gambit023

I always end up pulling shiet apart then forgetting where things are supposed to go.

I need your help identifying where the two pieces circled in RED go. I pulled it from the passenger door panel but I have no clue where.

One is a plastic funnel shaped piece and one is a metal bracket.

Thanks for helping a brother out.

rotarypower101

iTrader: (1)

Both those parts help hold the bottom of the passenger side door interior door handle or pull.
The funnel looking thing goes against the panel itself (were the foam is) and helps you put in the screw that secures it to the door itself if I remember correctly.

rotarypower101

iTrader: (1)

Personally It might be to your benefit to just go ahead and reinforce the handle now if you have some time. Mine, and I am sure just about everyone on here will agree putting something that week on a passenger door was not a good idea. Not that anything should ever be built that weak on a part that is used to be pulled on, but it is a particularly bad spot as most people that don’t know this car wouldn’t think twice about pulling on it hard as they can to close the door.

I wish someone with the facilities would make a reinforced piece that would replace that piece of junk. Something with a steel piece running all the way through it that bolts directly to the door on both sides and bypasses the lame attempt mazda engineers thought up!
Of course people probably don’t slam there doors over in Japan

gambit023

Yo 101!!! Thanks for the help man.. you're a life saver.

i'll take a look at the way it peices together and try to fab something up that will be stronger... if all goes well i'll post pics!!! or if worst comes to worst .. i'll just load it up with a crap load of epoxy.

rotarypower101

iTrader: (1)

I would actually pull the thing apart and show you what I mean by reinforcing it, but my good camera is out on loan at the moment and the pic wouldn’t do it justice.

I got some mild steel 1/8 plate and formed it to fit the bottom and top and drilled and ran deep lag screws into both sides of the plastic handle. The top was a little rough to finagle in there so that it was accessible and still bolted directly to the steel door frame, and did not disrupt the natural look of the handle or interfere with the switch. But I got it to work very well, and now I jokingly tell people to go ahead and pull that sucker off there I dare you! Which is a far cry from me always saying be careful be careful, use the pocket instead of the door handle.

Sgtblue

iTrader: (16)

Regarding a fix for the loose passenger door handle, I thought I'd pass on what I did. Similar to 101 but I used no metal. Sorry if this is old news, just thought it might help someone:
After removing the door handle assembly from the larger panel and accessing the area from the hollow backside, I pre-drilled and inserted one 3/4" long metal screw into the shaft of the pull handle, leaving about 1/4" of the screw exposed. I then used 36 grit sand paper to rough up the rest of the hollowed out area, especially the area across the plastic mold seam/split. Using masking tape, I then completely masked the entire outside area, where ever it might be visible when mounted on the door, and especially that damn plastic mold-split. This is to keep any resin from seeping out. After cleaning out the area that was sanded, I laid about 5 layers of fiberglass resin and pre-cut glass fabric, being careful to push one end of each layer of fabric over the head of the screw for an anchor at that end. I also used extra hardner with the resin so it would set up quickly and minimize sagging and running all over. The downside of course, is that you have to work fast.
Solid as a rock for about a year now. Even stands up to my 12 yr old son. Cost about $10 for the cheezy fiberglass kit from the hardware store.