DIY: Install Metal Interior Door Handles
11-19-12, 11:25 AM
#16
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I was not clear enough in step 6. Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of the cable installed in that plastic piece but the objective is to slide the cable in to that purple clip from the side. The end of the cable is large enough to prevent the cable from slipping through front to back, and after heating and bending, the opening on the side is too small for it to slip out sideways as well. I did not discover the heat and bend trick before installing one of my doors but I am pleased to report that both doors have been operational since the install without any issues. I hope this adequately answers your question?
12-06-13, 10:35 PM
#19
I've done this swap on my 1992 and I just did it on my new 1996. It is a great change, especially after your girlfriend breaks the p/s inner handle on a date! I did a couple of things a little differently from both threads and since the cable attachment was a little vague this should help.
First difference in my swap was with the new handle itself. I found the handle bound against the lock switch so I ground about 1mm off the upper pin opening of the handle for more clearance (top opposite, top side of the handle)...
Another change was the pin mounting, the LS pin is a little longer so you can use the plastic handle surround to hold it without having to replace the circular clip. After opening the slots on top and bottom pictured here the surround will retain the pin...
The cable retention is the biggest hurdle in this swap, but it may be easier than exected. My 1992 car held the cable by simply sliding the barrel into the hole of the handle. It was an interference fit and has held for almost 2 years without issue.
My 1996 was a little different, the barrels were ever so slightly smaller and would wiggle in the hole so I added a clip to retain them. It's a standard GM trim clip used to hold liners to body panels with a screw. Every auto parts store on earth has these in stock, cheap!
I drilled out the side that the screw turns in to to match the size of the other side, it worked perfectly.
These clips are made of spring steel so they retain the barrel and cable against the handle hole as long as you don't bend them to far during installation. Make sure the strap goes on the front of the handle so it doesn't bind or cut the cable.
And here it is installed, ready for years of trouble-free use!
And the final install, albeit a little small in this pic!
First difference in my swap was with the new handle itself. I found the handle bound against the lock switch so I ground about 1mm off the upper pin opening of the handle for more clearance (top opposite, top side of the handle)...
Another change was the pin mounting, the LS pin is a little longer so you can use the plastic handle surround to hold it without having to replace the circular clip. After opening the slots on top and bottom pictured here the surround will retain the pin...
The cable retention is the biggest hurdle in this swap, but it may be easier than exected. My 1992 car held the cable by simply sliding the barrel into the hole of the handle. It was an interference fit and has held for almost 2 years without issue.
My 1996 was a little different, the barrels were ever so slightly smaller and would wiggle in the hole so I added a clip to retain them. It's a standard GM trim clip used to hold liners to body panels with a screw. Every auto parts store on earth has these in stock, cheap!
I drilled out the side that the screw turns in to to match the size of the other side, it worked perfectly.
These clips are made of spring steel so they retain the barrel and cable against the handle hole as long as you don't bend them to far during installation. Make sure the strap goes on the front of the handle so it doesn't bind or cut the cable.
And here it is installed, ready for years of trouble-free use!
And the final install, albeit a little small in this pic!
09-14-14, 08:03 AM
#21
This is pretty cool that someone took the time to figure this out and post a detailed guide. However, I'm left with two thoughts, both somewhat off-topic:
1) How is it so many people are braking their inner door handles? Mine feel quite solid. (I sold my spares before realizing how common their failure is.) A light pull of the handle is all it takes. Is it happening because people's cables are too tight, putting too much pressure on the handle?
2) I can't tell from the pics if the plastic handle is solid or hollow? It's got to be much easier to repair the plastic handle than do the modifications to a metal one, no? If it's solid, drill out a small hole on either side of the crack and put a pin in, then epoxy it back together. If it's hollow, fill it with epoxy first and do the same. Being black, it shouldn't be tough to conceal the crack.
1) How is it so many people are braking their inner door handles? Mine feel quite solid. (I sold my spares before realizing how common their failure is.) A light pull of the handle is all it takes. Is it happening because people's cables are too tight, putting too much pressure on the handle?
2) I can't tell from the pics if the plastic handle is solid or hollow? It's got to be much easier to repair the plastic handle than do the modifications to a metal one, no? If it's solid, drill out a small hole on either side of the crack and put a pin in, then epoxy it back together. If it's hollow, fill it with epoxy first and do the same. Being black, it shouldn't be tough to conceal the crack.
09-14-14, 01:38 PM
#22
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This is pretty cool that someone took the time to figure this out and post a detailed guide. However, I'm left with two thoughts, both somewhat off-topic:
1) How is it so many people are braking their inner door handles? Mine feel quite solid. (I sold my spares before realizing how common their failure is.) A light pull of the handle is all it takes. Is it happening because people's cables are too tight, putting too much pressure on the handle?
2) I can't tell from the pics if the plastic handle is solid or hollow? It's got to be much easier to repair the plastic handle than do the modifications to a metal one, no? If it's solid, drill out a small hole on either side of the crack and put a pin in, then epoxy it back together. If it's hollow, fill it with epoxy first and do the same. Being black, it shouldn't be tough to conceal the crack.
1) How is it so many people are braking their inner door handles? Mine feel quite solid. (I sold my spares before realizing how common their failure is.) A light pull of the handle is all it takes. Is it happening because people's cables are too tight, putting too much pressure on the handle?
2) I can't tell from the pics if the plastic handle is solid or hollow? It's got to be much easier to repair the plastic handle than do the modifications to a metal one, no? If it's solid, drill out a small hole on either side of the crack and put a pin in, then epoxy it back together. If it's hollow, fill it with epoxy first and do the same. Being black, it shouldn't be tough to conceal the crack.
2. It's easier to do the swap than to take the time to epoxy it together and wait for it to dry and then try to conceal the crack. The chrome handle also looks and feels way better. I borrowed my dad's rotary tool and went to town. Arts and crafts
09-14-14, 04:36 PM
#23
If you say so... Those steps look many multiples more involved than just epoxying a clean break. A dab of black paint and it would be tough to tell the difference. That is, of course, assuming you can make it solid. ABS plastic can be a PITA to bond.
What I don't get is how the weight of the door affects anything. My doors are heavy enough to knock me over on my sloped driveway, but a light pull of the handle is sufficient to release them. You're not working against the weight of the door when pulling the handle to release it... Those are opposite directions. And why would anyone keep pulling [hard] after it has released? The only thing that makes sense to me is something is out of adjustment on a lot of people's doors, such as the cable tension on the back, forcing them to pull harder than the handles are designed for.
The reason I ask is, the front half of this or other DIYs should be suggestions to do any possible adjustments prior to the handles breaking, if it seems like you're having to pull on them dangerously hard.
The other thing I was thinking might be worth doing as a preventative measure is fashioning a thin metal strip to follow the back contour of the handle and brace it up so it's nearly immune to flexing. That would require knowing if it's a solid or hollow design, though, and where it's likely to break. I've seen some that are broken pretty close to the base, which would be tough to reinforce.
What I don't get is how the weight of the door affects anything. My doors are heavy enough to knock me over on my sloped driveway, but a light pull of the handle is sufficient to release them. You're not working against the weight of the door when pulling the handle to release it... Those are opposite directions. And why would anyone keep pulling [hard] after it has released? The only thing that makes sense to me is something is out of adjustment on a lot of people's doors, such as the cable tension on the back, forcing them to pull harder than the handles are designed for.
The reason I ask is, the front half of this or other DIYs should be suggestions to do any possible adjustments prior to the handles breaking, if it seems like you're having to pull on them dangerously hard.
The other thing I was thinking might be worth doing as a preventative measure is fashioning a thin metal strip to follow the back contour of the handle and brace it up so it's nearly immune to flexing. That would require knowing if it's a solid or hollow design, though, and where it's likely to break. I've seen some that are broken pretty close to the base, which would be tough to reinforce.
09-15-14, 04:53 PM
#24
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
I would love to say that it was some sort of adjustment out other idiocy on my part, but as I stated in the first post, I ended up with two broken handles and neither of them were my fault! I also wish I knew how people break them because mine felt solid as well.
The handles are solid inside, and the injection molding happens near the base of the handles which is why they are frequently broken there.
The metal handles feel much better, and now I know that I won't get my car back by broken and have to argue to get the shop to accept blame and pay for it.
I'm not a fan of the reinforcement idea because the handles won't feel right afterwards...
The handles are solid inside, and the injection molding happens near the base of the handles which is why they are frequently broken there.
The metal handles feel much better, and now I know that I won't get my car back by broken and have to argue to get the shop to accept blame and pay for it.
I'm not a fan of the reinforcement idea because the handles won't feel right afterwards...
If you say so... Those steps look many multiples more involved than just epoxying a clean break. A dab of black paint and it would be tough to tell the difference. That is, of course, assuming you can make it solid. ABS plastic can be a PITA to bond.
What I don't get is how the weight of the door affects anything. My doors are heavy enough to knock me over on my sloped driveway, but a light pull of the handle is sufficient to release them. You're not working against the weight of the door when pulling the handle to release it... Those are opposite directions. And why would anyone keep pulling [hard] after it has released? The only thing that makes sense to me is something is out of adjustment on a lot of people's doors, such as the cable tension on the back, forcing them to pull harder than the handles are designed for.
The reason I ask is, the front half of this or other DIYs should be suggestions to do any possible adjustments prior to the handles breaking, if it seems like you're having to pull on them dangerously hard.
The other thing I was thinking might be worth doing as a preventative measure is fashioning a thin metal strip to follow the back contour of the handle and brace it up so it's nearly immune to flexing. That would require knowing if it's a solid or hollow design, though, and where it's likely to break. I've seen some that are broken pretty close to the base, which would be tough to reinforce.
What I don't get is how the weight of the door affects anything. My doors are heavy enough to knock me over on my sloped driveway, but a light pull of the handle is sufficient to release them. You're not working against the weight of the door when pulling the handle to release it... Those are opposite directions. And why would anyone keep pulling [hard] after it has released? The only thing that makes sense to me is something is out of adjustment on a lot of people's doors, such as the cable tension on the back, forcing them to pull harder than the handles are designed for.
The reason I ask is, the front half of this or other DIYs should be suggestions to do any possible adjustments prior to the handles breaking, if it seems like you're having to pull on them dangerously hard.
The other thing I was thinking might be worth doing as a preventative measure is fashioning a thin metal strip to follow the back contour of the handle and brace it up so it's nearly immune to flexing. That would require knowing if it's a solid or hollow design, though, and where it's likely to break. I've seen some that are broken pretty close to the base, which would be tough to reinforce.
09-15-14, 05:36 PM
#25
Good point about the feel of a back side reinforcement not feeling right. I was thinking more about the look. Hell, it would be better and easier to reinforce the front and have it look like crap but feel right. 
Hmm, is there a straight shot at the base of the handle that would allow a screw or something to be inserted length-wise through the point that tends to break? That would be where the injection mold is, right? The solid interior would make something like that possible if there's enough of a straight stretch along the curve of the handle. I'll be moving speakers around this week, so I'll try and remember to look closer at that when I have the door panels off.
I don't doubt that the metal handles are a nice improvement. I just would hope to keep mine from getting to the point where I have to do that much modification to make them fit.
Hmm, is there a straight shot at the base of the handle that would allow a screw or something to be inserted length-wise through the point that tends to break? That would be where the injection mold is, right? The solid interior would make something like that possible if there's enough of a straight stretch along the curve of the handle. I'll be moving speakers around this week, so I'll try and remember to look closer at that when I have the door panels off.
I don't doubt that the metal handles are a nice improvement. I just would hope to keep mine from getting to the point where I have to do that much modification to make them fit.
09-19-14, 06:45 AM
#26
My dear, sweet, tiny little girlfriend broke the passenger side handle off with her first attempt to open it! She looked at me with the handle in her hand and I looked sternly at her and said, "This is why I open the door for you!"
The handle is pretty flimsy and age doesn't help. I've never broken one on either of my SC's personally, but didn't mind upgrading the looks while repairing the passenger side piece.
The handle is pretty flimsy and age doesn't help. I've never broken one on either of my SC's personally, but didn't mind upgrading the looks while repairing the passenger side piece.
02-17-15, 09:08 AM
#29
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Epoxy breaks eventually! Then it breaks again! The handles are brittle and if you pull them slightly past the stop (snap). Finally got off my lazy butt and got this done, no worries of window regulator crapping out now from accessing exterior handle! P.S. The plastic clip catches fire quickly
