Frank75

Any of you folks have a good trick for installing those spring-clip thingies that hold the lock cylinders in place on the inside of the doors? I've already mangled one clip and figured I'd better ask for advice before messing up the other one. And I thought installing a new one would be easier than masking it off - HA :lol:

TIA

GaryS

I have done this several times on a 66, 72, and 73. In addition, my 77 Buick uses the same mechanism. The Buick was easy because I just had to clean the metal slide, put a dab of oil on it and it went in.

When I was doing this on the 73, the clip wouldn't slide on very well. I cleaned it up with some very fine sand paper and cleaned the area on the inside of the door that the clip slides on. Don't sand with the paper but use it just enough to clean up any burrs, rust or anything else that will prevent it from sliding. Same thing with the door. Clean the inside area to ensure that it is clean.
Gary

BSeery

If you can get it started, channel lock pliers are good for doing the rest.

rdrman

I held the clip with very long needle nose pliers and used a very small rock hammer about 10 inches long to tap it on.

Desertdawg

Once I got it started, I used a long pair of needle nose pliers. and sort of thumped the handle with another pair of pliers.

It's always best to use the tools as they were intended to be used.... :lol:

pws69

Long, heavy duty hemostats to hold in place and my smallest ball peen hammer to tap it in. Worked great!

Frank75

Thanks guys - I also tried making a tool from a piece of wood with a slot on the end (to keep some pressure against the inside of the door) and tried thumping it with a hammer. No joy. I'll have to find a smaller hammer I guess to get it right in there or get a smaller pair of channel-locks. I've got a magnet on the end of a telescoping rod that I had to use several times to fish that stupid clip out of there. BTW, that magnet tool is pretty handy if you ever work on boats. I've had to fish a lot of dropped wrenches, screwdrivers, etc. out of oily bilges and hard to reach spots with it.

Stewart's74

:iagree: