Kotny

Hi, I'm trying to sort out my windows they don't line up properly but I can't get to them. I've unscrewed the arm rest and taken that off along with the door locking ****, but can't take the cover of because I can't get the window handle off. Any ideas?

Thankyou




1969 cutlass

MDchanic

You need a GM window crank removing tool:






About $4 at any auto parts store.

Or, in a pinch, you can use two scrapers.

- Eric

tru-blue 442

Here's my little invention I came up
with about 30 some yrs ago.

Made from a clothes hanger.
Has a little off-set crook.
Insert, twist & pull, walla.

hookem horns

Or just use a shop rag slipped between the handle and door panel to pop off the clip. Free and no trip to the parts store.

MDchanic

Lots of great solutions here! More than one way to skin a cat.

The fun part is getting it back together.

- Eric

Octania

The proper tool has a significant advantage of not pushing the clip all the way out so that there is a small chance of finding it again. I have found that it's worth having that tool.

4speed455

You mean the Jesus clips. As in "Jesus where did that thing go?" I agree the right tool makes it easy to not lose the clip.

MDchanic

Ha ha. That's what I call 'em, too.

- Eric

BlackGold

Agreed!!!
I used to pull the clip out using a hook I made (like tru-blue 442), but once it's free the clip flies. Once I bought the proper tool, I wondered why I didn't do it sooner.

Niels67

Hi, I am having the problem that there are no GM stores around the corner to buy the tool here in Hamburg/ Germany across the pond. Can any of you guys be so good to sketch out the exact dimensions in Millimeters or even inches to allow me to make one myself out of piece of sheet metal. Just by placing it on a piece of paper, drawing around it an measure the dimensions and its thikness. It's called Tool J-7797 in the manual and looks similar to the J-21104-- which I would need as well.

Many thanks in advance,

Niels

MDchanic

I do not have a tool in front if me to measure at this moment, but note that many, if not all, Opels used the same fastener and tool, so this tool should be available in Europe as well.

- Eric

RetroRanger

I've used a small screwdriver to knock the clip off, as well as the hook illustrated above

Nop

Is the distance between the tool's 2 teeth exactly .5"?

Dann ist's ein Opel "SW 371" oder "KM 317". Gibt's auf eBay fertig oder mit bissl Glück die Maße im Opel-Forum.

http://www.senatorman.de/spezialwerkzeuge.htm



Sorry - small excursion, folks.

jaunty75

I agree completely. The tool is cheap and easily gotten (at least in the U.S.), and it works perfectly in that it fits right over the shaft and pushes the clip out just far enough to remove the handle.

jaunty75

I think you're joking here, but this is even easier than getting the clip off. You put the clip fully on the door handle before you put the handle on the shaft. Put the clip on, line up the handle on the shaft, and tap the center of the handle gently with a rubber mallet. The clip widens momentarily, and the handle pops on.

MDchanic

Oh.

I never tried it that way.

I always tried it with the clip kind of halfway perched and then pushed the clip into place after the handle was in position.

Silly me.

- Eric

hookem horns

Use the rag trick, no tool required. Search youtube and you can find examples of what I'm talking about, it's real easy.

jaunty75

I even did it in millimeters.

The thickness is 1 mm.

If you need more dimensions than this, let me know. The end of the tool, as shown in the photo above, is bent into an L shape to make it easier to hold while inserting it.

MDchanic

Oh man, Jaunty, you beat me to it.

I just went out to the parking lot at work and got mine out of my toolbox and measured it.

Pardon the crappy PC Paint illustration from the work computer (I use better stuff at home)...



Our dimensions are a bit different, but that's because they aren't very critical...

- Eric

jaunty75

That's your problem. I don't work (much). I retired a year and a half ago!

MDchanic

Jaunty - my apologies, but I stole your drawing (no scanner here, so I can't draw, then upload it) and added my dimensions (I used mine when they were different from yours for consistency).

Here you go:



- Eric

MDchanic

You got that right! Can't get anything done with this darned work going on all the time.

jaunty75

Now you're just going to confuse the poor guy.

It's like the man with two watches. A man with one watch always knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never quite sure.

Niels67

WOW... great Jaunty and everyone who contributed to it, thanks a real lot for the drawings, will make one not just to use it once and guess its really not worth to spent money on it from what it looks to me. Better use the bucks for some spares

jaunty75

Show us a photo of it when you do!

tru-blue 442

The clothes hanger thing would be a lot cheaper & easier.
If you hold your mouth just right, you'll catch the clip too.

jaunty75

A "lot" cheaper that what? This tool costs all of $2.50.

oldcutlass

I call em lil dammits, cause when they pop of out of site you go dammit where the hell did it go?

tru-blue 442

And the clothes hanger is already
in your closet, $0.00.

Alb

I bought my tool back in 1969. Still works good today, when I can find it

brown7373

Originally Posted by 4speed455 You mean the Jesus clips. As in "Jesus where did that thing go?" I agree the right tool makes it easy to not lose the clip.


I think that applies to almost anything I drop around a car, whether it be a clip, nut, or tool, it always disappears. First place I look is in the exact middle under the car, if it is not far under a work bench.

jaunty75

Not in mine. We don't keep those kind of hangars as my wife doesn't like them. She finds them too flimsy. Every hangar in our closet is wooden.

So, you see, I'd have to go out and buy one of those hangars, and if I'm going to do that, I might as well just buy the tool instead!

MDchanic

tru-blue 442

Eric beat ya to it Jaunty...Ha ha ha..
I KNEW it was coming, ha ha. F/S...