I replaced my exterior door handles with aftermarket ones and the new handles do not allow the button to go in far enough to hit the linkage enough to disenagage the mechanism. The button om my old handles had to be in all the way to open the door.

Is there an adjustment to the linkage?

The short shaft that fits inside the button on the handle is bent down & I supposed that is the way it is supposed to be. I could straighten it out some as an adjustment, but it looks like pot metal & I am afraid that it will break.

Bend it. It's the only way to adjust it..It won't break unless you bend it too many times..

I had the same problem, just go to a hobby shop and ask for K&S 3/16 piano wire.
About 1.50 for 3ft. you will need to make new pins about 1/4" longer "about whats pushd into the button".
Just make the same bend and grind the end that hits the pad at an angle or it will feel like it's grinding/gouging when you push it in.
hope this helps?
T.C.

Thanks for the help! I will bend the pin some tonight and see how that works. I hope that it has not been bent several times before this.

If the old buttons aren't in bad shape, you can just swap out the buttons...

I too had same problem. The pins are simply shorter. I contacted the actual manufacturer (or at least the company whose name was on the box), and they were very adamant that the parts are made to exact GM specifications. I explained I had the two parts side by side and they weren't "right". To no avail. He even sent me a picture, which I tried to explain was a pretty picture but the pins were too short and wouldn't open door.

I would suggest everyone with same problem always call company. If their engineers get enough calls complaining that it isn't right, they might go back and look at what they're doing, rather than continuing to argue that the parts are "made to spec".

Just a thought.

p.s. I wound up putting the old buttons back in car, which sort of defeated the whole purpose.

Bent the pin slightly and it works fine.

I have learned my lesson on aftermarket parts. The passenger side is drilled poorly & I am going to have to return that side & get one that has the holes much closer than this one is.

What is so hard about having the holes in the right place.

I replaced the door handles on my 69 and the driver's side button stick in, and the passenger side isn't right either. I've rebent them several times with no real improvement. I've been disappointed in so many resto parts I can't name them all, but this one sucks because opening the doors is so much more important than a molding that isn't bent right.

Think your disapointed now? Wait till the chrome starts pitting in a year or so. I spent a little more the second time around and ordered GM handles .We'll see how they hold up.