DIY door cable fix

Being a new 360 owner as of about a month ago, I assumed there would be some
issues with one in my mid 50k budget. So the first problem noticed was the passenger
door exterior handle was hard to pull. Within the first 10 times the door was opened
it failed, the cable connector slipped out of the plastic clip on the inside of the door
handle. The cable seemed to be binding in the housing. I tried forcing cable lube
under pressure through the cable housing but even after several days there wasn't
any sign of lube coming out of the other end. I thought there must have been
some ingress of lube so i put everything back and it worked better but started binding
and the cable became detached again. So a cable replacement was in order.
I understand, and someone please correct me if i am wrong, that the cable itself
is no longer available, and that you have to order the latch assembly. Anyway here
is my method of repair that cost all of $12 which would also cover the both doors.

First a set of bicycle cables which includes 2 brake cables, 5mm housing and a
shifter cable was obtained. If you have a bike shop close, that might be a good
place to purchase this. The 5mm housing seems to be exactly the size of the
original plus it has a slicker plastic liner. Also the cable itself is stainless.
Notice how corroded the original cable is in the last picture.
The only hard part of this is making the cable end connectors, which I made from
some 3/16" brass rod stock, this could also be found as a brass screw from the
hardware store (in a larger size say 1/4") it has to be turned down to about
.16" easily done by chucking in a drill running with a file across it. Just so that
the result fits into the connector on the latch and handle (mine were slightly
different size) Then the rod can then be cut into 4 short lengths about 3/8"
or slightly longer. Use the drill "lathe" with a hacksaw blade.
These are silver soldered(refrigeration solder) into 2 "L" shapes then a 1/16" hole
drilled into the L as shown. I used a chainsaw file to shape a saddle so the parts
would fit nicely with minimal solder.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Be sure and measure the cable and housing close, as mine was slightly short and had to
to bend a bit of an s into the bracket that holds the housing close to the handle. The
bicycle cable kit comes with the ferrules to cover the housing ends. I used one of
the shifter cable caps as a stop by drilling it though with the 1/16 bit, crimped it on
(make sure connector to connector length is good) the bent some cable wire back
over then slid a brass sleeve (insert that goes in compression plastic plumbing,
copper tubing would also work) then crimped that. This end is on the handle end as there
is more room. Of course make sure you install the hardware off of the original cable
before you crimp anything.
One thing that i didn't show is the latch end, I used the end that is barrel
shaped as it is shorter than the mushroom shaped end in the picture. There
is a lack of space for much hanging out of the connector at the latch end.
The passenger door handle operation is now super smooth!
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Thanks!
Yellow wasn't my first pick, but it is growing on me. Gotta do something about the
wheels though (too much chrome) maybe satin black in the centers?
Image Unavailable, Please Login