86 Audi 5000S Door Handle

I have a door handle that will not spring back after you pull it to
open. What part(s) do I need to look at or replace?

Thanks,

Michael

On Fri, 18 Mar 2005 17:58:10 GMT, durangoman
> wrote:

>I have a door handle that will not spring back after you pull it to
>open. What part(s) do I need to look at or replace?

The whole door handle. They are notorious for breaking. If you're
careful, you can do it without removing the door trim - don't let the
levers fall down inside the door after disconnecting them from the old
door handle.

Common problem on the T44s

The mechanism in the handle itself has broken.

The is so common that your local recyceler will probably not have any left on
the cars in their yard.

There is a current thread on this on Audiworld.com

There are a few that have spares and others that have been able to fix them.

removal and replacement is simple when you have the part.

Tony
'91 100q 5spd (fourth T44)
'98.5 A4 1.8TQ 5spd

durangoman wrote:
> I have a door handle that will not spring back after you pull it to
> open. What part(s) do I need to look at or replace?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Michael

Michael,
If the handle works, it just requires some help to return, you can use some
spray oil and soak the pivot point of the lever and move the lever back and
forth a few times to work it in. It is true that the handles are weak in
the type 44's, but they will last a long time if regularly lubed. It's a
good idea to have a set on standby, though, they're fairly cheap through a
local wrecking yard. You can carefully pull the screws out of the large end
of the handle, pop the end of the handle out a bit and soak the back side
connections to the handle down as well. As for the oil, I use stuff made by
Rust Check here in Canada - available from any FLAPS.
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"durangoman" > wrote in message
m...
> I have a door handle that will not spring back after you pull it to
> open. What part(s) do I need to look at or replace?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Michael

> If the handle works, it just requires some help to return, you can use some
> spray oil and soak the pivot point of the lever and move the lever back and
> forth a few times to work it in. It is true that the handles are weak in
> the type 44's, but they will last a long time if regularly lubed. It's a
> good idea to have a set on standby, though, they're fairly cheap through a
> local wrecking yard.

I ask for door handles every time I go to a scrap yard. Never got one,
they go too fast.

Christoph

--
Important: Emails sent to me which contain my full name
in the "to:" or "cc:" field will bypass my spam filter.
With most programs "Reply" should do the job.

Christoph,
Yep, they certainly do. Door handles and window regulators are a common
focus here as well. Some of the most important folks I know in keeping my
old car alive are, aside from local Audi nuts, are the guys at the salvage
yards. I'm on a first-name basis with a few of them.
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)
"Christoph Bollig" > wrote in message
...
> > If the handle works, it just requires some help to return, you can use
some
> > spray oil and soak the pivot point of the lever and move the lever back
and
> > forth a few times to work it in. It is true that the handles are weak
in
> > the type 44's, but they will last a long time if regularly lubed. It's
a
> > good idea to have a set on standby, though, they're fairly cheap through
a
> > local wrecking yard.
>
> I ask for door handles every time I go to a scrap yard. Never got one,
> they go too fast.
>
> Christoph
>
> --
> Important: Emails sent to me which contain my full name
> in the "to:" or "cc:" field will bypass my spam filter.
> With most programs "Reply" should do the job.

Steve Sears wrote:
> Michael,
> If the handle works, it just requires some help to return, you can
use some
> spray oil and soak the pivot point of the lever and move the lever
back and
> forth a few times to work it in. It is true that the handles are
weak in
> the type 44's, but they will last a long time if regularly lubed.

It doesn't hurt to go to the *source* of the stress, too. The door
*latch* assembly on the rear of the door. Take it off (a couple Big
Damn screws and a couple of simple links) and *lube the hell out of
it!* Hit it with lots of penetrating oil to get it loosened up and
cleaned and then hit it with some white grease. Work it vigorously
'open' and 'shut' until it's quite free. The trickiest part of
reinstallation is getting that spring-loaded arm to catch its wire
link. Use a small screwdriver in the slot underneath it to hold it
fully out while you maneuver it into place and release it. Voila!

BTW, *never* remove these at the same time as you have the door handles
off or you *will* be looking around down inside the door for the link
parts.

> It's a
> good idea to have a set on standby, though, they're fairly cheap
through a
> local wrecking yard. You can carefully pull the screws out of the
large end
> of the handle, pop the end of the handle out a bit and soak the back
side
> connections to the handle down as well.

After looking at the failure mode of these things, I decided never to
buy used ones. They all *will* eventually fail because VW/Audi made
them out of crappy potmetal and the materials were never changed. Your
best chance of extended life is to to the above lubrications
religiously (once a year on Easter works!) and try something else I
developed on my own: as you begin to open the door, *push in on it*
with your other hand to reduce the tension on the door latch as you
pull the trigger. You'll find it noticeably easier that way.
--
C.R. Krieger
(Been there; done that)