Leyland Car Owners -

Well it came to my attention on the weekend that I could not open the driver’s door due to a slight slope and the outside door handle having not enough movement to complete it task.
: That is moving the mechanism to open the door.

: This has been a job waiting as I had noticed that the handle was lifting well beyond an acceptable distance.
: Strange that I had a conversation with a club member a couple of weeks earlier, were he was saying “how much trouble it was to get the door handles into the doors and setting up the rods”.

: The book is an interesting read, saying that you need to have the windows pane out and all the rails removed to do it properly. It forgot to tell you that you also need a twisted arm and have the door removed from the car as well.
: To be able view mechanism that the outside door handle connects to, you need to do the following.
: ie:- have the window wound up.
: Removal the following componets
: 1/ window winder
: 2/ arm rest,
: 3/ inside door handle metal indent (or what its name again), maybe the lamp too
: 4/ door card
: 5/ paper covering the holes.
: I suggest the use of a bright light to assist. (that can be placed inside the door cavity)

: This done then you find out what has made its home inside the door, usually pieces of plastic and lots of gunk and possibly RUST. (I will come back to this)




: Looking up you notice there are some rods and a spring and couple of shinny horn like things., (you are on your knees by now ,the door is swung open ‘woberling’ as you try to grab and lift the handle to see what moves) Very little to nothing moves at the top but the locking system has levers going this way and that.
: I could make out what to do so I got my trustie Kodak digital camera out and took some photos and then slipped them into the computer. It took a couple of trips back and forth to get the right angles.




: The old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”, came true here with being able to see what is going on.
: As I noted earlier, everything now has to be done by touch, little visibility and a bended arm.

: Rotate the plastic clip to the right, (you might need the assistance of a small flat blade screw driver to force the clip) and pull out the rod.
: Wind the rod clockwise for two turns (ie remember that this is for my requirements)
: If you go two far you might not be able to open the latch once the door is closed without getting into the car, removing the rod and pulling up the flat bar that the rod is mounted in.
: I took the time also to oil all the moving parts too. Maybe you should use a lubricant that dust does not bind with.

: All you do after testing is put it back together in the reverse order. Having the bottom of the door open I scraped out the dust, dirt, rust and foreign material then sprayed the bottom of the door with tectrol especially the seam areas to try and cut down the rusting at the bottom of the doors skins.
: Cheers
: Adrian
: July 2009

Leyland P76 Owners 2009

Technical

Door handles – you got lower yourself.

The first impression is ‘look where the door handle is and associated parts”