Replacing bowden cable for interior door pull

[Jon K]

ok so tracking number shows that my cable came so I can open my door from the inside (pathetic I know). The cable snapped at the handle on the inside so I have about 7" of wire to pull on, however, how do I free that wire from the latching mechanism, and additionally, how do I reattach the bowden cable back there once I get the old one out? I can prob figure it out by looking but its chilly and I'd like some idea of what I have to do. Thanks guys.

[Ferret]

ok so tracking number shows that my cable came so I can open my door from the inside (pathetic I know). The cable snapped at the handle on the inside so I have about 7" of wire to pull on, however, how do I free that wire from the latching mechanism, and additionally, how do I reattach the bowden cable back there once I get the old one out? I can prob figure it out by looking but its chilly and I'd like some idea of what I have to do. Thanks guys.

Hope you've got small hands, dealing with the locking mechanisms on 5 series front doors is an unbelievable pain in the arse. *Nearly got scars last time*

Good luck.

[Jon K]

Do you have to remove it or what

[Ferret]

I dont think you can remove it, they put the catch/lock in before they weld the two halves of the door together (at least that's what one of my bmw engineer mates said - promptly followed by a grimace). There's too much excess metal in the way to really see the actual lock mechanism iirc. Didnt help either that there was broken glass everywhere when I was trying to sort it out.

I just remember a lot of frustration and having to do things by feel. You might get lucky though - if they had any sense they would have changed the structure by the time the first couple of bmw engineers started pitching spanners at it. I was only trying to knock it back into alignment after the door had been crunched - not fiddle with the cables, sorry!

[Alexlind123]

You can remove the locking mechanism, but you dont need to to disconnect the bowden cable.

I believe it connects to the circled rod.

http://servo.postverket.us/alex/handle2.jpg

[Alexlind123]

You can remove the locking mechanism, but you dont need to to disconnect the bowden cable.

I believe it connects to the circled rod.

http://servo.postverket.us/alex/handle2.jpg

Edit: I think there is some sort of safety catch on that end as well, which you would need strong fingernails or a small screwdriver to pop off.

[GoldenOne]

it hooks just like it is on the latch...just make sure you can get your hand behind there... get a small mirror and a flash light to see how/where it is connected, have a grip on the wire and move/twist/jiggle it until it comes out...make sure the window is up, otherwise its more of a pain....

[Jon K]

Thanks bro - I'll be doing this later in the parking lot. Car feels so ghetto. I have had the door panel out since like tuesday of last week. Granted I don't drive it much, but still.

[Jon K]

Edit: I think there is some sort of safety catch on that end as well, which you would need strong fingernails or a small screwdriver to pop off.

Alex, I have been talking about the cable on the inside of the door, not the exterior handle. That is not the hook I am talking about.

[NovceGuru]

Thanks bro - I'll be doing this later in the parking lot. Car feels so ghetto. I have had the door panel out since like tuesday of last week. Granted I don't drive it much, but still.

Heh try it being your daily driver and forgetting TWICE to hook it up (inspection/install of window regulator) then being so pissed for a week you don't bother to do it.

NovceGuru

[Jon K]

this thing sucks. does anyone have a picture of how this attaches outside of the car? I can't see up into the door.

[Jon K]

Ok guys got it together. I'd like to make one recommendation - rather than try and get the bowden cable end to loop around the lock mechanism inside the door, remove the 3 torx bolts holding the lock mechanism to the door (one is under the weather stripping), remove the door pin lock metal pole (the one that is used to lock/unlock door from inside) and remove the lock mechanism from the door and hook the bowden cable on outside then put it back in.

I'd be ready to button it all up, except I lost the small torx screw/bolt that holds the window guide to the door. F.

[rickm]

I see I'm not the only one this happened to. I was visiting a friend yesterday, pulled up to the building, when to open the door...nothing. Of course we're having a nor'easter here in VB and it's raining like a SOB so I get to roll down the window to open the car. What a pain!

I later was at Target, parked next to an E34 wagon. He did the same thing happen a few months ago but hadn't replaced it yet.

[gonad]

Hey Jon K, I'm in the same boat.. can't for the life of me get the bowden cable back in place.

Would you recommend taking the lock off, even for a complete mechanical noivce like myself? I'm begining to think there is no alternative!

Or has anyone managed to get the cable in place without taking the locking system out of the door?

[Jon K]

Hey Jon K, I'm in the same boat.. can't for the life of me get the bowden cable back in place.

Would you recommend taking the lock off, even for a complete mechanical noivce like myself? I'm begining to think there is no alternative!

Or has anyone managed to get the cable in place without taking the locking system out of the door?


I would absolutely recommend removing the lock mechanism - I am not sure its even physically possible to put the cable on without removing the lock - I am sure you are out there kind of lasso'ing that cable around hoping it grabs, that's what I did for like 20 minutes and then lost patience. If I had just removed the latch mechanism to begin with, it'd have been done in under 45 mins. Here are the steps:

- Remove door panel
- Lift up felt at the bottom of window guide inside door to reveal torx screw, unbolt window guide and remove
- Unbolt latch mechanism from door (3 torx bolts)
- Unhook the vertical lock rod (the one that the lock pin hooks to, the thing we use to lock doors inside car)
- Snake the latch toward center of door, unhook electrical connector
- Attach new bowden cable, let it dangle, that's fine
- Reinstall latch mechanism and clip bowden cable to door like original had been
- Button it all back up

[gonad]

Thanks Jon, much appreciated. You're right, I spent 30 mins+ hoping it would catch, but it seemed unlikely that it would.

I'll give your instructions a go, thanks!

[saj3n]

I was just about to suggest a write up on this, I took a few pics I can add in a lil while. (since I had to go through the same thing). You can actually do it without removing the mechanism, but its a bit easier after removing it. What I did was where the hook from the bowden cable attaches to the lock mechanism, you can stick a flathead screw driver in from the inside of the door, and use it to move the plate with the hole where the cable connects, and then wiggle the cable in.

I was outside working on this for about 1.5 hours until I tried it the way described above, took me 15min.

[saj3n]

Two of the screws on the side.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b203/saj3n/Car%20Work/Bowden/IMG_0538.jpg

The way I was able to get the hook on a bit easier was to move this latch with a flat head screwdriver. The Yellow arrow points to the latch, the blue arrow points to where I put the flathead in order to pry it.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b203/saj3n/Car%20Work/Bowden/IMG_0540copy.jpg

[gonad]

Thanks Jon and saj3n,

I thankfully got it sorted.

Firstly I tired Jon's method, however the Torx screws would not budge! I was eating it up so decided to give up!

Then I took saj3n's advice. Firstly, I lowered the inside lock and held it down, forcing it to stay down. Then I put in a flat head screw driver as suggested, and forced the small brass coloured piece of metal (where the yellow arrow points) to become more exposed. Immeadiatly I seen the hole to which the bowden should be attached, and it went straight in! Works like a dream now.

Thanks alot guys, I was about to tair my hair out with this one! Great pic too saj3n, really helped out. If any of ye are over in the north of Ireland I owe ye a Guinness! :)

[Hal]

When this happened to me, I did not have the excellent pictures etc. posted above. Instead, I cut off the hook from a new cable (the part that goes to the interior door handle) and spliced it onto the part of the old cable going to the exterior door handle. I used a small aluminum cable crimp connector (found at a local hardware store) with additional epoxy. It is, of course, important to get the length of the final spliced cable exactly right. It has been working fine for about a year.

Hal

1994 530iT 160,000 mi Nikasil powered
1999 528iT 90,000 mi non-Nikasil powered

[Jon K]

I thought about splicing a cable crimp, but I don't like the idea of having to do it all over again when that thing lets go.

[saj3n]

Congrats! Glad we could be of service to ya! :-D Jon, I think its time for a trip to Ireland. :-P

[Jon K]

Haha Ireland have any fast roads :)

Jasen, I have the lift until end of Dec. :)

[saj3n]

Sounds good to me! Just let me know the which Sunday works best! :-D

[rickm]

That was easy, 20 minutes. Saj's pics helped a lot. Time to make a sticky out of this one.