A few years back I had a family friend paint my xj. He removed the door handles and since then my driver side handle is the only one that gives me problems.
I tore into it this morning and found that the spring that holds the plunger from the door handle is not functioning properly. I can not for the life of me figure out to put the spring back in to make the brass looking thing contact the plunger
(like it does in the passenger door)

Is the an easy fix? I hate not being able to use my door handle on the side I get in. Hasn't been an issue since ive been rolling doorless but now its getting cold and I need the doors on.

 

If you could post a picture we could help you out, but we would have to see where the problem is at, Words are differnt then what you see,

 

Its kind of hard to see but the plunger that comes out of the part you push in with your thumb pushes the brass piece which releases the latch. In my passenger door the plunger is tight against the piece so there is pressure when first pushing the door handle in. The driver side there is a gap and I can not get them the be tight together. The door opens but I have to use both hands to push in as hard as I can and shake the door violently.
I am guessing it is the spring but it seems to be fine. I lubed everything up real nice so that doesn't seem to be the problem. I circled the problem area in red.

 

I have the same issue. The spring that returns the clasp back to the position broke. Anyone familiar where I could get a replacement spring?