Ok, I am sure there is a simple trick to this...but dang if i can figure it out. How do you get the outer door handles off the car? I know the two nuts have to be removed, thats not the problem, how in hell do I get the lock rod aloose from the handle? See the plastic bushing, not sure how to get it to release, dont want to destroy it cause I am sure they are no longer available with my luck....anyways, has anybody figured this out? Thanks!

 

This was taken out of my Haynes Manuel.

Door exterior handle - removal and installation

1.) Raise the window fully and remove the trim panel and its related equipment, referring to Section 8.
2.) Carefully pry the plastic water shield away from the top left corner of the door.
3.)Stuff rags or pieces of newspaper into the door cavity under the door handle to prevent parts or tools from falling all the way to the bottom of the door if accidental dropped.
4.) Disconnect the push rod at the outer handle asembly. This is held in place with a plastic locking clip which must be pried away from the rod.
5.) Remove the outer handle attaching nuts while supporting the handle on the outside of the door. Remove the handle from the outside of the door.
6.) To install, push the studs on the outer handle through the holes in the door and secure with two attaching nuts.
7.) Connect the push rod with the locking clip
8.) Remove the protective rags or newspaper from the inside of the door and press the water shield back into position
9.) check the proper operation of the outside handle
10.) install the trim panel and its relater components

If you don't already own a Haynes manual I would suggest getting one, it has a wealth of information.

 

Thanks for the tips, I have a Haynes as well as Mazda workshop manual...both are pretty vague in the "how to get the locking clip to release" area. I went back out and worked on it, finally got a screwdriver in it and got it to open up enough where i could force the rod out, so it works, but it is a pain in the but that way, and sure seems like there is a good chance of breaking the clip. Luckily on mine it didnt. If I can get the other one out tomorrow without breaking it, I will be happy.

 

Push the clip on part of the rod off the long part of the rod. Once it has swivelled a quarter turn or so, you can pull the short 90 degree bend part of the rod out of the bushing.

 

Yup, just like this. Here is a picture from the net. These clips (or variations of them) are used on a lot of vehicles. Maybe the picture helps? Pop the clip part off the rod as shown, then pull the rod out.

~T.J.

 

Thanks, that would work if that was the kind of clip i had, but it isnt. The top of my rod is threaded, and has a barbed rod sticking out at a right angle. The plastic clip is pushed thru the hole in the door handle, and the barb holds it. The plastic clip does not clip around the lock rod at all. Kinda hard to explain, I know, but a little bit different than say, the hood support pivot or a pickup trucks tailgate rods....only way i have found to release the clips on mine is to get a screwdriver up in the door and force the plastic clip to spread open enough to clear the barbed end and let the rod slide back out...

 

Hmm, I just assumed it was one of those. I wonder where my spare doors are to have a look....

 

If ya turn em up and have any ideas, yell.....thanks!

 

that clip is like the hardest thing on the car!

 

I agree.....my car is basically stripped now and the door handle turns out to be a pain.....lol

 

+1 for that clip being a nightmare to remove. Its hard to get to, and while it should just pop out, it's usually stuck, and removing it withouth breaking the handle is difficult at best..

Try spraying some pb blaster on it, might help loosen it up. In the 20 or so times I've had to remove these things (various parts cars, restorations etc) I've never had the clip itself break, always the handle, so be careful, those handles are like $60 a piece!

I think next time I have to remove one I'm gonna take some time to weld up a small puller or something to make it easier, getting pliers in there is kinda hard... Anyway, good luck!

 

Got em both out, ended up getting a long small screwdriver in the clip and twisting to spread the clip jaws, then another long screwdriver to push the rod back out of the clip, all while holding a flashlight to see up in there...quite a feat to do with only two hands in a tight space....lol. Definately not a simple task, luckily both handles survived, but i see how they would be easy to break....

 

Glad you got them apart, the metal tab on the handle is too thin, easy to break off. Luckily you can use the handles on either door by flipping them around, so if one tab breaks you can just use it on the other door...

 

Once again Rx7Club.com came to my rescue.
Outside driver's door handle just started flopping.
I checked the 83 FSM, nothing. The 85 FSM had the steps in sequence, but no guidance to get the pin out of the nylon retainer.
Took off the interior. I did not see anything broken but the spring at the rear was not where it should be the the pin looked out of place.
Some PB Blaster on the nylon retainer. Tried a screw driver to push out the retainer but no go.
Found a suitable tool, a 1/2" extension and set in on the threaded rod below the connection and hit it with my hand and the rod popped out.
First picture is all the parts. The pin had come out as the space between where it goes had grown.
Some careful hand bending by pressing into the wood bench closed the gap.
The hardest part was getting the pin back in with the spring in place. I did deform/flare the short end of the pin to keep in in place.
All is good.
Thanks again.

 

On reflection, prior to applying force to the threaded rod, I should have braced the part holding the nylon retainer to prevent any further bending.

Next time.