Chevy & GMC Vans

now i need to change a door handle.

i can clearly see that the current one is rivited in, and i know that i'll have to drill them out. what i don't know is once it''s off, how will it "unclip". and how will i get behind it to bolt it on?

thanks!!!

Don't waste your time drilling them out, there are nuts on the back side. If it's your rear door then it is easy to access by removing the interior door panel. If it's your drivers or passenger doors then you will need thin fingers to get at the nuts.

ya, unfortunatley it's my drivers' door. so i guess i just reach up from inside with the panel off. then use a wrench to turn them off?

thanks

I used a 10mm open end wrench to get to upper nut, not much room to get a socket in there. I ended up getting mine down to about 30 mins start to finish, glad I got small hands.

Hmmm, what we need is a "How to" on replacing drivers side door handles

astrozam wrote:Hmmm, what we need is a "How to" on replacing drivers side door handles

I did one with pictures unfortunately it was on the old AS forum which I could not locate.

coolen wrote:ya, unfortunatley it's my drivers' door. so i guess i just reach up from inside with the panel off. then use a wrench to turn them off?

thanks

Check the 2nd stickied thread in the INT/EXT Forum

If you've got big paws, you're gonna be hurt'in. It's an easy fix, other than the tight clearances.

I've had to replace the driver's side handle twice now on my 89. Getting at the lower handle nut isn't bad; as I remember it, you pull that plug out of the door and use a 10mm socket on a quarter inch drive ratchet and extension. That top nut is easier to remove than get back on, though. But if your van has the window channel that rattles when the door is closed, the channel can be moved a bit out of the way for more clearance. I had fixed the rattling window channels on my van before needing to replace the handle, and I had used pop rivets to fasten the channel in place. I drilled out the pop rivets and replaced them with a single 1/4-20 bolt--that way I could release the bottom of the channel to get the room I needed.

i was checking ebay today and came across dr.autoparts, and inquired on this posting:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/85-90-91 ... 0220836239

and he replied: Dear Customer,
The item below will work for the following Models:
1985 to 1993 Chevy Asrto Van

1985 to 1993 GMC Safari


Thank you

i guess he didn't think that i could read or something. so i'm sure someone here can help me out. will that handle fit/work for my 95? aren't they all the same?

thanks

I know that in the "Help!" section of my local parts store, they carry the Astro/Safari door handles. I also know that the part number for my wifes 95 Safari is diffferent than the one for my 87 Safari (I believe the part number for my 92 Astro is the same as the 87 Safari)

You can call the dealership and have them cross reference the parts to see if they are interchangeable.

see.......i never think of the dealership. i figured that the 90's would be the same. i dunno. thanks for the advice