I've had a similar experience to the earlier post on broken door handles -- the whole thing came off in my hand because the screws came loose. I've got the door taken apart, and appear to have all the parts -- it seems to have just popped loose. BUT, for the life of me, I can't get the actuating rod threaded between the handle's cradle and the opening lever. My Haynes shows a straight rod, but mine has a really funky bend that doesn't seem to fit. Is there some trick to this?

I know what your talking about. Take a flat end screwdriver to lift the lever up into the cradle. It's easier than said. :-)
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Michael 'Street'... one AZ '85 244DL 203K miles

I can try that, but it doesn't seem long enough to reach and when I made a prying attempt like that earlier, it just pulled the latch mechanism open and did not allow a close.

The rod does have a bend in it.. but IIRC there should be a spring attached to the end of it.

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alex

'89 765T, 175,4xx mi