door key lock replacement short cut

[Bison]

OK you fellows,
if you ever have to change the key lock in the doors and dont realy want to take the doorpanel and door module off with all the associated frustration and cussing, and still not able to get the job done easely,cause you can not reach the doorhandle so you'll have to remove that too.

Here is an alternate procedure that requires only to drill a 1 1/16 hole in the edge of the door and a few picks,a ziptie and a screwdriver.drill the hole as high as you can just shy of the slant, so you can put a cover in it or use a piece of ducktape over it.Most people wont notice it unless you tell them.
This is for the guys that see their truck as a tool and want to save time and frustration and not for those that worship their machine as a lover.

1)Pic 2 shows the little clip that is held in place by a small tab that needs to be lifted up and slid down for removal.A small magnet will help to keep it from disapearing in the abys below.
2)Then pull the lever off and let it dangle on the rod, leave rod be.
3) lift up on the springloaded catch of the lock cartridge and push the thing inside halfway, loop ziptie around it, snug it up and remove the cartridge.
4) installation is the reverse of above,dont forget the foam seal in the door handle ,first thing to go back in, then new cartridge[use the ziptie in the middle] and pry it in the handle and trough the tie till it locks into place, fish up the lever,use the key to turn the lock to line up the lever hole to the lock pin.Put the clip back on[this is the tricky part] i used the magnet and a screwdriver to manouver it in place.
Put a bandaid over the injury and you're done.
pic 3 shows how it goes together.
tools used are in pic 2

Have fun.

[Carey Weber]

Cool

Does anyone know it the exterior door handles from say a 2003 truck will fit on the a 1997 to replace the stock ones that crack all the time?

[DieselSlug]

NICE BISON!!!!!!!!
I So need to do that with my rotted out doors to get me by till i get new ones, my keys dont work and the licks are really corroded. I also have another set ready to go in. I actually want to just change out the whole handle.... What kind of bit did you drill that with?? All you need to do is go to a local hardxare store and get a rubber plug the appropriate size, and it would look fine. I have a bunch of little plugs in my door jambs because my truck ewas ziebarted...

[HamOP]

Too cool Bison!
It looks like you have the entire outside door handle/lock assembly out in the pictures.
How in the world do you get them out???
I have the interior door panel off but I can't figure out how the outside part clips in.