Need help with outside door handle

[houdel]

I need some help figuring out why the driver's side outside door handle on my Deuce won't work. The door handle turns but will not unlatch the door. The inside door handle works fine, opens the door and locks the door w/o a problem.

I pulled off the outside door handle, it appears fine and seems to be turning the latch mechanism but the latch won't open. I even tried swapping the door handle from the passenger's side but there was no difference.

The only oddity I noted is that the passenger's side outside door handle is vertical and opens the door by rotating the handle clockwise, toward the rear of the vehicle. The driver's side door handle is NOT vertical, it is positioned about 20 degrees toward the front of the vehicle, and rotates clockwise, toward the FRONT of the vehicle. Is this normal? Any ideas why it won't open the door or suggestions to fix the problem?

Also, I ASSUME the driver's side outside door handle should also be vertical and rotate COUNTERCLOCKWISE towards the REAR of the vehicle, not towards the front. Is this correct?

 

[Recovry4x4]

Worn latch assy. Might could try a liberal greasing but you'll probably end up swapping it out. Its a bit of a hassle but the only way to really grease them is to take them out of the door.

 

[WillWagner]

The passenger side door was the same way when I picked up my deuce. I took it apart, put it back together and repeated twice and could see nada thing wrong. Put a new latch assy in, now it works perfect. Go figure. It's a bi-atch gettin' your hand up there! Antelope Valley truck and equip. had the best price..but i'm on the west coast.