‘68 C182L Door Handle

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PlaneFlyer

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I’m having a repeat issue with the copilot side door handle on my ‘68 C182. A little over a year ago, a passenger pulled the door closed with it and then the handle would turn freely without engaging the latch. The repair was not cheap, but I figured it was old and the years of manhandling the door caused the problem. Now the new overpriced handle is doing a similar thing. It will still engage the latch, but it is loose and will spin freely unless you actively press in on the handle to engage the locking mechanism at certain points. Before I pay for another $800 door repair, any recommendations on things to check? Thanks.
 
I only ever pull/slam the door closed with the armrest/handle, I guess the latch/knob needs a "NO PULL" placard.

God these things are cheap built.
 
I seem to recall an extensive 182 door handle thread on Cessna-Pilots.net

Something about old Chevy parts (seriously).

Not sure it covers your year, but worth a read.
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
I seem to recall an extensive 182 door handle thread on Cessna-Pilots.net

Something about old Chevy parts (seriously).

Not sure it covers your year, but worth a read.
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I don't see anything over there but I didn't spend a lot of time looking. You might be remembering the thread that's linked in the first response above.
 
Appreciate the replies. I had read through the linked thread that was posted. Good info, although I’m hoping that the newly replaced handle is still usable and just needs some minor work to reattach. I’m going to try to look at the mechanism that attaches the handle to the latch to see if maybe it’s just a quick reattachment.
 
PlaneFlyer said:
I’m having a repeat issue with the copilot side door handle on my ‘68 C182. A little over a year ago, a passenger pulled the door closed with it and then the handle would turn freely without engaging the latch. The repair was not cheap, but I figured it was old and the years of manhandling the door caused the problem. Now the new overpriced handle is doing a similar thing. It will still engage the latch, but it is loose and will spin freely unless you actively press in on the handle to engage the locking mechanism at certain points. Before I pay for another $800 door repair, any recommendations on things to check? Thanks.
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I overhauled my door latch mechanisms and realigned the doors. They now suck shut like a new Cessna and the latch handle rotates butter smooth. Surprising after the old quarter round was remove, then replaced with proper door gasket, and properly greased the latch internals can do.

Realigning the doors helped and they now sit square in the frame as intended. Very likely a 40 yo plane still has the factory grease dried out with a few 1000's hours to fit. All parts were properly re-plated by a precision plating service to like new.

I had a lot of pilots ask how it was done and created 2 blog post to describe it.

Realigning Cessna doors: http://welch.com/n46pg/2019/07/05/realigning-cessna-doors/

Overhaul Cessna door latches: http://welch.com/n46pg/2017/08/01/overhauled-door-latch-mechanisms/
 
If you are referring to the internal door handle it fastens with a c clip to the latch mechanism post. The post has teeth on it and the door handle has a hole with teeth inside which engage the latch. Our teeth on the handle were stripped off after years of use. After a quick search of airplane salvage shops I found a replacement for 100 bucks.
 

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Thanks for the additional recommendations. It is the interior handle that is having the problem. It will still engage the latch if I push it into the door prior to turning it, so I'm thinking the teeth may still be good. Might be something with the attachment clip that is failing to hold the handle tight to the door. I'll have to take a look at that possibility.
 
The C clip fits in a groove on the latch post but it’s not a tight fit. Ours would do the same thing when pushed in. The teeth were stripped out of the handle except for a few way deep inside the handle. There’s enough play in the c clip that you can push the handle farther onto the latch post. When doing so the last remaining teeth would engage and operate the latch. We got by like this for a while then it stripped out completely.
 
Have an A&P Mechanic take a look at it. Fixing things for aircraft owners is sort of their thing.
 
This is why I open the window and grab the door frame to close the door now. Had the same problem last year. Those stupid door handles are expensive, and the cheap ebay ones I found didn't match the teeth on the door mechanism. Stupid how expensive they are.
 
UngaWunga said:
This is why I open the window and grab the door frame to close the door now. Had the same problem last year. Those stupid door handles are expensive, and the cheap ebay ones I found didn't match the teeth on the door mechanism. Stupid how expensive they are.
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See my post above. The doors need to be realigned so they suck shut like they were new. My blog site also has a source for interior door handles with the correct amount of teeth. It’s a Ford part from the mid 60s.
 
Check out this article: http://welch.com/n46pg/tag/repair-cessna-door-latches/

From the article: "Some of the 1960’s-72 Cessna door hardware were actually 1960 Ford Falcon parts. Falconparts.com out of Sacramento is a great resource. The Cessna parts and the Falcon parts are the exact same (e.g. Handle spring, escutcheons., except the black escutcheons have no Cessna roll markings on them. The 1960 Falcon interior door handle is styled differently, but operates perfectly. The Cessna part when available is $375, and the Ford part is $20 and includes the SAME retainer clip Cessna charges an extra $10 to obtain."

Look familiar? - https://www.falconparts.com/ford-falcon-auto-parts/pc/1960-1963-INSIDE-DOOR-HANDLES-156p222.htm

Even if not the exact part, you could get two of them for less than $50 and then both sides would match.

HTH.
 
SoCal 182 Driver said:
Check out this article: http://welch.com/n46pg/tag/repair-cessna-door-latches/

From the article: "Some of the 1960’s-72 Cessna door hardware were actually 1960 Ford Falcon parts. Falconparts.com out of Sacramento is a great resource. The Cessna parts and the Falcon parts are the exact same (e.g. Handle spring, escutcheons., except the black escutcheons have no Cessna roll markings on them. The 1960 Falcon interior door handle is styled differently, but operates perfectly. The Cessna part when available is $375, and the Ford part is $20 and includes the SAME retainer clip Cessna charges an extra $10 to obtain."

Look familiar? - https://www.falconparts.com/ford-falcon-auto-parts/pc/1960-1963-INSIDE-DOOR-HANDLES-156p222.htm

Even if not the exact part, you could get two of them for less than $50 and then both sides would match.

HTH.
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I would NEVER!!!

:cool::rolleyes::eek:
 
Stripping the splines in the door handle is common. Some guys use old Ford Falcon handles and some buy the $331.89 Cessna part 0517039-2. I just replaced one a few months ago. I went with the Cessna because I'm particular about exact match and the new part satisfied that. The splines in the new handle are a pressed-in steel insert. I don't think they'll strip again anytime soon.
 
I wonder if theres a (legal) way to update to the style I have with the handles that fold down into the armrest? Probably would require putting the newer style door on
 
SoCal 182 Driver said:
Check out this article: http://welch.com/n46pg/tag/repair-cessna-door-latches/

From the article: "Some of the 1960’s-72 Cessna door hardware were actually 1960 Ford Falcon parts. Falconparts.com out of Sacramento is a great resource. The Cessna parts and the Falcon parts are the exact same (e.g. Handle spring, escutcheons., except the black escutcheons have no Cessna roll markings on them. The 1960 Falcon interior door handle is styled differently, but operates perfectly. The Cessna part when available is $375, and the Ford part is $20 and includes the SAME retainer clip Cessna charges an extra $10 to obtain."

Look familiar? - https://www.falconparts.com/ford-falcon-auto-parts/pc/1960-1963-INSIDE-DOOR-HANDLES-156p222.htm

Even if not the exact part, you could get two of them for less than $50 and then both sides would match.

HTH.
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I would NEVER do that on a 66G model 172!
fordfairlane.JPG
 
Nmm347 said:
If you are referring to the internal door handle it fastens with a c clip to the latch mechanism post. The post has teeth on it and the door handle has a hole with teeth inside which engage the latch. Our teeth on the handle were stripped off after years of use. After a quick search of airplane salvage shops I found a replacement for 100 bucks.
Click to expand...
the Cessna handle on my C-210D did this and Cessna wants a mere $800 for a new one. So I line drilled a hole through the existing hole stripped handle and the shaft on the door and pushed in a 50 cent roll pin. Works perfectly.
 
Snowmass said:
the Cessna handle on my C-210D did this and Cessna wants a mere $800 for a new one. So I line drilled a hole through the existing hole stripped handle and the shaft on the door and pushed in a 50 cent roll pin. Works perfectly.
Click to expand...

Good idea. Years ago I had the same problem - and eventually found a new replacement handle. It wasn't cheap - but nowhere near $800. I will use your solution if it happens again.
 
New door handle from Cessna for our then nearly new 172M (1978 or so) was about $7. Times have sure changed.
 
When Textron acquired Cessna, the smart MBA boys at Textron priced everything as if it were a jet part.

I heard someone once say they figured out how Textron prices piston aircraft parts.... every April 1St the Cessna product teams convene at a Kansas insane asylum and determine the new pricing schedule.
 
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