door handle removal

[Buddy]

Ok, i am about to get my truck painted and i have a deal with my paint guy that i am to strip everything off of the truck. I can't seem to figure out hoe to remove the door handle. i have the handle free from the door but there is stilll a metal rod attached that I just cant seem to get off. How do I do about this or is it best just to remove all of the guts from the door.

[Grim 82]

If I remember correctly, the last time that I stripped a door for parts, the exterior handle came off with a metal rod still attached to it, about 8" long or so. I wanna say that there was just a bend at the end of it with a plastic connector, and it was easier to take apart that connection than to remove it from the handle, but it's been a while. Don't gut the door though, just look and see if you can trace that metal rod down and disconnect it, then wiggle it out when you pull the handle off.

[Captkaos]

There is a clip in the door that holds the rod to the latch.  Generally you need a screwdriver to slip the clip up and loose to pull the rod.  On the later models there is a plastic clip that hold it.