Fix Outside Door Paddle Handles

Electric Doorlock Article

These door handles are used on the Hummer H1's and many Jeeps. Over time the pull handles on my truck began to stick out. I guess it's just from use over the years. Fortunatly there is an easy way to adjust the handle so it sits flush with the door. First a little about how the door handles work with the locks. This is the back of the door handle. When the latch is pulled, the lever with the blue plastic over its end meshes with the latch. The picture below shows inside the door where it connects.

What happens is the lever rod gets bent from pulling the door handle out and the door handle won't return to it's former position.

The first thing you want to do is make sure that all the screws securing the lock and the handle are tight. Check the tightness of the 3 large phillips screws on the end of the door. Make sure the door handle itself is not loose in the door. If it is, you will have to remove the inner door trim panel to gain access to the 4 nuts and tighten them.

See more on the inside of the door

Stick a screwdriver into the lock so the blade is firmly in contact with the narrow latch plate. This plate is deep down in the lock. Too help identify it you pull the door handle up and down. The latch plate will be the only thing moving in and out as you look at the lock from the end of the door.

You want to put the screwdriver blade near the center of the small narrow latchplate which I have colored red in the picture.

Holding the screwdriver in contact with the latchplate carefully close the door until the handle end of the screwdriver is in contact with the rubber door gasket. Continue to push on the door against the screwdriver until the door handle begins to stick out. Carefully push the door handle in with enough pressure to slightly bend the door handle lever. Remove the screwdriver and see if the door handle sits flat. If not do it again.