S4 Exterior Door Handle Nut - Any great ideas?

PostPost by: pharriso » Wed Apr 05, 2017 10:07 am

My Passenger side outside door handle is slightly loose, anyone find a good way to get to tighten the nut up?

I'm talking about this one:
inkedwilmotbreedon_extdoorhandle_li.jpg and


I had the inner door trim off to do another job, looks like no way to get onto the nut with the door handle itself very tight to the nut.
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PostPost by: RogerFrench » Wed Apr 05, 2017 10:33 am

You might try asking on the Europa forum, it's the same as fitted to my TC and I'd be curious to know the answer.
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PostPost by: foxoles » Thu Apr 06, 2017 8:41 am

IIRC when I restored my Europa Special - very small turns of an open ended spanner, or, I found a pressed metal ring spanner (very cheap manufacture) and ground down the edge to fit, but, again very small turns - takes forever.
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PostPost by: nmauduit » Thu Apr 06, 2017 9:02 am

These nuts have to be done one way or the other (probably only one way though), that is how the handle holds on to the door... having a magnet at the end of a flexible holder may be of use to recover lost nuts (or washers).

removing the window assembly would offer a bit more room, but where would be the challenge then?

to be done on a good day, without too much coffee (or tea) maybe...
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PostPost by: William2 » Thu Apr 13, 2017 4:04 pm

From memory I think I managed to get a small 1/4" drive ratchet socket in there.
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PostPost by: Sea Ranch » Tue Apr 18, 2017 1:07 am

Interesting that your S4 handle has a stud threaded into the handle at that point. My 1970 Plus 2S has what look to be identical handles but mine use a machine screw through the fibreglass and into the back of the handle. On the Plus 2, there is no access problem created by the window mechanism, but I was wondering if you might find it easier on you S4 to remove the stud and use a screw instead ?

Just a thought . . . Regards,

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PostPost by: Spyder fan » Tue Apr 18, 2017 6:48 am

Phil,
this sort of 1/4 drive socket set is cheap enough to grind down to make fit http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CT0753-Qualit ... SwNgxWEpbN


Image

I seem to recall that the advice is to tighten half a turn over hand tight ( assuming the thread is clean) or risk regret every time you look at the star cracks.
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PostPost by: DJ908 » Tue Apr 18, 2017 10:11 pm

The same door handles are fitted to some of the other British Leyland cars of that era, notably the Triumph and Jaguar saloons. I use a 5/16 tube socket to fit the nut. A 1/4 drive tube socket, such as one shown in the previous post, should just slide up past the door actuating mechanism fitted to the back/inner part, of the door handle itself. There should be a plain washer and a star washer under the nut.

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