Installation of Exterior door handle buttons 51-56

Posted by longjohn On 2019/4/11 15:20:02

When I sent my 1954 exterior door handles off to be re-chromed, I removed the thumb button mechanisms. The mechanism is held in by two tabs that lock into holes in the door handle casting. I used a punch to push the tabs out of their holes and forced the mechanism out but it was not an easy task.

Is there a better way to put these back in than just forcing them into the door handle? Should I try to straighten out the tabs and if I do, how would I bend them out again so they lock in the holes?

One of my handles already has a crack in the casting where the mechanism slides in and I am worried about breaking a piece off if I try to force the tabs into position.