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W116 Door Handles

Started by postman70, 20 January 2019, 09:53 AM

postman70

Hello everyone..was wondering if someone can shed some light on this for me...Are the outside door handles on the W116 interchangeable between left and right? I'm looking for the drivers side front door handle and some places I contacted tell me the left and right are interchangeable they just need to flipped around.. I see the door handle has 2 part numbers on it..one you can read when the handle is turned one way and the other can be read normally if you flipped the handle around...i was just wondering since I can get a definitive answer..thanks for any help with this...

marku

Certainly looks like it. I was thinking of doing it as the driver's has a different lock and the passenger's is original. Needless to say I haven't got around to doing it even though its a very simple job just to see if it will work.
1974 450SE silver green/bamboo velour/green vinyl roof

floyd111

Can't say for sure, but that would be an unlikely surprise. I went all the way for a few years, hunting down locks/keys and everything NOS linked to these doors. Never saw anything, or anyone suggesting left and right are the same. And Benz.. would they intentionally create 2 numbers for 1 and the same item?

ptashek

#3
They are symmetrical, and should fit fine, albeit the lock will be upside down. I believe the difference is in that the driver side handle is driving the master vacuum valve, while the passenger side isn't.

I have a full spare set here, will have a closer look to confirm.

EDIT: OK, I had a look and to my eyes both handles look identical.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

postman70

Thank you guys for checking into that for me..i just ordered a handle from ebay..be nice have a functioning lock again

marku

Quote from: ptashek on 21 January 2019, 07:25 AM
They are symmetrical, and should fit fine, albeit the lock will be upside down. I believe the difference is in that the driver side handle is driving the master vacuum valve, while the passenger side isn't.

I have a full spare set here, will have a closer look to confirm.

EDIT: OK, I had a look and to my eyes both handles look identical.

I did look at a handle and turned it over and could see no difference. But as to whether Mercedes had a handle for each side is more than likely. At one time everything was individual and there was no duplication. Went to a talk given by one of their technical people after the big upheaval when they abandoned the attempt at world domination, pulling out of Chrysler etc, and the new management went right through production re-organising it. Apparently they found just that everything individually  made at considerable cost. That is what did for Rolls Royce here. 
1974 450SE silver green/bamboo velour/green vinyl roof

Pete49

Why not just remove the locks and change them into the door handles?
What this country needs are more unemployed politicians.
Edward Langley,  Artist (1928-1995)

marku

Obviously a solution all things being equal but my problem was that the driver's door lock had been forced, without success, distorting the key plate. So by swapping the lot I get the original key to open the driver's door and it looks good. What could be wrong with that?
1974 450SE silver green/bamboo velour/green vinyl roof

Balfour

Quote from: ptashek on 21 January 2019, 07:25 AM
I have a full spare set here, will have a closer look to confirm.

EDIT: OK, I had a look and to my eyes both handles look identical.

I don't suppose you want to sell them?

Diesel 617

As mentioned the locks will be upside down.
If you look very closely at the inside of the handles, near the lock end where the handle 'pulls out', there is a plastic cover with an R or L indicating which side they belong on. Technically can you swap them around, yes. But your locks will not function like they normally would.
X3 1980 300SD Blown Heads, trans -Retired
1980 450SEL Parted out/Scrap
1980 450SEL to Diesel Parted Out/Scrap
1979 280SE Euro Spec Cloth Seats Sold
1979 300CD Daily Driver - Sold


Inventory of w116 Parts
[url="https://www.ebay.com/usr/vintagepartsandstuff"]https://www.ebay.com/usr/vintagepartsandstuff[/url]

Balfour

I've swapped mine around and they both work fine...

ptashek

Quote from: Balfour on 29 April 2019, 05:45 AM
Quote from: ptashek on 21 January 2019, 07:25 AM
I have a full spare set here, will have a closer look to confirm.

EDIT: OK, I had a look and to my eyes both handles look identical.

I don't suppose you want to sell them?

I'll only sell them if I ever sell the car itself :)

These are almost impossible to find. I've only seen maybe three for sale over the last six years.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

Balfour

I know this is a long shot but I'm after one front handle as mine has given up the ghost. A front pair of handles would be even better!

If anyone here knows of one that's available, I'd swap it for a kidney.

Ziad

I may have a few used handles in my inventory.  Trouble is I sold my 6.9 and don't have a reference handle.

If someone would post pictures of the handles. Also all identifying marks to determine if they would be left or right.

rumb

I probably have a pair of handles.  not sure about keys that fit, will have to check.

'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio