Broken NB exterior door handle

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03-06-2011, 12:08 PM
Keifersmith

Broken NB exterior door handle

Ok, leave it to me to have all of the weird problems.

The drivers side exterior door handle on my 99 has recently started pulling loose from the door (the end towards the rear of the car) when I open it. I figured I just had a retaining nut that had come loose so I pulled enough of the interior panel out to get a look at it. From what I can tell, the door has two tabs (part of the door skin itself) that the handle bolts onto. It looks like the tab at the rearward end has broken letting the handle rotate away from the door when you pull on it. Both of the tabs are on the top side of the door handle assembly but I don’t see anything on the bottom side of the latch to keep it secured to the door (i.e. to prevent letting it rotate away from the door when you pull up on the handle). It seems odd to me that the only two attachments would be on the top side of the door handle assembly.

Anyway, when I get home later today I’m going to see if I can remove the door handle assembly and I’ll post some pictures. Just curious if anyone else has run into anything like this or know how it should attach to the door. Also trying to figure out how to repair it. I don’t think the tab can be welded back to the door without damaging the paint around the door handle. If so, the only other thing I can think of is to make some kind of bracket that bolts to the back side of the handle assembly and has tabs that push against the inside of the door to hold it securely. Anybody have any words of wisdom?

And I was silly enough to think all I had to do was tighten a nut…. :gaah:
03-06-2011, 12:40 PM
Walsted

I have the same problem. I tried to fix it with a cheap welder, but it only held about a month or two. Next attempt will involve an appropriately sized washer and JB Weld.
03-06-2011, 06:26 PM
Keifersmith

2 Attachment(s)

Here's a couple of shots of the door and handle. You can see the rear tab on the door that broke off. welding it back doesn't seem to be an option as the metal is incredibly thin. At best it's about half the thickness of a dime (if that thick). You can see the two mounting points on the back of the handle itself. I can't believe this thing was actually designed this was as it's incredibly flimsy. There's nothing to hold the handle assembly on the bottom side it you were to grab the handle and pull really hard. Unless anyone has any good ideas, I'm still thinking the best I can do is to make some kind of a bracket to bolt onto the back with tabs that hold it from the backside of the door.

Walsted, Is this what your door did or did the hole just wallow out?

Attachment 5040 Attachment 5041 http://www.dfwmiata.com/%5Cpictures
03-06-2011, 06:47 PM
POS Racing

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/__?_from...handle&_sacat=
03-06-2011, 08:32 PM
Keifersmith

Quote:

Originally Posted by POS Racing

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/__?_from...handle&_sacat=

Hey POS, I just wish it were that easy. It's not the door handle that is broken, it's the door itself. In the second photo you can see the tab that the door handle should bolt onto has broken off of the door.
03-06-2011, 09:28 PM
gabkwong

I have a set (both left and right side) of silver ones in very good condition at dirt cheap price here! With the door skins you also get the door pulls, the locks and a few other things too!
03-06-2011, 11:00 PM
Keifersmith

Quote:

Originally Posted by gabkwong

I have a set (both left and right side) of silver ones in very good condition at dirt cheap price here! With the door skins you also get the door pulls, the locks and a few other things too!

I appreciate the offer but I'm determined to fix this one somehow without having to swap out the door.
03-07-2011, 04:22 AM
Walsted

That is what happened to mine, except the tab wasn't completely off. I'm going to try a backing washer and JB Weld on Saturday.
03-07-2011, 07:20 AM
gabkwong

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keifersmith

I appreciate the offer but I'm determined to fix this one somehow without having to swap out the door.

You're welcome! Just let me know when you change your mind or ... Good luck with your project!
03-07-2011, 11:09 AM
OZMDD

Dukes of Hazzard entry/exit... problem solved!
03-12-2011, 12:12 PM
Walsted

Home Depot has the 1/4 inch x 1 1/4 inch fender washers for twenty cents. I used one of those washers - cut it down to match the original mounting hole on three sides, bent the fourth side in at an appropriate angle, put JBWeld on the washer, lined it up with the original mounting tab, and bolted the handle back on. It seems to have fixed the problem. I'll know for sure in a couple of months.
03-22-2011, 12:12 AM
Keifersmith

4 Attachment(s)

Ok, this solution is probably way overkill but it did fix the problem ;) I tried building a smaller bracket just for the end where the tab was broken but it wasn't very stable so I came up with this bracket instead. Seems pretty snug right now so hopefully it won't vibrate or rattle. If it does I'll probably try putting some of that sticky black tar like sealer they use to hold the plastic wrap to the inside of the door on the contact points between the bracket and the door skin. None of the parts stores seemed to carry it and I was too impatient to wait so I just put it back together. Guess for now I'll just drive it and see how it holds up.

Attachment 5074 Attachment 5073 Attachment 5071 Attachment 5072
03-22-2011, 06:24 AM
jrj512

Wow, it looks like Keithco has its first product!