Door handle buttons

[Southpa]

Oh well, some things just happen. Was opening the passenger door the other day, pushed my thumb on the button and it carried right on through and stayed there. Those little guys are a real pain in the butt. I know how they work. Little tabs on the housing (damn cast aluminum) which hold the plate that holds the spring mechanism have broken off.

I rummaged through my spare parts and found two other door handles. One w/ broken tabs and the other working fine, 'cept its for the driver's door. As soon as I figure out how to fix those little buggers I'll let ya know. In the mean time, anyone been there, done that?

[COBALT]

Ive been driving around with my driver's door handle like this. Just got a couple of new door handles from LMC (reluctantly). They look damn good though. Screw trying to fix the old ones, unless anyone has a bright idea how to do it and not wreck the handle in the process.

[Spoof]

Hi Al,
I had the same thing on my Burb, the little cast tabs broke off. I'm pretty sure I have an old passanger side handle buried somewhere. Kinda wierd the pass. side broke first huh?
Lets get together for a beer soon.

[busterwivell]

Same thing happened to my pass door a while back. Called Shane at Ricks and ordered new handles. I don't think any patching will hold up for long.

[69K10 Tank]

My passenger side door was like this when I got my truck, and after driving around with it like that for awhile I got fed up with it. So I pulled the handle out and used something like plastisteel or some type of epoxy putty on the little tabs. I just built it up around them and so far it has held up fine. So I guess depending on how poor you are, try and fix it, and if it doesnt work, buy a new one.

[Southpa]

Much appreciated Shane! One correction, its not cast aluminum but a very low grade brittle steel, very much like the material used for making coat hangers. I'll give my metal fab experience a bit of exercise. Might be able to make a plate, drill it out and bend some tabs then drill the housing and pop rivet it on. We shall see.

[Southpa]

Oh lucky me! I pulled the broken handle off and took it around back to compare with my spares. Well what do ya know! The functional one is for the passenger side after all, got some pitting in the chrome but hey, it works. I just had it pointed the wrong way. Anyhoo, I still have 2 busted ones and am going to try to make them operational.

[1972C10]

Ive seen people braze the peice in place instead of the tabs and a friend of mine drilled holes behind where the tabs where and put wire trou there kinda like a cotter pin It worked Stilll holding up to this day.