[VAL] Airstream Door Handle Repair

["Brian Jenkins" <jenkins1924@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Patti,
Take off the cover plate around the handle on the inside of the door. You 
should be able to see the back side of the lock inside the door. Whereas 
Spartan and other manufacturers used screws to hold the bezel to the door, 
Airstream usually used cotter pins through the actuating bars backed by 
washers against the inside of the door. Straighten and remove the cotter 
pins and washers (try not to drop them inside the door) and the bezel will 
pull out from the front, along with the lock. Go to any good hardware store 
and get a split pin to replace the original friction pin that fell out. It 
should drive into the bezel easily, but will stay in place due to it's 
spring action. Replace the bezel and handle in the door making sure that the 
handle and lock actuating rods slide through the latch mechanism in the 
correct position. Check the lock action before you go any further. Then 
spray some white grease on the inside surface of the door skin where the 
washers bear against it. Install them and new cotter pins. Test the whole 
assembly then re-rivet the inner panel on and install the inner handle.
Good luck,
Brian Jenkins