hi sages- about to take apart a drivers door on a 240 92. panel looks easyenough to get off- 4-5 screws, but have heard some advice it is hellacious. another said its only a 1F job on a scale of 1-5. is the job adequately described in the bentley manual? does the knob on the pushbutton lock unscrew like on amerian cars.? have done this job on old american cars and it is not too difficult. purpose is to lube window glides and latch box parts. (power windows and power door locks). main purpose is to reattach the upper screw to the inside door handle pull with perhaps some type of nut and fender washer inside door box on panel. hoping you can give me the best advice and maybe even a shortcut. thanks tons oldduke

Hello-
I have taken apart several door panels in my day to do the same you have listed. Look for the little clip in the door itself that holds the connection together inside for the door mechanism to open the door. It has a little hook (looks like a long needle), that attaches to inside of mechanism (clip secures it and is usually popped off and down inside door - feel around for it). OH, when taking off arm rest, before removing door card, after getting the two or three screws off) just rotate it up or down 90 degrees for it to let go at the upper connection. It will come right out..... Anyways, lmk if you have any questions... I can explain it more or better for you... email:amrotone@msn.com

hi isom - thanks for offering to walk me through this a little more. i am a good backyard mechanic but that is mostly on american dodges and plymouths. have taken many of their panels off for repairs inside. do know that it is very easy in a seemingly simple job like this to break or lose parts so i want to get it right the first time. the precise problem is that the top of the arm rest which is held in by a bayonet like fitting has come out which makes it risky to keep pulling on it to close the door. it appears that it has broken through a plastic holder or seat in the panel or further in on the door box. i may have to take the panel off to visualize the actual repair needed. art showed that the bayonet which is molded into the top part of the armrest handle then pushes into this metal ring which i have not seen yet. there are two screws under plugs in the front bottom of the armrest which i will take out and then turn the arm rest 90 degrees which i should then be able to pull off. does the bayonet push into a piece in the panel itself or does it go through and anchor itself in the door box ? hoping all i have to do is refit the armrest on the panel, but doubt it. would appreciate your further analysis . thanks tons oldduke

OLDDUKE-
I am unsure of your dilema unless I see it. I am pretty sure the upper arm rest just twists into another plastic fitting on the door itself (through the panel). I am thinking you should have no problem fitting it back in. just tack lower screws out twist in and hope it screws tight at that point. If not, you may have to take apart passenger side and see if you are missing a piece or two (and get those missing pieces) to make it work (look at the good one and compare). Hope this helps (that is what I would do if you are unsure). Good luck!!
-Rob Isom

The upper arm rest twists into the metal spring steel "washer" in Art's photo. The "washer" fits into the keyhole in Art's photo. The cupped tangs go inside the door-the others face outward. Set the "washer" onto a largish straight screwdriver and rotate it till the behind the panel tangs catch - then continue till the "washer" is centered in place.
The screws in the lower part attach to plastic blocks set into the inner door frame. On your '92 the screws should be torx head screws (earlier cars had phillips head screws) and I would recommend using a torx driver type tool rather than a 1/4 drive torx socket (a socket can be a tight fit to reach the recessed screw heads--making removing it a challenge).
No one has addressed the door pocket yet---three plastic "screws" along the bottom---1/4 twist to release them from plastic blocks set into the inner door frame. Use your palm to gently strike the bottom of the pocket upward--that should release the "forks" built into the top of the pocket at each upper end. Don't try to loosen the screws and plactic "washers" that secure the "forks". Then pull the bottom of the pocket away from the door to release the built in "L" bracket as it fits into a slot at the top center of the pocket. -- Dave

Odduke,

You're making too much out of this, and there are actually three screws two of which have the plastic plugs, which securely mount the armrest to the door.

Note the slots on the odd looking metal clip that grip the bayonet end of the armrest. The metal clip must first be locked in place onto the metal door frame. Again, study Art's picture - worth at least 1000 of my words.

Torx too, for the three armrest screws. T25 maybe. Peeling the door panel from the metal door best requires a two pronged pry tool, but as others commented careful prying with a screwdriver or two will release any of the five or so plastic panel "plugs"

Even if you damage something, it can be easily fixed.

Marty

As sea horse mentioned, your over thinking it. Take the armrest off, look into the hole in the door panel and if you see the clip Art pictured, line up the arm rest and twist in. Yes the clip that was pictured is a little jiggly. If you do not see the clip, remove the door panel and look for it inside the door. Unscrew the lock knob, gently pry the edges till they release, the lift the panel straight up.

You probably have more time invested in typing this thread than the project will take.

"main purpose is to reattach the upper screw to the inside door handle pull with perhaps some type of nut and fender washer inside door box on panel."

Are you talking about the bayonet latch pin holding the top of the armrest to the door?


--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

I had some words with my wife, and she had some paragraphs with me. -Sigmund Freud

hi art- not familiar with the part in your picture. the flat arm rest with the power window buttons in it extends upward, vertically . the top is held to the panel by a fastener which looks like a bolt or screw. it has pulled out. not sure whether it screws into only the panel or to the metal behind the panel. that fastener needs to be repaired. not sure what is behind the panel yet. the plastic clips behind the panel probably snap into the door box. this is similar to american car door panels but they are metal spring snap ins. can the upper fastener on this vertical pull handle be repaired / refastened without taking the panel off. it doesnt appear so. (my first time for a repair like this on a volvo.) i used to use the elmers glue repair on the panel spring clips on american cars if i ripped the clip out of the cardboard of the panel. thanks for any advice art. regards oldduke

The picture I posted is the clip that forms the bayonet socket which retains the keyed pin molded into the upper end of the armrest.

The clips are left/right specific, so if you wind up needing a replacement (because someone ruined it trying to release the armrest) make sure you get one for the side you are working on.

Here's the relevant line excerpted from my page on door handles: "On the front door armrest, the final attachment is a keyed pin. With the screws removed and any window switches separated from the armrest, rotate the armrest so it points straight up to align the tabs on the keyed pin and wiggle it free."
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

'There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. It's called marriage.'
-Sam Kinison

art- i restudied your picture of the piece that your hand is on . this piece is molded into the socket in the panel. the keyed bayonet is molded into the top of the arm rest. it is separated by about 3/4inch from the molded plastic that is in the panel. if i understand this correctly to start the repair i would first have to take the arm rest off. to do this i would have to remove the two screws under the cover plugs that are at the bottom front of the arm rest(horizontal part) . then turn the arm rest to unlock the bayonet key from the panel socket and pull the arm rest out. the window switches would have to be pried up and removed from the arm rest first. am i right so far? if so i would then remove the clips and screws and take the panel off to see what is wrong with the socket with the metal mount piece you pictured. please correct any error i made. thanks oldduke

Remove the screws under the plugs.If the upper part is loose, like I'm understanding then the whole arm rest should be loose. Take a look at the switch now, you will see that it simply slides out. No need for prying. Now look at the end of the arm rest, and then at the clip in the door. It will make sense. You may have to give it a couple sharp wraps with your palm till it's fully seated in the clip, the rotate you armrest into the normal position.

hi gee- thanks . understand your instructions i think.do you give the upper enda sharp push in to seat the bayonet in the clip when the arm rest is turned to a 90 degree position and then turn it back to lock? oldduke

It is easy. The knob unscrews.

The touchiest part is the plactic trim clips that hold the door card to the metal part of the door. The head of the fastener can rip out of the cardboard (repairable with a little Elmer's Glue). There is a tool for them, but a screwdriver will work.

Greg