The door panel on this 1993 Dodge Dakota
Truck is not difficult to
remove.
One problem: it has the old fashion
wire snap clips holding the outside edges of
the panel to the metal door frame.
First I removed the side view
mirror cover using a Phillips screwdriver.
Then I removed the isolation sponge.
It easier to remove the side view mirror after the
plastic door panel has been removed.
If removing the side view mirror only, use a
10mm socket remove the two bottom nuts (red
arrows).
Then the last 10mm
nut at the top can be removed.
If possible, have someone hold the
mirror, if it falls it can damage the outside of
the door.
I used a Phillips screwdriver to remove the
screw from the bottom of the door pull handle.
Using a tack
puller, I lifted the front of the door
release trim cover
slightly...
...then pulled it back slightly and unhooked it.
View of back
of latch cover. The arrows point to the the
hooks molded into the plastic part.
I used a 5/32 Allen wrench to remove the screw
from the center of window crank handle.
(Note:
this window crank handle is an aftermarket
replacement. Normally the the
window crank handle uses an 8mm hex-head
screw in the center, which is under a small
plastic cap. The cap can be removed with a
pocket knife or a very thin flat screwdriver.)
View of
window crank handle. The handle has splines on
the inside that engage splines on the shaft.
I unscrewed the inside door lock button.
View of door
lock button removed. Many older vehicles use a
threaded rod for the door lock button.
Using a rigid putty knife, I unsnapped the clips
around the edges of the panel.
I pulled
outward and lifted upward to remove the
plastic door panel from the metal door frame.
View of side view mirror with plastic panel
removed. It's easier to remove the mirror when
you have full access to the nuts.
View of back
of plastic door panel.
The red arrow points to one of the snap
clips. There are 8 of these snap clips.
View of metal door frame with dust cover. The
dust cover can be peeled back to reach inside
the door and replace of repair any of the inner
workings.
