sticking outer door handle?- solution

[shogun]

http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/467013

[CharlesAFerg]

http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/467013

FYI - don't get the malaysian door handle seals unless you have a 91+ car, because they don't fit on the older ones, like my 89.

[JMI]

FYI - don't get the malaysian door handle seals unless you have a 91+ car, because they don't fit on the older ones, like my 89.

Any idea where to get new ones for an older ('89) 535i?

TIA

[shogun]

what's the problem, Charles? What is the exact difference?

01 DOOR HANDLE OUTER LEFT 1 up to 09/1991 51221928207 $59.15
01 DOOR HANDLE OUTER RIGHT 1 up to 09/1991 51221928208 $59.15

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD23&mospid=47408&btnr=41_0819&hg=41&fg=45&hl=1

01 DOOR HANDLE OUTER LEFT 1 from 09/1991 51228138951 $59.15
01 DOOR HANDLE OUTER RIGHT 1 from 09/1991 51228138952 $59.15
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD23&mospid=47408&btnr=41_0819&hg=41&fg=45&hl=1
I have better outer door handle gaskets than the ones from Malaysia. The ones from Malaysia/Thanks are very hard. I have sold >100 sets in Japan, but never got a complain.

[Paul in NZ]

not necesarily..my door handle stick up,because it interferes with the trim around the handle itself..its an ongoing project.At the moment the trim is off..it doesnt notice on my car because its black!

[myles]

I've installed the new seals for my 89 and 90 cars without any problem. If you take your time to install them correctly then they work perfectly.

[shogun]

That is what I thought so far. I tell all people which buy them from Maylaysia/Thailand to heat them up with a bit with warm/hot water or a hair dryer, that they become flexible. Especially now in winter time the gaskets are of course hard when cold.
And I give them this instruction in Japanese with pics http://infinitier.ddo.jp/e32/page/mainte/mainte_50702.htm

[BMWCCA1]

http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/467013
Probably as good a time as any to remind folks that WD40 is not a lubricant. Even if WD40 does help remove the corrosion and free-up the handle hinge, the best thing to do is to lubricate the mechanism afterward with a real lubricant that stays around to continue the job.

[repenttokyo]

I use silicone lubricants on my door handles.

[CharlesAFerg]

I tried in both summer and winter, heated them up and left them cold, even left them in the sun. I did that, they don't fit properly, even when heated up - they would be too large, I'll show you guys.

The little holes for the pins were like a millimeter too far apart to get the tiny little pins into. Every hole, because of the difference, would be about an extra milliliter too far away. The plastic piece was slightly too wide.
The one from the dealer fit PERFECTLY. That proves I was doing it correctly. I still have a dealer piece that I haven't installed yet, I'll find my malaysian ones and show you. Maybe I got a bad batch, because I do remember some other people having the same problem.

[uscharalph]

FYI - don't get the malaysian door handle seals unless you have a 91+ car, because they don't fit on the older ones, like my 89.
Those seals work fine, the trick is to let the sit in the sun for a little to soften them up befiore you install them.

[CharlesAFerg]

Those seals work fine, the trick is to let the sit in the sun for a little to soften them up befiore you install them.

Tried that, they were literally too wide, maybe he shipped me the wrong ones or something, I'll show you guys.

[Rus]

not necesarily..my door handle stick up,because it interferes with the trim around the handle itself..its an ongoing project.At the moment the trim is off..it doesnt notice on my car because its black!

I have the exact same problem with one of my rear handles. I even tried filing the interfering spots down slightly, but it still sticks. I think I'll eventually just replace the offending trim piece and hope that the new one has better clearance.

[RobPatt]

I need some.

Here's the ones from Malay....good or not?

If not, where's good source?

Thanks.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-E32-E34-E36-Z3-Outer-Door-Handle-Rubber-Seals-SET_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33642QQihZ022QQitem Z350012935642QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

[Paul in NZ]

good = dealer if indeed the others are bad

[myles]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-E32-E34-E36-Z3-Outer-Door-Handle-Rubber-Seals-SET_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33642QQihZ022QQitem Z350012935642QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Thats where I got mine and they have all been good.

[CharlesAFerg]

Oh, and just to add, I believe when I talked to the dealer, they had 2 part numbers for later and early model cars.

EDIT FORM REALOEM - Reference the "FROM" & "UP TO" Dates

This is from my car, 01/89 525i M20 Automatic
No. Description Supplement Qty From Up To Part Number Price Notes
01 COVERING FRONT LEFT 1 09/1991 51211938285 $20.76
01 COVERING FRONT RIGHT 1 09/1991 51211938286 $20.76

From a 04/95 525i m50 Automatic
No. Description Supplement Qty From Up To Part Number Price Notes
01 COVERING FRONT LEFT 1 09/1991 51218122441 $17.52
01 COVERING FRONT RIGHT 1 09/1991 51218122442 $17.52

[Paul in NZ]

you do not have buy complete door handle,only outer trim and gasket

[CharlesAFerg]

Well, maybe someone has these older original door handle gaskets and the Malaysian gaskets and can make a check on dimensions. Pics would be best.

I have, and they did not fit.


you do not have buy complete door handle,only outer trim and gasket

I took the gasket off of the dealer part, and the Malaysian gasket didn't fit on there either.

Bottom line:
There is a difference in the dimensions between the two. If you don't believe me, find out for yourself, because I already have... lol. I'm no idiot.

[genphreak]

Hey Charles,

Erich is not defending KW, just letting you know what he knows is the case.

He and everyone else on this board would like to know where your problem lies. I know I do, even though my 10/88 535 had no trouble accepting KW's seals.

I don't know how a moulded seal can be smaller than another that comes from the same mould. Is there any chance you can post photos of both?

What I do know;
E36 coupe seals are different (the handles are a tad longer) but probably a bigger difference than you described.

The different part numbers you found for e34 and posted are a big concern, as these things are such low value parts if we don't work it out no one ever will. I know BMW changed the handle electronics around a bit, but after comparing the handle on late 91 to my 88 and swapping locks and things, I can see no real difference other than the later handle having painted inner frame.

How pricey were the dealer gaskets btw? I had a look and ran when I bought mine but can't remember (and that is in Oz) where the prices can be double that of the US stealers.

Cheers, Nick

[myles]

Hi Nick - I've done this on an E36 coupe too and I found that the seals were the same as the rest of the E32, E34 and E36 models.

The two different part numbers are because the early cars (E34 pre 09/91) have metal door handles and the later ones have plastic door handles. The shape of the outside trim part is exactly the same and they are interchangeable. I think the E32 all have metal and the E36 all have plastic.

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

I have only seen one problem in all the sets I have installed or helped out, and that was when HIe34 mixed the rear seals with the fronts and couldn't get the fronts to clear the lock.

F'n hilarious

[Paul in NZ]

iwhen i bought my (1)trim and gasket it was about NZ$40

[shogun]

I have only seen one problem in all the sets I have installed or helped out, and that was when HIe34 mixed the rear seals with the fronts and couldn't get the fronts to clear the lock.

F'n hilarious

That could be an explanation, see the different locations of large and small holes and small holes
http://img215.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/users/3/1/0/3/kurumabuhin-img300x222-1177846555bmw-e32-doorhandlerubber.gif

[CharlesAFerg]

That could be an explanation, see the different locations of large and small holes and small holes
http://img215.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/users/3/1/0/3/kurumabuhin-img300x222-1177846555bmw-e32-doorhandlerubber.gif

That has nothing to do with it, I'm talking about the little tiny peg-hole things(on the plastic/rubber piece), they don't line up with the little tiny pieces that go inside like little retainer pegs(these are on the handle itself).
They do halfway, but the difference is so minute, if you manage to get half in, the others are just far enough off that they won't fit unless you really bend and then the whole piece sags off the side.
Heck, it will sag even if they're not in the holes at all.
Mine were too wide by a centimeter or two.

I tried them all on various locks, so that couldn't be the case with my car.

Let me just tell u guys that I got them installed, but the rubber was hanging out a bit and it wasn't snug with the handle. I never stretched them, they were just that much bigger. Barely, but enough to really affect the fit.