New and improved passenger door handle fix
 

My interior passenger handle has held up, but I did notice a gap the other day between the handle and the door panel so I took it apart tonight. The previous fixes I have seen basically involve epoxying some sort of metal tab to the cracked plastic mount. What I did is MUCH stronger and actually easier.

With the door panel off, remove the plastic handle/armrest assembly. The pistol grip assmebly also comes apart; 2 screws in the bottom of the grip and two smaller ones at the top allow you to remove it. The mounting eye at the top of the grip typically cracks or breaks completely off. Mine was only cracked, but I am sure it wouldn't have held out much longer. The center of the hand grip is filled with some sort of resin, so it's actually very solid. The mounting eye itself is what causes problems.

I used a length of plumbers tape to reinforce the top grip mount (plumbers tape is just metal strapping with holes in it; used for hanging pipes under rafters). I cut off a piece of tape about 8" long and doubled it back on itself so it was double thick. One end of the tape I screwed into the top of the grip after drilling a pilot hole first. The resin is hard and holds a screw very well; I tightened it heavily. Then bend the tape to follow the contour of the grip up to the mounting eye at the top. Cut off the extra tape where it extends past the hole in the mounting tab. Mount the door panel back on and when inserting the mounting screw for the top of the grip, just thread it through the metal tape first. Once you tighten it the stress on the handle will actually go through the tape and into the center of the grip which is actually very sturdy. The tape is thin enough that is creates no problems with the power window switch.

This thing feels rock solid now with no give whatsoever. If you can leave the tape a hair short, that allows it to clamp down on the handle when you tighten it. In effect the handle is no longer bolted at the eye, but from the center of the pistol grip to the door frame. This solution will work even if the mounting eye is completely broken off.

I just did the same with my handle, I used J-B Weld instead, so far so good.

great idea
 

Wow DamonB - that is good thinking!

I used a combo of the above approaches:
First I screwed a small L shaped bracket into the top of the grip, then I JB Welded the bracket to the grip and the "mounting eye" as you call it.

Never thought that there was something that could solidly screw both into the grip and attach to the mounting point of the door too. I like that approach better than my fix.

You should send a note to Steve Ciriani to post that to his RX7 archive site.

Scott

very good writeup :bigthumb:

I'm saving this trick and next time I'm working on my car (soon enough) I'll fix the damn handle!

thanks - cuban cigar for you :)

2 years and thousands of door closings later and the passenger handle is still in one solid piece :cool:

pics or ban!!!!!

j/k =D


But I still want pics

But then I gotta take the friggen door apart again! ;)

Mine is still strong and in one piece... but then again its probably cause whenever teddy and I take my car out Im passenger.

yeah, pics

Good write-up!
I was working on mine just last night and all I could come up with is drilling a hole through the grip and JB welding a rod through it. It feels solid but is not connected to anything. My top eye was completely broken out, as you described.
I'll try your fix also.
Thanks!

I originally considered just using an eye bolt but there is hardly any clearance in there. If your "repair" sticks out from the door structure much at all then the power window switch will not be able to slide back into place.

Yea, if it seems confusing its not really that bad. Once you have the door apart it will all fall into place.

Thanks DamonB!

Great fix. I did it a little differently. Basically, I JB-Weld the plumber's tape to the handle assembly, and JB-Weld all the posts that were cracking or cracked.

Below is the picture.

:-) neil

http://www.silcom.com/~neilv/rx7/RX7...nforcement.jpg