Using a tool like this
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-76951-Window-Handle-Removal/dp/B000CO96VI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1300204167&sr=8-3[/ame]

or make your own out of sheetmetal
I think you can use old shirt... to,

 

Old shirt, rag, any kind of cloth. I never broke anything.

It's a C clip that has to be popped out from behind the crank lever before the crank can slide off.

You can pry the crank handle slightly enough to get a view of the clip, should be a goldish-brass color.

 

Can also cut a coat hanger ,put a small 90 degree bend in it an use it to remove clip.

 

I picked up a set of pick tools (like at the dentist office) that work great from Hobo Freight for 2.99....

 

Thanks, all. I'll get to it this weekend and let you know if I'm successful.

 

Here is a pic of door assembly showing window crank and the horseshoe clip (snap ring) you need to remove.

http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-buchanan/93fsm/bodymechanical/3frontdoo.pdf

 

When you go to out it back on, put the clip into the handle first and just push the assembly on.

 

Ok, worked like a charm. Now, any ideas on a less painful way to remove the outer door handle? Mine are broken. I got one off, but not much room to work, and I'm not looking forward to putting the new ones in if access to the rear bolt is as much of a pain in the patookus as it was removing it. Or am I just going to have to do the hard work?

 

There's a hole that you can put a socket on an extention through, to get the back bolt out, but its usually covered by a round piece of tape from the factory.

 

/\+1/\

when I went to the junkyard I didn't see that hole and did a lil demolition to get to that bolt on the junkyard car :facepalm: ......thankfully I found it on my car when I got it apart!

 

D'Oh!!! :facepalm:

I looked at that piece of tape, observing its perfect position, and yet it never entered my brain to peel the stupid thing back. Voila'! I sure am glad there are a lot of smart people on this forum to cover for me! Any other little tidbits about replacing the outside handles (keeping in mind my ability to overlook the ridiculously obvious)? And thank you in advance!

 

If your locks are all crunchy and noisy when you turn the key like mine were, you can spray them with some silicone spray to lube them. My driver side lock was really bad, especially when unlocking it, so when I had the interior door panels off, I sprayed the lock tumblers. It hasn't given me a problem since (about a month now).

You can also use powder graphite to lube locks, which is usually available at Walmart in the auto department, and I'm sure auto parts stores. It's in a small tube, you place the end into the lock (from the outside), and give it a puff or two. Then move the key back & forth & turn it in the lock to spread it around.

Since you've got the interior panel off, you should also grease up the window tracks. I'm not sure what's recommended, but I used white lithium grease on the tracks the run horizontally under the window, white lithium spray grease on the pivoting points (where it was hard to put the other grease), and on the vertical window tracks, I sprayed silicone spray there.

Since I had the silicone spray out, I also sprayed it on my door seals after cleaning them, to freshen them up :thumbsup: But be careful with that stuff, it will discolor plastics if you get any of it on them!

 

Ok....I'm pleased to report that the job has been successfully completed: window cranks put back on, inner and outer door handles replaced and/or reattached, panels and such are all spiffy, everything is working as it's supposed to. Thanks for everyone's input.
:thumbsup:

 

Window hand crank removal

WINDOW HAND CRANK SOLUTION- no need to get special tool... shop rag/ towel & small flat head screwdriver/ putty knife to "PINCH" (2) ends of the rag "between washer & crank" to create a "PULLER" to remove "C" shaped clip...like a stork carry baby(kinda),
Pinch (2) ends of rag into side of "long crank with free wheel" & with a pinch motion pull rag towards short end of lever/crank.