Hello everyone!
I’ve had enough with the exterior handles breaking all the time. Ain’t gonna buy more. I’ve got three extra: 2 rear ones and a right front. The broken handle situation is as follows: front left handle=broken. Front right handle=broken. Right rear handle=half broken. Left rear handle=works (yaaay! But for how long).
So I had a chance to experiment on the extra rear handles. Please see pictures.
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Nice job Joe, don’t forget to add the little nut to the adjuster rod too!
Thanks Larry. I bought four nuts for the rods weeks ago. Of course the plastic base of the rod broke. So I had to raise the window frame so I can get the lock mechanism out and fix it. I’ll install the right rear handle first and then the left rear. The front handles are trickier because there’s not much room between the handle arms and the black plastic housing for a 1/8" thick alu reinforcement. I gotta figure something out.
The nuts of the rear handles are JB Welded onto the bolts. I was looking at a permanent thread locker but it was $7.49 so I skipped it.
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Great work
Gtjoey1314
Thank you, I appreciate it.
Anytime…Enjoy the ride.
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Finally I finished the front handles too. I didn’t take any pictures of the right front handle, only the left front. Luckily a 16 ga steel plate fit between the handle and the housing including rivets.
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it would be nice if they sold them already reinforced! 
Yeah, but where would be the business in it then? It’s not the manufacturers interest to make long lasting parts. When they designed the handle with that 90 degree arm, they knew very well it’ll be just a matter of time until they break. I can hear the conversation between the owner and the dealer: “we’re so sorry this happened. Come on in Mr. Smith, we’d be happy to replace that broken door handle. It’ll be $650”.
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