1946-1948 p15 outer door handle disassembly

[1947plymouthrodder]

Does anyone have any tricks to separating the handle from the molding behind it? I am trying to get them apart to get them refinished. Thanks

[dpollo]

Separating is one thing.  reassembling is quite another , If you can avoid both processes so much the better.

[casper50]

As I replied to your FB post.  It can be done without breaking anything.

[3046moparcoupe]

I was in the same spot, had my 2ea handles off the car, and had purchased 2ea additional handles off of ebay,...finally had success in separating the handles for future chroming....it's been a while since I did it, but here's how they are put together......

That round sleeve you see on the backside of the handle holds the shaft workings to the handle by means of a crimp in the side of the sleeve. This inward crimp mates into a slot/groove/indention on the handle...I spoke with one fella that said he would carefully grind out the crimp on the sleeve to remove it,..then he would just turn the sleeve 90 degrees and re-crimp it in place,....on my handles however, I found that if I just grabbed the sleeve itself with pliers and carefully begin working /rotating it from side to side, the crimp of the sleeve will slowly get pushed outward by the sideways movement, and the sleeve will then slide off the shaft, freeing up the handle assembly.

There should also be a washer underneath the sleeve that looks sorta like a regular lock washer with a conical shape to it.

Steve

[1947plymouthrodder]

Thanks everyone. Going to try and tackle it this weekend.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Some pics... I do quite a few...

Edited June 24, 2016 by Dodgeb4ya

[rhelm1953]

Excellent post, now I can get my door handles rechromed!