Broken door handles

[NTRCOOL]

Everyone here I am sure has experienced this time and again walking up to your TGP and going to open the door and "SNAP".

Well I just wanted to start a thread on this to see if you guys had any other solutions to this problem aside from just replacing the whole unit(which I can do with my eyes closed lol).

I had a few Ideas JB puddy for the repair aspect of it.

Electronic door poppers as the ultimate expensive solution.

So any and all guesses thoughts and procedures are welcome.

[mfewtrail]

Use OEM handles as replacements(if you visit a junkyard and happen upon a lower mileage 1st Gen car with tight door handles, grab them as spares!). The cheap aftermarket ones are made even shittier than our OEM ones, so they'll break pretty quickly compared to a factory one. Also, just use the handle to unlatch the door, then grasp the top edge of the door to pull it open. Do not pull the entire weight of the door open using the handle alone or you're going to break them much more frequently. If anyone rides with you, give them a short lesson on opening your doors. :laugh: For you guys up north that have to deal with freezing temps, you need to dress the weatherstripping with a little dielectric grease occasionally(once per year sometime before winter should be sufficient). That should keep the door from freezing shut in the winter if it's parked outside.

For what it's worth, I've never broken a door handle on any of my three GP's. My parent's broke the drivers door handle on my 1993 about 4-5 years after they purchased the car new. They would pull the entire weight of the door open by the flimsy handle. I think they figured out the issue after that and started opening the door differently. The replacement door handle from 1997-1998ish is still on my car and works perfectly.

[Jonpro03]

I hit a gold mine at a junkyard one time and I found 4 door handles that were in great shape. I couldn't pay for them all so I tucked them away in the back seat of one of the GPs. I came back 2 weeks later and the car had been crushed. D'oh!

[NTRCOOL]

That is kinda my problem my little stash of handles I have picked up over the past few years are diminishing quickly. I think I have one driver's side left but am tired of seeing the pile of broken ones. If I don't work over time tonight I'll try my JB puddy idea and throw up some pics. Maybe it will give some of those broken ones some use.

[jimmy]

     I like the Electronic door popping Idea.  :icon_lol:

[NTRCOOL]

I found a set on ebay but want to do some more reading to make sure it will fit our application to the best advantage before I post a link. I put JB puddy on today but forgot not to grab the door handle the rest of the day and broke apart the still drying puddy. So I will try again tomarrow.

[manifoldsrme]

I can't wait until mine breaks! One of the few things that has yet to break. I will start counting the days.........  :laugh:

[GPChief]

When I was going to redo my TGP I was going to put 1997-2005 style door handels on the outer doors......so many plans so little time.

[TGP Nick]

Also, just use the handle to unlatch the door, then grasp the top edge of the door to pull it open. Do not pull the entire weight of the door open using the handle alone or you're going to break them much more frequently.

Quoted for truth.  I've done the same and I've never broken a doorhandle on any of the first gen GPs I've owned... even in the dead middle of winter at -40*.

[Prospeeder]

I open the door the "correct" way also and havent broken a handle yet

[NTRCOOL]

I tried a second time with the JB puddy and had a little piece of metal to act as a splint but it just snapped when I had it installed and tried it the first time. So my thought on that note is to try a full collar around the break and then puddy but I need to be careful of how thick I make it.

As far as the correct way to open the door (not trying to be rude) but last time I checked when you want to open a door you grab handle and pull it opens not pull slightly look both ways caress ever so careful and give it a kiss. It is just supposed to work. I mean its not like I run up to my door grab it and yank it with all my might or anything.

[Prospeeder]

its crappy pot metal, junk it and buy a new one. It will last longer than any "putty" lol

[NTRCOOL]

Good point... But that would dissappoint the junkyard warrior n me. Lol

[NTRCOOL]

I broke down and borrowed a door handle off of my parts tgp. but I will keep pondering a good use for the broken ones besides a paper weight.

[TGP Nick]

Stop being hamfisted with the doorhandles.  They are not sturdy.  Treat them as such and you won't have to complain about them breaking.