VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Stuck Window Crank Handle

Anyone have any good suggestions on how to loosen/remove a stuck window crank handle?

Trying to remove the window vent handle (and all others eventually) to see if all I need to replace is the knob and escutcheon or the entire handle (making a list of what I need so I quit buying things piecemeal).

Reviewed some prior posts and removed the wire clip but that handle still will not come out. I've doused it with WD40 but I'm not sure it's penetrating onto the shaft. I beat on it with a ball-peen hammer to try and break it loose but to no avail. And the door doesn't provide enough support to use a large screw driver or anything to lever it off.

Has anyone had a stubborn window crank like this and, if so, how did you eventually get it off?

Or is there some other clip or something I've failed to notice?

What did you use to remove the clip? My thinking is, if the clip broke and a piece of it is still in place it'll be very difficult to remove the handle. If the horseshoe clip is off there's no factory fastener holding it in place. Is there visible rust? If you try to rock it do you get any movement at all?

I pushed the clip off with a pick. It's whole and intact. Using a flashlight, I can't see anything else in the slot that could be holding the handle in place. There is no movement at all when I try to rock it. It's possible it's just "welded" in place by 80 years of dust, dirt and rust.

"I pushed the clip off with a pick."

BJ,

The above statement means a lot ln that "off" means that the clip is now not part of the issue. So do you have the clip in your hand or did you merely rotate it?

If the clip is actually out and off then merely tap the handle with brass hammer. We don't use ball-peen hammers on the knobs on a 41. Hammers are used on 37/38s only. They were part of the unit and several different sizes were in the trunk.

The 41 had a really small ball-peen hammer. Instructions in its use merely stated it was for shaking at the missus whenever she forgoets who is boss. That happens sometimes smf when it does, it need immediate attention. Accordingly when she starts to act up and needle you about such things as how come you don't stop and ask directions. You perpare the such annoying events by getting it out of the trunk in anticipation of its need and placing it in the middle of the fromt seat.where it will be instantly availabilie for the need occurs. It will, count on it.

If you have to bust the handle or cut it off, I have some. Not show quality but good enough for a driver. Just let me know if you need one and it will be free and postage paid by me.

Keep messing with it until you get it off even if you have to cut it off.

Best,

Charlie

BTW: Don't ac” ually hit the missus with the ball-peen. Merely threaten to. Also, don't threaten her with children on board. They will always take her side and tell e v e r y b o d y!

After getting some PB Blaster and WD40 Rust Penetrate into the groove for the clip and on the back side of the shaft, and beating on it from all angles with the ball peen hammer and a small block of wood (so I don't mark up the handle), I finally managed to get the driver's side handle off. Still working on the passenger side.

Yep, it's almost 80 years of grime and rust that's holding them on. I'll have to clean them up a bit for re-use after I figure out how the old knob comes off and a new one goes on - assuming that's going to take a hammer, too. The knobs and escutcheons are so old they've been crumbling in my hand when I try to open a window.

Figure when I put the handles back on, they're going on with a good coat of lithium grease inside so I can save the hammer for the missus when she starts acting up.