonder if they ever bothered updating the parts for it...Probably not.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Long Island, NY
    Posts
    8,167
    My Cars
    97 M3 & 13 Rav4
    Quote Originally Posted by xxxxxxx View Post
    Dang, confirming my fears. It just looks like one of those jobs that's a royal pain.

    Ok.

    Adding the handle to my to-do list. I read they updated the structure with some reinforcement along the way. But I have a '92 so I wonder if they ever bothered updating the parts for it...Probably not.
    I think they updated them way after the fact. My 97 had the same issues. New outter handles on both sides now and new ones are reinforced or at least cast differently.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Vienna,VA
    Posts
    37
    My Cars
    1995 BMW M3
    Go on whatever diet makes your forearms the size of a newborn infants in diameter, or get used to skin chaffing pain. No fun at all...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    1,498
    My Cars
    E21 323i, E36 M3
    Quote Originally Posted by LockDots View Post
    I think they updated them way after the fact. My 97 had the same issues. New outter handles on both sides now and new ones are reinforced or at least cast differently.
    Are they? I got a new driver's door handle for my 98 and it looked exactly the same other than not being broken in several locations. I also realized all of my other e36's probably had partially broken door handles since they felt very loose compared to the new one.


  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Long Island, NY
    Posts
    8,167
    My Cars
    97 M3 & 13 Rav4
    Quote Originally Posted by hotdish View Post
    Are they? I got a new driver's door handle for my 98 and it looked exactly the same other than not being broken in several locations. I also realized all of my other e36's probably had partially broken door handles since they felt very loose compared to the new one.
    I'll see if I can dig up an old picture pretty sure I took one of the two side-by-side. I remember looking at the top edge of where the old one cracked and it looking a little sturdier on the new one.

    Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    9,079
    My Cars
    1997 328i
    JB weld??

    I'd like to see the comparison pic! Use the bimmerforums file host that way it doesn't disappear a year or two down the line.
    Attn. NEWBIES: Use the search feature, 98% has already been discussed.
    Click the search button, select "search single content type", select the "e36 sub forum" specifically, try the "search titles" then try the "search entire posts".

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    sunnyvale CA
    Posts
    1,589
    My Cars
    325is
    Too bad the DIY section lost the instruction and the photos of a door swap with re key process.

    Here is what I still have from my ~2009 door install on a 95 IS

    1, 3 ) Broken driver side
    2) New design 2% more metal
    4) Old key lock must swap wafers inside to new lock for same key use
    5) new Key lock design
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by gc325is; 12-14-2018 at 12:53 PM.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    U S A
    Posts
    1,079
    My Cars
    yay
    I think I am going to get a new one and fill the voids with JB weld to increase its strength.

    Question: I have painted door handles... Is it possible to move the handle itself to the new assembly?
    Last edited by xxxxxxx; 12-13-2018 at 09:38 PM.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    9,079
    My Cars
    1997 328i
    You should be able to swap them over.

    I wonder if my 10/96 build has the beefier design.

    - - - Updated - - -

    You might want to order a new plastic plug for the access hole on the latch side. Also a new grommet or bushing for the metal rod that connects the tumbler to the lock solenoid. The bushing on mine was damaged and caused troubled.
    Attn. NEWBIES: Use the search feature, 98% has already been discussed.
    Click the search button, select "search single content type", select the "e36 sub forum" specifically, try the "search titles" then try the "search entire posts".

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    People's Republic of MD
    Posts
    2,291
    My Cars
    22 doors and 4 tops
    Quote Originally Posted by gc325is View Post
    Too bad the DIY section lost the instruction and the photos of a door swap with re key process.

    Here is what I still have from my ~2005 door install

    1, 3 ) Broken driver side
    2) New design 2% more metal
    4) Old key lock must swap wafers inside to new lock for same key use
    5) new Key lock design
    FYI, picture #4 is the early locks and picture #5 is the later. You can tell by the tumbler size. You cannot stick an early tumbler in the later lock and vice versa.
    This change over happened in 95ish I seem to recall.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    sunnyvale CA
    Posts
    1,589
    My Cars
    325is
    Yes there was a lock change. I have a 1995 which was also the old lock cylinder style. You can see the upper right a cotter type pin holding the lock on vs the new slug style. Both lock styles are not interchangeable within the handles so you must swap the lock wafers which are interchangeable. Or bring to a lock smith but the process is not hard just need to be careful with lots of small parts.




    Hints from what I recall

    2 door are harder to swap than 4 doors.
    Some people say 3 hours are needed I say 1st time will be more. Especially since you will probably be repairing other items.
    Buy new lock trim, door trim as you see fit. I also repaired the window sliders and the door cards at the same time. Re glued the speaker trim realigned the window swap the lock wafers. You can also do door latch repairs to if needed. It was over 6 hours in a 2 day spread for glue to dry.

    Find a video on how to release the handle trim, no it does not pull off you release it from behind thru a special hole.
    Watch a partial window removal video on 2 doors cars because I could not get the handle out without it.
    watch Door locks, wafer removal if you want to rekey it yourself.




    I found an old link to the DIY

    https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...eplacement-DIY


    Last edited by gc325is; 12-14-2018 at 12:52 PM.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    1,498
    My Cars
    E21 323i, E36 M3
    Quote Originally Posted by Eric93se View Post
    I wonder if my 10/96 build has the beefier design.
    Last time I checked realOEM, it looked like the changeover on the different part numbers was done by mid 96


  15. #15
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    U S A
    Posts
    1,079
    My Cars
    yay
    Hm.

    So let me see if I have this right.

    It's possible to use the later-style (96+) handle assembly on an early e36 (1992 for example).

    I just need to swap the wafers from my old assembly.

    Is that right?
    Last edited by xxxxxxx; 12-14-2018 at 11:35 PM.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    sunnyvale CA
    Posts
    1,589
    My Cars
    325is
    Yes I swap the old 1995 key wafers into the newer ~1997 style to match the rest of the locks. Took ~ 15 min but you need both keys and cylinder for each lock and a punch ( nail set works too with pliers) too pull the cylinder out. The shapes are different but the wafers are inter changeable. Just need to pull each one out of one and swap in the same order. Lots of wafer and lots of small springs so work at a clean area. Pre check if the key can be reinserted with no pin exposed = easy replacement of the cylinder.


    Once out the cylinder can be rekeyed with different wafers


    No key makes it harder to remove. A good lock smith can also fix things if you mess up and lose things.

    FYI: I bought a new handle in 2010 was it still the 1997 version or another improved style since I hear 97 cars break also?
    Last edited by gc325is; 12-15-2018 at 02:47 PM.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    People's Republic of MD
    Posts
    2,291
    My Cars
    22 doors and 4 tops
    GC,
    That's great info about the waffle swapping ability. Did not know that myself.

    XXXX
    I have both early and late assemblies if needed.

Similar Threads

  1. WTB - Driver Door Handle E34
    By xwinterhalox in forum BMW Parts Wanted
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 02-20-2005, 11:14 PM
  2. E36 sedan Front outside drivers door handle
    By Craigkos in forum BMW Parts For Sale
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 02-06-2005, 05:54 AM
  3. WTB exterior driver door handle
    By cS in forum BMW Parts Wanted
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 12-31-2004, 08:47 PM
  4. Need Drivers Door Handle Trim Asap !!!!
    By neiche in forum BMW Parts For Sale
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 09-23-2003, 09:57 AM
  5. WTB: E36 4dr drivers door handle trim.
    By neiche in forum BMW Parts Wanted
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 09-22-2003, 09:17 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •